celebrating our
collective pioneer history

This Pioneer Day, Deseret Book invites you to continue the tradition of celebrating individuals whose stories have largely gone untold through a night of song, dance, and storytelling. Highlighting the stories and cultures of indigenous peoples, African American pioneers, eastern settlers, and more, Deseret Book’s annual Pioneer Concert will give you a renewed appreciation for the individual threads of experience that weave together to create Utah’s vibrant history.

This new concert tradition began in 2022 as part of the celebrations surrounding the dedication of a long-awaited monument. On July 22, 2022, President M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dedicated the First Pioneers of ’47 monument, commemorating the contributions of African American pioneers to the Church and early Utah Territory. This monument filled a gap in visual representation of African American members of the Church who have devoted their lives and hearts to the establishment of Zion. This history-making monument serves as a significant reminder of our collective history and inspires us to build a better future.

By acknowledging and celebrating these contributions, the monument promotes a greater sense of belonging and inclusion for the African American community, strengthening the ties that bind us all together. This permanent monument not only honors the African American community’s vital role in our shared history but also fosters a deeper sense of unity within the entire community. The ongoing Pioneer Day concerts offer us a chance to come together as a community and recognize and celebrate our shared bonds once again.

Whether your ancestors were part of the first Saints to enter the Salt Lake Valley, or your own family migrated more recently from foreign lands in hopes of finding welcoming arms, or your people’s lives and culture were forever impacted by the arrival of settlers to your lands, the summer of 1847 marks a defining point in our collective history. No matter your story, Pioneer Day is for you.

Learn more about the individuals in the monument and other untold pioneer stories below.