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Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune Darius Gray, former president of the Genesis Group, a support group for black Mormons, Wedn Green Flake, the slave of James Madison Flake, a convert to the LDS Church, was baptized at age 15. Green later was freed. Photo c Jane Elizabeth Manning [James] was a freeborn servant in Joseph Smith's household who joined the church. Photo courtesy of Genesis Author Russell Stevenson Courtesy photo Headstone of Elijah Abel. Photo by Leah Hogsten 09/25/2002 | Courtesy Mama Rine Clark Tamu Smith (right) and Zandra Vranes (left) are "Sistas in Zion" and have written a new book Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune Darius Gray, former president of the Genesis Group, a support group for black Mormons, Wedn Author Russell Stevenson Courtesy photo Top Row, left to right: 1. Elijah Abel, a free black man, was the first black baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- | Jerri Harwell Genesis Group leaders at the anniversary gathering left to right: Darius A. Gray - Eugene Orr (counselors to Ruffi Genesis Group story: l-r Darius Gray, Ruffin Bridgeforth, Elder Helvecio Martins, Don Harwell. Green Flake entered the Salt Lake Valley with Brigham Young and the first pioneers. His name is among those inscribed on the statu Elijah Abel was among the first blacks baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Photo courtesy of Genesis. | Courtesy Mama Rine Clark Tamu Smith (left) and Zandra Vranes (right) are "Sistas in Zion" and have written a new book