What did Joseph Smith really look like? | Replay

December marks the 220th anniversary of the birth of Mormonism’s founder, Joseph Smith, who was born Dec. 23, 1805, in Sharon, Vermont.

In recognition, we are revisiting this “Mormon Land” podcast about one of the most significant developments in the research surrounding this major American religious figure: the stunning 2022 announcement that a descendant had discovered in a locket what is purported to be the only known photograph of his famous ancestor.

The finding led to a nationwide conversation among historians and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and those in the Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints).

Historian Lachlan Mackay, a Community of Christ apostle and another Smith descendant, helped analyze the daguerreotype, trace the locket’s ownership and research its likely history.

On this show, Mackay answers questions about the photo, the process historians used to authenticate it, and why he’s convinced that it truly is an image of Joseph Smith.