Was Joseph smith a slave owner?

Answer 1

No. Joseph Smith was not a slave owner. He believed that all men are children of God and therefore should be treated with equality, love, and respect. During Joseph Smith's leadership, freed slaves were welcome to join the Church, and were given equal treatment as the white members. Also, Joseph Smith was a Northerner, slavery was illegal in most Northern states by that time.

Answer 2

Joseph Smith was anti-slavery, but he followed the law and would not allow blacks to be baptized into the church unless they were freed by their owners or legally purchased their freedom.

There is one story of a freed slave who was selling liquor in Nauvoo in order to earn enough money to buy his son's freedom. He was arrested, as selling liquor in the city was against the law. When the man explained to Joseph (who was the mayor of Nauvoo) why he was selling liquor, Joseph Smith gave him his horse and told him to sell the horse to buy the child's freedom.

Joseph Smith is quoted as saying this about slavery: "it makes my blood boil within me to reflect upon the injustice, cruelty, and oppression of the rulers of the people." (March 1842, History of the Church 4:544)

Answer 3

Which Joseph Smith are you talking about? The inventor of the lawn sprinkler was a black American man named Joseph Smith, but this question is in the category for Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormonism movement. In the early 1800's he was anti-slavery and welcomed all races to worship together in his church.