The Joseph Smith Papers Project is an extensive documentary editing initiative dedicated to collecting, transcribing, annotating, and publishing all known writings and records of Joseph Smith Jr., the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The project, hosted by the Church History Library and the LDS Church, provides free digital access to journals, correspondence, revelations, minutes, and other manuscript sources.
The project’s editorial team applies rigorous historical scholarship to verify authenticity, contextualize documents, and provide annotations that illuminate Smith’s life, religious ideas, and the early development of Mormonism. Beyond manuscript publication, the site features timelines, biographies, maps, and teaching resources, making it a premier resource for scholars of American religion, early 19th-century U.S. history, and religious movements. It aims to foster transparency and scholarly dialogue about one of America’s most influential religious founders by making primary sources freely accessible and professionally curated.
