Reed Amussen Benson (January 2, 1928 – August 24, 2016) was an American academic and professor of religion at

Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...

who was the national director of public relations for the

John Birch Society The John Birch Society (JBS) is an American right-wing political advocacy group. Founded in 1958, it is anti-communist, supports social conservatism, and is associated with ultraconservative, radical right, far-right, or libertarian ideas. T ...

. During his career, Benson was noted for his political conservatism and advocacy of

homeschooling Homeschooling or home schooling, also known as home education or elective home education (EHE), is the education of school-aged children at home or a variety of places other than a school. Usually conducted by a parent, tutor, or an onlin ...

Early life and education

Benson was the son of

Ezra Taft Benson Ezra Taft Benson (August 4, 1899 – May 30, 1994) was an American farmer, government official, and religious leader who served as the 15th United States Secretary of Agriculture during both presidential terms of Dwight D. Eisenhower and a ...

and his wife,

Flora Benson Flora Amussen Benson (July 1, 1901 – August 14, 1992) was the wife of Ezra Taft Benson, the 13th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and mother of Reed Benson, political activist. Flora Amussen was the da ...

. Benson was born in

Salt Lake City Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Sal ...

but raised in

Whitney Whitney may refer to: Film and television * ''Whitney'' (2015 film), a Whitney Houston biopic starring Yaya DaCosta * ''Whitney'' (2018 film), a documentary about Whitney Houston * ''Whitney'' (TV series), an American sitcom that premiered i ...

and

Boise, Idaho Boise (, , ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho and is the county seat of Ada County. On the Boise River in southwestern Idaho, it is east of the Oregon border and north of the Nevada border. The downtown are ...

, and in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

Benson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and history from

, followed by a Master of Arts in communication and a Doctor of Education. From 1947 to 1949, he served as a

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Tho ...

for

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...

(LDS Church) in

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...

. Benson was a

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

chaplain A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a Minister (Christianity), minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a laity, lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secularity, secular institution (such as a hosp ...

during the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

Career

Anti-Communism activism

In 1960, Ezra Taft Benson made a proposition to

president Ernest L. Wilkinson that his son Reed be used as a spy to "find out who the orthodox teachers were and report to his father." Reed had targeted LDS

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

and political scientist J. D. Williams for surveillance. Wilkinson declined the offer, stating "neither Brother Lee nor I want espionage of that character." Later in the 1960s and 1970s, members and advocates of the

did conduct espionage at BYU. In October 1962, Ezra Taft Benson sought permission from LDS Church President

David O. McKay David Oman McKay (September 8, 1873 – January 18, 1970) was an American religious leader and educator who served as the ninth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1951 until his death in 1970. Ordain ...

to join the John Birch Society but was denied. Shortly afterwards, Reed joined the society and was appointed Utah coordinator with McKay's tepid approval. In 1963, Reed was appointed coordinator for

Southern Idaho Southern Idaho is a generic geographical term roughly analogous with the areas of the U.S. state of Idaho located in the Mountain Time Zone. It particularly refers to the combined areas of the Boise metropolitan area, the Magic Valley and Eastern ...

. In 1964, he became the Birch Society coordinator in Washington, D.C., and eventually the national director of public relations. Benson's activities within the Birch Society came under the scrutiny of the

First Presidency Among many churches in the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency (also known as the Quorum of the Presidency of the Church) is the highest presiding or governing body. Present-day denominations of the movement led by a First Presidency ...

of the LDS Church for using its meeting houses for recruiting and political meetings, issuing a statement in January 1963 directly condemning the activities of the Birch Society. Ezra Taft Benson complained to McKay that the statement seemed to be directed against him, and "his son, Reed, and Brother Skousen," McKay confirmed that it was.

Apostle An apostle (), in its literal sense, is an emissary, from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (''apóstolos''), literally "one who is sent off", from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (''apostéllein''), "to send off". The purpose of such sending ...

Hugh B. Brown Hugh Brown Brown (October 24, 1883 – December 2, 1975) was an American attorney, educator, author and leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was a member of the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and First Presidency. ...

, Assistant to the Twelve Henry D. Taylor, and apostle

Henry D. Moyle Henry Dinwoodey Moyle (April 22, 1889 – September 18, 1963) was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Early life Moyle was born in Salt L ...

were all critical of Benson's activities. The LDS Church called Ezra Taft Benson on a mission to Europe in late 1963 in the hopes that his political zeal would be tempered. At the Ezra Taft Benson's farewell address on 14 December 1963, Reed Benson said that his father had been "stabbed in the back". In 1965, Reed Benson endorsed the claim of

Robert W. Welch Jr. Robert Henry Winborne Welch Jr. (December 1, 1899 – January 6, 1985) was an American businessman, political organizer, and conspiracy theorist. He was wealthy following his retirement from the candy business and used his wealth to sponsor ...

, that former President

Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...

had been a Communist agent.

Civil rights movement opposition

Benson was critical of the

civil rights movement The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional Racial segregation in the United States, racial segregation, Racial discrimination ...

, which he felt was being controlled by communists. In July 1965, the

NAACP The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E.&nb ...

called for all Third World nations to refuse to grant visa to

missionaries A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...

of the LDS Church for its "doctrine of non-white inferiority," and planned to protest the churches October general conference. In response, Benson wrote a memorandum to all Birch Society chapters instructing them to spread rumors that the protesters planned violent riots:

"''It is common knowledge that the Civil Rights Movement is Communist controlled, influenced and dominated. ... when necessary we must adopt the communist technique in our ever present battle against Godless Communism. It is urged that in the coming weeks the Utah Chapters begin a whispering campaign and foster rumors that the Civil Rights groups are going to organize demonstrations in Salt Lake City in connection with the forthcoming LDS conference. ... A few well placed comments will soon mushroom out of control and before the conference begins there will be such a feeling of unrest and distrust that the populace will hardly know who to believe. The news media will play it to the very hilt. No matter what the Civil Rights leaders may try to say to deny it the seed will have been sown and again the Civil Rights movement will suffer a telling blow.''"

Soon a near-hysteria was created in Utah over imminence of feared upcoming riots. Rumors of professional demonstrators and rioters prompted the

Utah National Guard The Utah National Guard consists of the: * Utah Army National Guard **19th Special Forces Group (Airborne) **65th Field Artillery Brigade **85th WMD CST **97th Troop Command **115th Engineer Group (CBT) **204th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade **211th ...

to begin riot control maneuvers. The NAACP issued a statement in an effort to calm fears that they were planning a riot, stating, "The NAACP deplores the malicious and totally irresponsible rumors circulating in many sections of the state to the effect that Negroes are planning a riot at the LDS conference." There were no riots or demonstrations at the 1965 general conference, and the Birch Society's role in creating the rumors created resentment among many in the LDS Church.

Homeschooling activism and later life

Benson wrote his 1981 Ed.D. dissertation at BYU on the development of a

home school Homeschooling or home schooling, also known as home education or elective home education (EHE), is the education of school-aged children at home or a variety of places other than a school. Usually conducted by a parent, tutor, or an onlin ...

. This was one of the first doctoral dissertations written in the United States on the subject of homeschooling. From 1975 to 1978, Benson served as

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

of the Louisville Kentucky

Mission Mission (from Latin ''missio'' "the act of sending out") may refer to: Organised activities Religion *Christian mission, an organized effort to spread Christianity *Mission (LDS Church), an administrative area of The Church of Jesus Christ of ...

of the LDS Church.

Personal life

Benson lived in the Pleasant View neighborhood of

Provo, Utah Provo ( ) is the fourth-largest city in Utah, United States. It is south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the largest city and county seat of Utah County and is home to Brigham Young University (BYU). Provo lies between the ...

. In 2001, Benson and his wife, May Hinckley Benson, were honored with the Elijah Award for their contribution to the advancement of homeschooling. Benson adopted nine children, all of whom were homeschooled.

Bibliography

* *

References

External links

A history of the Homeschooling movementReed Benson Obituary
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benson, Reed 1928 births 20th-century Mormon missionaries American military chaplains United States Air Force personnel of the Korean War Korean War chaplains United States Air Force airmen American Mormon missionaries in the United States Brigham Young University alumni Brigham Young University faculty Homeschooling advocates Mission presidents (LDS Church) American Mormon missionaries in England People from Boise, Idaho People from Franklin County, Idaho People from Provo, Utah People from Washington, D.C. Benson family John Birch Society members 2016 deaths Latter Day Saints from Idaho Latter Day Saints from Utah Latter Day Saints from Washington, D.C. American anti-communists