Alex Baugh

Bio:  Professor Alexander L. Baugh was born and raised in Logan, Utah. After receiving his BS degree in 1981 from Utah State University, he was hired by the LDS Church Education System. From 1981–1987 he was an instructor at Bountiful Viewmont Seminary. During this time he attended Brigham Young University and completed a master’s degree in history in 1986 with an emphasis in Western American and Mormon History. From 1987–1991, he taught in the Department of Religious Education at BYU while pursuing his PhD at BYU. From 1991–1994, he coordinated the Seminaries in South Carolina while also serving as the director of the LDS Institute of Religion adjacent to the University of South Carolina in Columbia. In 1995, he became a full-time faculty member in Religious Education at BYU, and in 1996, after completing his PhD in American History he was appointed assistant professor in the Department of Church History and Doctrine at BYU. In 2002, he was appointed an associate professor, and in 2010, he was appointed full professor. In 2007, he was also a visiting professor at Brigham Young University-Hawaii. In addition to his professorship, he also serves as co-director of Research for the Religious Studies Center at Brigham Young University.

Dr. Baugh is the author/editor of five books, including A Call to Arms: The 1838 Mormon Defense of Northern Missouri (BYU Studies, 2000); On This Day in the Church: An Illustrated Almanac of the Latter-day Saints (Deseret Book, 2001); Regional Studies in Church History: New York and Pennsylvania (Department of Church History and Doctrine, Brigham Young University, 2002); Days Never to be Forgotten: Oliver Cowdery (Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, and Deseret Book, 2009); and Banner of the Gospel: Wilford Woodruff (Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, and Deseret Book, 2010). He is also a co-editor of three forthcoming book publications: Conversations with Mormon Historians; The Joseph Smith Papers: Documents Volume 3, 1834–1835, and The Joseph Smith Papers: Documents Volume 4, 1836–1838.

Dr. Baugh has published historical essays and chapters in the Encyclopedia of Mormonism (Macmillan, 1992); Joseph Smith: The Prophet, the Man (Bookcraft, 1993); Regional Studies  in Latter-day Saint Church History: Missouri (Department of Church History and Doctrine, Brigham Young University, 1994); Regional Studies in Latter-day Saint Church History: Western Canada(Department of Church History and Doctrine, Brigham Young University, 2000); A City of Refuge: Quincy, Illinois (Millennial Press, 2000); Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History (Deseret Book, 2000); Book of Mormon Reference Companion (Deseret Book, 2003); Opening the Heavens: Accounts of Divine Manifestations, 1820–1844 (BYU Press and Deseret Book, 2005), Joseph: Exploring the Life and Ministry of the Prophet (Deseret Book, 2005); A Witness for the Restoration: Essays in Honor of Robert J. Matthews (Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2007); Regional Studies in Latter-day Saint History: The British Isles (Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2007); Joseph Smith: The Prophet & Seer (Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, and Deseret Book, 2010); The Missouri Mormon Experience (University of Missouri Press, 2010); andBanner of the Gospel: Wilford Woodruff (Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, and Deseret Book, 2010).

Dr. Baugh has contributed over thirty historical articles in professional journal publications and periodicals, including the Nauvoo Journal (1995, 1998, 1999); the John Whitmer Historical Association Journal (1998, 2008); BYU Studies (1999, 2010); Mormon Historical Studies (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010); the Ensign (2001, 2005); The Religious Educator(2004, 2008); and BYU Religious Education Review (2008, 2010).

Dr. Baugh has appeared in several television and DVD documentaries, including Nauvoo: A Temple Reborn (2002); the seriesDiscussions on the Doctrine and Covenants (2003–2004) which airs regularly on KBYU and BYU-TV; and the series titled Joseph: Exploring the Life and Ministry of the Prophet, produced by KBYU television (2005). He appeared in the television documentary,The Mormons, which aired nationwide on PBS (2007); and he was featured in fourteen episodes of the Joseph Smith Papers Project documentary series produced by Larry H. Miller and the Miller family for KJZZ television (2008–2009). More recently, he was seen in the documentaries Stories from the Life of Porter Rockwell (2010), and Trouble in Zion: A Look Back at the 1838 Mormon-Missouri War (2010).

Professionally, Dr. Baugh was the recipient of the Reese History Award from the Mormon History Association in 1998 for the most scholarly dissertation in the field of Mormon History. He was also presented with the T. Edgar Lyon Award of Excellence from the Mormon History Association in 2000 for his article “Parting the Veil: The Visions of Joseph Smith,” published in BYU Studies(1999). He is a member of the Mormon History Association (MHA), the Missouri Mormon Frontier Foundation (MMFF), the John Whitmer Historical Association (JWHA), and the Mormon Historic Sites Foundation (MHSF). He served as president of the John Whitmer Historical Association in 2006–07. He also serves as the editor of Mormon Historical Studies.

Dr. Baugh enjoys personal record keeping concerning himself and his family. He has a testimony of journals, family history, genealogy and the important part records can have in the lives of family members. He enjoys reading (anything related to Mormon History and Church doctrine), attending athletic functions (he is both a USU and BYU sports fan), photography, exercising, listening to the BYU Men’s Chorus, and when time allows, he even does a little cooking on the side.

He is married to the former Susan Johnson and they are the parents of five children—Shelly (married), Amy (married), Lisa (married), Amanda, and Logan. They also have four grandchildren. Dr. Baugh and his family reside in Highland, Utah.

Courses Taught: LDS Family History, Doctrine and Covenants, Teachings of the Living Prophets, LDS History from 1805 to 1844, Doctrines of the Gospel

Areas of Expertise: 19th Century Latter-day Saint History, Doctrine and Covenants, LDS Photographic History

Areas of Research: Early Latter-day Saint History, Missouri Period (1831-1839)