Delivering the Family Proclamation: Insights from Former Relief Society President Elaine L. Jack

Delivering the Family Proclamation

Written by: Dr. Barbara Morgan Gardner and Olivia Osguthorpe in the Religious Educator Vol. 24 No. 2 · 2023

On September 23, 1995, President Gordon B. Hinckley presented “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” at the general Relief Society meeting of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Regarding this document, Sheri Dew, biographer for both President Gordon B. Hinckley and President Russell M. Nelson, writes, “Seership and the proclamation on the family are inextricably connected.”[1] Due to the impact and increasingly controversial nature of the family proclamation, as well as other narratives that have surfaced in various forms (such as books, social media posts, YouTube videos, and interviews), clarity regarding its inception and presentation is critical.

This article seeks to accurately clarify, portray, and analyze the planning, preparation for, fulfillment of, and reactions to the general Relief Society meeting held on September 23, 1995, when “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” was delivered. It draws heavily upon first-time public interviews with former Relief Society General President Elaine L. Jack. Recognizing the importance of her perspective being heard, her desire to clarify any misconceptions on the topic, and her age (she is now well into her nineties), President Jack accepted the invitation to do the interviews and asked that they be made public with her approval. Her interviews give clarity on why the family proclamation was delivered when and where it was.

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