Milton V. Backman Jr.
Milton Vaughn Backman Jr. was a professor emeritus of Church History and Doctrine at Brigham Young University. He taught courses in U.S. History, Christian religions, and Church History. He also wrote numerous books and articles for other publications, including the Joseph Smith Papers. He retired in 1991. He lectured in many BYU Education Weeks, and led tours with BYU Travel Study.
Backman was born on June 11, 1927, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He served his country at the conclusion of World War II as a Merchant Marine and in the Korean War in the Air Force as a sergeant in charge of the baking department. He also served as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in South Africa. After his retirement he served several short-term missions in Nauvoo, Illinois, and Kirtland, Ohio. He directed three semesters in the BYU Semester Program in Nauvoo, which he pioneered.
He and his wife, Kay, married in 1953. After her passing he married Sharon Richey, and after her death he married a third time. He passed away on February 6, 2016.
Backman held a PhD in history from the University of Pennsylvania. He earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from the University of Utah. He taught for a time at West Texas State University.
