The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints called the first African American General Authority in its history during the Saturday afternoon session of General Conference.

Elder Peter M. Johnson was born in New York City and was previously serving as an Area Seventy in the North America Southeast Area. Elder Joseph W. Sitati, who was sustained as a General Authority Seventy during the April 2009 General Conference, was the first black African called as a general authority.

The Church continues to call and sustain leaders from all over the world to minister to a global membership.

The Church’s Newsroom provided the following bio for Elder Peter M. Johnson:

Elder Johnson received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Southern Utah University. He received a PhD in accounting from Arizona State University. He began his career in 1992 as staff accountant for Grant Thornton CPA. He has worked as an associate professor at Brigham Young University–Hawaii, assistant professor of accountancy at Brigham Young University, and associate professor of accountancy at the University of Alabama.

Elder Johnson has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Alabama Birmingham Mission, counselor in a bishopric, ward Young Men president, stake financial clerk, ward mission leader, and stake president.

Peter Matthew Johnson was born in New York City, New York, on November 29, 1966. He married Stephanie Lyn Chadwick in 1990. They are the parents of four children.