JUANITA BROOKS, 1898 — 1989
Juanita Brooks (1898–1989) was a pioneering historian and author, renowned for her courageous scholarship. Born Juanita Leone Leavitt January 15, 1898, in Bunkerville, Nevada, she was the daughter of Henry Leavitt and Mary Hafen, both descendants of Mormon pioneers. From her intimate association with her grandparents Dudley and Thirza Riding Leavitt and Mary Ann Stucki Hafen, she absorbed a wealth of heroic pioneer adventure that fueled her ambition to study, learn, and write.
As a girl, she understood the source of life’s necessities and participated in their production. At home on a horse, she rode the desert hills, taking the cows to find pasture, and bringing them home at night. Once home she was equally serviceable at the indoor work—a participant in all required for a frontier family survival.
Her early life was marked by personal challenges. In 1919, she married Ernest Pulsipher, but their union was tragically short-lived; Ernest succumbed to lymphoma a little over a year later, leaving Juanita a widow at the age of 23 with an infant son. Resilient, she pursued higher education, attending Dixie Junior College in St. George, Utah, before earning a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University. Taking sabbatical from her teaching position at Dixie College as English Instructor and Dean of Women, she earned a master’s degree from Columbia University in New York City.
In 1933, Brooks married William Brooks, a widower with four sons, and together they expanded their family, adding a daughter and three sons. Balancing her roles as mother and scholar, she worked late into the night on her manuscripts—long after her children had gone to bed.
She had, at age thirteen, discovered a handwritten narrative authored by her great grandmother, Sarah Sturtevant Leavitt. She was instantly captivated. It was the early beginning of her fascination with handwritten accounts of the pioneer past. She began collecting and transcribing pioneer diaries, preserving firsthand accounts of early Mormon settlers. Thus, she created, in addition to her many published works, an unequaled trove of treasured pioneer records that endure. Brooks received numerous accolades for her contributions to historical scholarship. She served on the board of trustees for the Utah State Historical Society for twenty-four years and received honorary degrees from Utah State University, Southern Utah University, and the University of Utah. In 1975, she was awarded an honorary membership in Phi Beta Kappa at the University of Utah, recognizing her outstanding academic achievements.
Beyond her published works, Brooks’ will be remembered for her unwavering commitment to truth and her role in preserving the rich history of the American West. Her efforts have inspired subsequent generations of historians to approach their research with the same level of integrity and courage. Her work is a trusted source of truth for eminent scholars who have followed her
Juanita Brooks life and work have made profound impact on historical understanding. Her meticulous research, her unassailable integrity, and her fearless dedication to truth, not only illuminated the complexities of the past but also set a standard for scholarly excellence.
Juanita Brooks’ legacy is that of a fearless truth-seeker. She believed that understanding the complexities of the past was essential for a more compassionate future. Juanita Brooks passed away on August 26, 1989. Her contributions endure—inspiring generations of historians to approach the past with both courage and compassion.