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Today in History: 400 Mormon Fundamentalists Arrested for Polygamy in Arizona

7/26/2025

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Summary

Story summary

On July 26, 1953, law enforcement in Short Creek, Arizona, executed the largest mass arrest of polygamists in U.S. history, detaining around 400 members of Mormon fundamentalist sects. The raid, ordered by Arizona Governor John Howard Pyle, drew significant media attention and criticism for its aggressive tactics and the removal of children from their families.

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Story summary

On July 26, 1953, law enforcement in Short Creek, Arizona, executed the largest mass arrest of polygamists in U.S. history, detaining around 400 members of Mormon fundamentalist sects. The raid, ordered by Arizona Governor John Howard Pyle, drew significant media attention and criticism for its aggressive tactics and the removal of children from their families.