I thought I heard and/or read somewhere that Joseph Smith gave the priesthood to women and blacks? Is that true? Any references?

I don't know if any women were ever given the priesthood but they did used to get to give blessings and stuff for their children and each other.

"The first known black Latter-day Saint was "Black Pete", who joined the Church in Kirtland, Ohio, and there is some evidence that he held the LDS priesthood.[4] Other African Americans, including Elijah Abel in 1832, Joseph T. Ball in 1835 or 1836 (who also presided over the Boston Branch from 1844-1845), and Walker Lewis in 1843 (and probably his son, Enoch Lovejoy Lewis), were ordained to the priesthood during Smith's lifetime.[5] William McCary was ordained in Nauvoo in 1846 by Apostle Orson Hyde.[6] Two of the descendants of Elijah Abel were also ordained Elders, and two other black men, Samuel Chambers and Edward Leggroan, were ordained Deacons.[7]

Early black members in the Church were admitted to the temple in Kirtland, Ohio, where Elijah Abel received the ritual of washing and anointing (see Journal of Zebedee Coltrin). Abel also participated in at least two baptisms for the dead in Nauvoo, Illinois, as did Elder Joseph T. Ball."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_people_and_the_Latter_Day_Saint_movement

Just not in the ordaining way.

Oooooooooooooooohhhh snap!!

Here is Elijah Abel's headstone in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ElijahAbelGraveFront.jpg

Women: http://www.lds-mormon.com/women.shtml; http://www.lds-mormon.com/01220259.shtml

Blacks: http://www.utlm.org/newsletters/no102.htm