The mormon explanation of the nigger race.
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In short, we did NOT bow to political pressure. In fact, before the "ban" was lifted, we endured GREAT persecution. Go read the history books on how we were villified because we had the gall to be consistent in our beliefs.
It was NOT until God revealed his will to President Kimball that the ban was lifted. No sooner and no later. Same for polygamy. President Woodruff was willing to condemn every male in the church to prison, forfeit every temple and building to oppose the law against polygamy, but God told him "Enough" so we relented. We do not bow to political pressure. We fought a freaking WAR with the state of Missouri, and we fought a war with the United States Army -- and we won by all measures. In fact, when fighting broke out between the murderous rapists in Missouri and a small number of our men, they ran in fear telling everyone that we had massacred a huge number of them. All lies, of course, since Satan is the father of lies and our accusers are of the same, but there was a moment in US history when the US government shuddered in fear that we might decide to overthrow the whole thing. Because they know that if we wanted to, we could.
But we don't want to, so we don't.
Regarding blacks and the priesthood, Joseph Smith and Nauvoo were part of the underground railroad, specifically runaway slaves were allowed to take shelter in the city and they would not be turned over to slave hunters. Joseph Smith himself ordained a few blacks to be elders. As far as we know Brigham Young instituted the ban sometime after Joseph Smith died, but records are not clear on when or why. The ban only applied to sub-Saharan Africans, and had nothing to do with skin color as other people who had dark skin were not banned. And it appears it was only based on the idea that they were descended from Cain, which is an idea that was prevalent among Christians in the 1800s in the US. So really, it was never "mormon" except the part about the ban.
Anyway, all that to say that the doctrine was never well-defined and speculation was never taught as doctrine.
What we HAVE taught, clearly, is that ALL people can choose to embrace Christ, regardless of their skin color or situation. We also teach a near-universalist salvation doctrine that even the most vile person will be saved to some degree, while those who never heard of Christ or who even refused to follow him in this life will be given plenty of opportunities to repent in the next life.
When we are resurrected and obtain eternal glory, our skin color won't matter because we will be shining beings clothed in pure light.
Regarding my personal beliefs on niggers -- treat them the same as whites, hold them to account for the same punishments for the same crimes, and the problem will resolve itself. Hang the violent rapists, punish adultery and infidelity, etc... and things will resolve themselves.
Mildly disagree.
PART of the Book of Mormon is a war history, but it's clear that the author cherry-picked what he wanted to talk about, and the point of those cherry-picked points is abundantly clear to the reader. IE, the 2,000 stripling warriors who believed in Christ because their mothers said so, and who fought valiantly not to protect their own people but the Nephites, and who survived without a single death.
The "isn't very long" part isn't really true. Even I can't sit down and read it in a day or two, and I've tried (Parley P. Pratt notwithstanding -- he was a speed reader with a superior intellect to be able to devour that book so quickly. Did you know when he showed up he was teaching Joseph Smith about what was in that book? Joseph Smith was clueless about what he had written.)
I'd recommed starting in 3 Nephi 11 and reading forward. Then go back and read 1 Nephi on. If you get stuck in 2 Nephi (parts of that can seem boring) skip to Omni. You can skip Jacob unless you are interested in Christology as a science.