The Church officially acknowledges the racial element of discrimination on the Priesthood etc. in it's latest updates to the official scriptural canon.
Here is an addition to OD2 that will be included in the new version:
The Book of Mormon teaches that “all are alike unto God,” including “black and white, bond and free, male and female” (2 Nephi 26:33). Throughout the history of the Church, people of every race and eth- nicity in many countries have been baptized and have lived as faithful members of the Church. During Joseph Smith’s lifetime, a few black male members of the Church were ordained to the priesthood. Early in its history, Church leaders stopped conferring the priesthood on black males of African descent. Church records offer no clear insights into the origins of this practice. Church leaders believed that a revelation from God was needed to alter this practice and prayerfully sought guidance. The revelation came to Church President Spencer with. Kimball and was affirmed to other Church leaders in the Salt Lake Temple on June 1, 1978. The revelation removed all restrictions with regard to race that once ap- plied to the priesthood.
Hey bcspace, how come they used the word 'race' instead of 'lineage'....?
That said, with the Book of Mormon, we are not dealing with a civilization with no written record. What we are dealing with is a written record with no civilization. (Runtu, Feb 2015)
I think the language used opens the door to the possibility that the priesthood ban was a mistake.
Also I think this statement is not entirely accurate.
Throughout the history of the Church, people of every race and eth- nicity in many countries have been baptized and have lived as faithful members of the Church.
Expect that:
"What began as a comparative trickle of requests in the early 1950s became a flood by the 1960s. More letters requesting literature were received from Nigeria and Ghana than from all the rest of the world combined (from Edwin Q. Cannon, Jr., interview with Gordon Irving, 10 January 1980, Salt Lake City, Church Historical Department). The Church responded by sending literature, but the demand for Church literature was so great that some Africans even established LDS bookstores. However, since there were no priesthood holders to preside and provide priesthood ordinances, those asking for baptism were told, "The time is not yet. You must wait."" E. Dale Lebaron. BYU Devotional. November 10. 1998.