This is largely because up until 1976 the Mormon church didn't allow Black members into its temples or to receive the priesthood (which is an essential step wit

This is largely because up until 1976 the Mormon church didn't allow Black members into its temples or to receive the priesthood (which is an essential step within Mormonism). Imagine joining and/or believing in a church that said "because you are black, you can't go to our glorious temples that we talk so much about. And you can't go to the highest form of heaven because you are black." This is literally the way it was (not exaggerating whatsoever). Luckily the NCAAP started to attack the church since they were one of the most blatantly open racist institutions going into the 1980s. The leadership of the church realized they wouldn't win this fight and changed the rules.