On October 15, 1969 A protest began when Willie Black, a 32-year-old math graduate student and head of Wyoming’s Black Student Alliance, learning of the LDS ban on Black male priests, brought a letter titled “We Must Protest” to university administrators. The letter described the race issues of the Mormon church, including the priesthood restriction and other prohibitions, such as barring all women and men of African ancestry from participation in temple rituals. Black’s letter called for all Wyoming football players and students to protest LDS church policies during the scheduled game with BYU three days later on October 18.
