Regarding the issues of color and racism. I tend to think the Nephites were fairly racist. Which isn’t uncommon in the ancient world. People were typically rather xenophobic. That said I am skeptical it was 19th century racist, although readers undoubtedly picked up on those connotations. I think “white and delightsome” is meant more eschatologically. This idea of whiteness is pretty common in Jewish eschatological texts like Revelation or 1 Enoch. While it’s completely understandable why we read these passages in terms of our own national racist history, I think it might be wiser to read it in light of how Jews wrote in the ancient era.

The other thing that is interesting is that while Nephi tends to see the surviving remnant of the Lehites as his brothers descendents the narrative of the text is much more complex. By the time of Christ everyone is mixed together making such categories nonsensical. So why does Nephi make the distinctions he does? I suspect it’s much more a social category than lineage category (except for a short time). The issue is of being a people, which makes the eschatological notions of color make more sense. (There’s an allegory in 1 Enoch that’s somewhat similar)

Finally, one thing left out of Nephi’s eschatological vision is the countermove. That is when the remnant of the Lamanites sweeps down on the Gentiles. It’s completely lacking even though it’s a major theme in 3 Nephi. (And note that Joseph Smith almost certainly translated this section after 3 Nephi)