Earlier this month, general authority Seventy historian <a href='https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2026/06/13/high-level-lds-church-leader/'>Kyle McKay apologized</a> for remarks he made at a regional worship service in Oklahoma.
In his controversial comments, McKay, the <a href='https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2022/08/17/new-lds-church-historian-has/'>official historian</a> for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, briefly reenacted a racist rendition of the African American spiritual “<a href='https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/music/hymns-for-home-and-church/this-little-light-of-mine?lang=eng'>This Little Light of Mine</a>,” which he described as “a song where white people try to sing like Black people.”
In his apology, he said, “My words have caused offense and injury, and put a blight on an otherwise wonderful weekend.”
This episode raises larger questions about how Latter-day Saint congregations can or should respectfully incorporate not only this song but also other African American songs recently added to the church’s official hymnbook.
These week’s show features two Black Latter-day Saint musicians: Kimberly Applewhite Teitter, a clinical psychologist and the assistant director for the Debra Bonner Unity Gospel Choir, and Krispin Banks, a musician, songwriter and podcaster who believes music can unite believers across cultures and bring people closer to Jesus Christ.

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How LDS of all backgrounds can integrate African American spirituals into worship

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