LDS Church Historian Apologizes for Racist Remarks

Elder Kyle S. McKay, a General Authority Seventy and Church Historian for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, apologized after making racially offensive remarks at the Yukon Oklahoma Stake conference. In this Mormon Monday, we talk about what McKay said about “This Little Light of Mine,” why the references to Black religious expression, slavery language, and “Swanee River” were troubling, and why his apology was unusually direct for a senior Mormon leader. We also look at the larger issue: what this moment reveals about Mormon culture, race, authority, and the gap between official church statements and what still happens in lived church spaces. 🎙️ Postmormon Postmortem, where we lovingly sift through the ashes of our former faith. 🌐 postmormonpostmortem.com 📱 @postmormonpostmortem (TikTok, Instagram) ☕ buymeacoffee.com/postmormonpostmortem 🎙️ patreon.com/postmormonpostmortem SOURCES The Salt Lake Tribune, “‘I deeply regret saying what I said’ — A high-level LDS Church leader apologizes for offensive remarks” https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2026/... LDS Daily, “Everything You Need to Know About the Controversy Surrounding Elder Kyle S. McKay’s Comments” https://www.ldsdaily.com/world/everyt...\ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Race and the Priesthood” https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/s... ADDITIONAL SOURCES The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Kyle S. McKay” https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/l... BYU-Idaho, President Alvin F. Meredith III, “Go and Do Thou Likewise” https://www.byui.edu/speeches/devotio... The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “This Little Light of Mine” https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/s... The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “About the Hymns: This Little Light of Mine” https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/s... Church Newsroom, “Fifteen New Hymns Available to Use in Church and at Home” https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.... Library of Congress, “Songs of a Movement” https://blogs.loc.gov/loc/2014/09/son... United Methodist Discipleship Ministries, “History of Hymns: ‘This Little Light of Mine’” https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/artic... Smithsonian National Museum of American History, “‘Old Folks at Home’” https://americanhistory.si.edu/collec... University of Pittsburgh Library System, “Blackface Minstrelsy” https://library.pitt.edu/blackface-mi...