David O. McKay
A globally-minded Mormon prophet who, during the post-war boom, expanded the church's physical footprint and articulated a modern theology of proactive, joyful engagement with the world.
1873–1970 (age 97)·American religious leader·Birthday: September 8·The Gilded Age
Biography
David O. McKay's presidency from 1951 to 1970 steered the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through a period of unprecedented growth and globalization. A former schoolteacher and principal from rural Utah, he brought a warm, dignified demeanor and an expansive vision. He is often remembered for two powerful, simple statements: 'No other success can compensate for failure in the home' and the church's mission being 'to make bad men good and good men better.' Under his leadership, the church aggressively constructed temples outside North America for the first time, in Switzerland, New Zealand, and England, signaling a shift to a worldwide faith. He championed the building program of ward meetinghouses and the correlation effort to streamline church curriculum. McKay also navigated complex social issues, maintaining traditional stances while encouraging members to be upright citizens in their communities. His long tenure—he was an apostle for 64 years—bridged the horse-and-buggy era of Utah and the jet age, and he used modern media, including television, to share his message. He left a church that was more organized, more confident, and poised for the international explosion that would define the late 20th century.
The Gilded Age
1860–1882
Born during or after the Civil War, they built industrial America — the railroads, the steel mills, the first skyscrapers. An era of massive wealth, massive inequality, and the belief that the future belonged to whoever could build it fastest.
David was born in 1873, placing them squarely in The Gilded Age. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1873
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1873Born
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1878Started school
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1886Became a teenager
Statue of Liberty dedicated in New York Harbor
President: Grover Cleveland
1889Could drive
Eiffel Tower opens in Paris
President: Benjamin Harrison
1891Could vote
President: Benjamin Harrison
1894Turned 21
President: Grover Cleveland
1903Turned 30
Wright brothers achieve first powered flight
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1913Turned 40
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Turned 50
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1933Turned 60
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1943Turned 70
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1953Turned 80
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1970Died at 97
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
Key Achievements
- Oversaw the first construction of Latter-day Saint temples outside North America, initiating the church's global physical presence.
- Served as an active general authority for nearly 64 years, the longest such tenure in the church's history.
- Formally organized the church's Priesthood Correlation Program to centralize and standardize its global administration and teaching.
- Emphasized the importance of education and established the Church Education System's board of trustees.
Did You Know?
He was the first LDS Church president to travel extensively outside the United States while in office, visiting Europe, the Middle East, and the South Pacific.
As a young man, he was a skilled athlete and played on the University of Utah's first football team.
He served a mission in Scotland, where he later dedicated the first temple in the United Kingdom.
The iconic phrase 'Every member a missionary' was popularized during his administration.
“No other success can compensate for failure in the home.”
