Encyclopedia Of Detroit

David Mackenzie was an educator, principal of Detroit’s Central High School, and founder of the College of the City of Detroit, which would become Wayne State University. Mackenzie was born on May 28, 1860 in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit. He received his degree from the University of Michigan and taught at schools throughout the state.

He returned to Detroit in 1904 and became principal of the new Central High School. The building, located at Cass and Warren avenues, is now known as the Old Main building of Wayne State University. Capitol High School, named so because it was housed in the old state capitol building, burned down in 1893, necessitating the new school which was completed three years later. Central High prospered under Mackenzie, during a time when Detroit’s education system was becoming overloaded with students as families moved to Detroit to work in the automobile industry. In 1920, 139,604 students were enrolled in Detroit schools, a rise of 125% from the previous decade. More than just efficient, Mackenzie was beloved by both fellow educators and students.

Mackenzie, a staunch proponent of advanced education, founded a junior college in the high school building, for students who wanted to continue their education. In 1923, it became a full, four-year school, known as the College of the City of Detroit, with Mackenzie as dean. Over time, the college took up more space in the building, and Central High moved to a new location at 2425 Tuxedo Street. In 1933, The College of the City of Detroit merged with several other educational institutions already under its wing, including the Detroit College of Medicine and Surgery, and the Detroit Teachers College, to form Wayne University. The school became Wayne State University in 1956.

The David Mackenzie House on Cass Avenue, near Old Main, was purchased by Wayne State after Mackenzie’s wife Esther passed away in 1935. Under threat of demolition, it was saved by a group of students in 1975 who would go on to become the organization Preservation Detroit. David Mackenzie remained dean of his college until his death on July 16, 1926. He is buried in Detroit’s Woodmere Cemetery. Mackenzie High School, on the west side of Detroit and now demolished, was named for his contributions to higher education.