UVU Mourns Passing of Historian David McCullough

Utah Valley University joins Americans in mourning the loss of a national treasure. David McCullough, a renowned historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, died Sunday at the age of 89.

   

Utah Valley University joins Americans in mourning the loss of a national treasure. David McCullough, a renowned historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, died Sunday at the age of 89.

McCullough’s biographies “Truman” and “John Adams” earned Pulitzer Prizes and spots on The New York Times Best Seller list. His acclaimed book “1776” brought new insight into the lives of American Revolutionary War figures, including Nathanael Greene, Henry Knox, and Joseph Reed.  

The award-winning author won two National Book Awards and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian recognition a United States citizen can receive. He also received 45 honorary degrees from universities. 

McCullough’s ability to bring history to life and to make it relevant was honored by UVU in 2012 when he was named the inaugural Honorary Distinguished Fellow of the UVU Center for Constitutional Studies.

At that time, McCullough expressed appreciation for his award and commended UVU for establishing its new academic center. “I am pleased, proud, honored, and feel a nice afternoon surge of adrenaline that this is happening to me in this wonderful campus at the inaugural of what can be a prime example set for other colleges and universities all over the country,” he said.

“David was an American treasure,” said Rick Griffin, founding director of the Center for Constitutional Studies, which invited McCullough to speak at UVU in 2012. “He was arguably the most popular speaker in the nation when we invited him to give the keynote address at the inauguration of the center. Not just the university but much of the state seemed energized by Mr. McCullough’s visit and speech. He had such a talent for putting color to print and bringing warmth and life to cold and long-buried aspects of history.” 

“He was more than just a writer,” Griffin said. “He was a historical tour guide who helped us better understand and appreciate the many facets of our history. He will indeed be missed.”  

McCullough once said, “To me, history ought to be a source of pleasure. It isn’t just part of our civic responsibility. To me, it’s an enlargement of the experience of being alive, just the way literature or art or music is.”

Utah Valley University is grateful for David McCullough’s enlargement of the UVU experience, for the inspiration he provided, and for his positive impact on our campus community.