Durham earned a B.A. in political science and history from the University of Utah.
Durham earned a Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles. He became a professor at the University of Utah.[1] Durham would serve as the first head of the university's Political Science Department. He later served as the academic vice-president of the University of Utah. From 1960 to 1969, he was the president of Arizona State University. Under his presidency the university increased both in size and academic standing. From 1969 to 1976, he was the first commissioner and executive officer of the Utah System of Higher Education.
Durham came from a musical family and he wrote the music to Gordon B. Hinckley's poem "My Redeemer Lives", which is now included as hymn number 135 in the LDS Church's current hymnal.[2]
Durham and his wife were the parents of three children.
In 1994, Arizona State University renamed their Language & Literature Building the G. Homer Durham Languages & Literature Building.
Durham died in Salt Lake City. His personal and professional papers were donated to the University of Utah's J. Willard Marriott Library.
Publications
G. Homer Durham (1944). "Joseph Smith Prophet-Statesman" The Bookcraft Company
—— (1983). Arizona State University, 1960-1969: A Personal History
—— (1958). Man as a Political Animal (Salt Lake City: University of Utah)
—— (1982). N. Eldon Tanner, His Life and Service (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book)
Heber J. Grant (G. Homer Durham ed.) (1941). Gospel Standards: Selections from the Sermons and Writings of Heber J. Grant (Salt Lake City: Improvement Era)
David O. McKay (G. Homer Durham ed.) (1953). Gospel Ideals: Selections from the Discourses of David O. McKay (Salt Lake City: Improvement Era)
John Taylor (G. Homer Durham ed.) (1943). The Gospel Kingdom: Selections from the Writings and Discourses of John Taylor, Third President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft) ISBN1-57008-941-8
Wilford Woodruff (G. Homer Durham ed.) (1946). The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, Fourth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft)
^ abIn 1837 the callings of Church Historian and Church Recorder were separated, but in 1842 these callings were again merged.
^Starting in 1978, the duties of Church Historians fell to the Executive director of the historical department.
^While Larsen was still technically Church Historian until 1997, others succeeded him as Executive Director of the Historical Department, and those men were sometimes referred to as the Official Church Historians.
^In 2005 the callings of Church Historian and Church Recorder was restored.