Hinckley, Gordon Bitner

▪ 2009

      American religious leader

born June 23, 1910, Salt Lake City, Utah

died Jan. 27, 2008, Salt Lake City

served (1995–2008) as the charismatic 15th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As the architect of the church's massive public relations network, Hinckley succeeded in overhauling the public image of Mormonism. He emphasized the words Jesus Christ in the church's official logo and opened up the church's genealogical records to the public online. He was the first president to use television to promote Mormonism, appearing on such programs as CNN's Larry King Live, and he was the first to visit (1999) the site of the 1857 Mountain Meadows massacre, in which Mormon mercenaries slaughtered members of a wagon train on its way West. Hinckley was also the most traveled president in the church's 177-year history, promoting the message of Mormonism in more than 60 countries, which resulted in a rapid growth in its membership from some 9 million to an estimated 12 million worldwide. His missionary efforts resulted in the construction of more than 100 Mormon temples across the globe. In 2004 Hinckley was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

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