Throughout much of the 1880s, Mackenzie taught at the elementary and secondary level in Flint, Michigan; by 1888, he had been promoted to the position of Superintendent.
During 1892, Mackenzie moved to west Michigan where he served twelve years as Superintendent of Muskegon Schools.
In 1916, the program was extended to two-years, and in 1917 the state legislature approved Mackenzie's plans for establishing the Detroit Junior College.
[2] In 1928, the Detroit Board of Education dedicated its newest high school to the memory of David Mackenzie.
The three-story structure, located at 9275 Wyoming Street, on the city's west side, closed its doors for the last time in June 2007; it was demolished in 2012.