Later known as Honolulu High School, it was renamed in memorial to William McKinley, the twenty-fifth President of the United States, in 1907.

The incident resulted in speed bumps being added around the school's vicinity, along with an increase of red light cameras.

These sports including air riflery, baseball, basketball, bowling, canoe paddling, cheerleading, cross country, football, golf, judo, soccer, softball, soft tennis, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, water polo, and wrestling.

In 1970, McKinley left the ILH with 4 other Honolulu area public schools to join the OIA.

[8] The McKinley Tigers varsity football team competes in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red-East division.

The Tigers' homefield is currently the 3000 seat Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium on the Roosevelt High School campus.

Listed alphabetically by last name (year of graduation): The architect most involved in the early layout of the King Street campus and design of its Spanish Colonial Revival buildings was Louis E. Davis.

[15] Several characters of the ninth part of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, The JoJoLands attend the school, including the main protagonist, Jodio Joestar.