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A. B. MacDonald

1871 – 1942

American journalist

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About A. B. MacDonald

Lived 1871 – 1942 (aged 70). A. B. MacDonald was an American journalist.

Alexander Black MacDonald (May 6, 1871 — April 9, 1942) was an American journalist for the Kansas City Star who won a Pulitzer Prize for Reporting in 1931 for "his work in connection with a murder in Amarillo, Texas." On that assignment, he "solved a murder mystery . . . and brought a guilty man to justice."

Biography Macdonald was born in New Brunswick, Canada, the son of Alexander Black Macdonald and Jemima McDonald. He later described his father:

"The greatest man I ever knew ... was a preacher in a little Canadian village. He preached in three villages, riding on circuit, helping people. He did that for sixty years and died possessing a black broadcloth suit and $125. A great man and a great life."

Macdonald emigrated to the United States in 1890, and became naturalized as a citizen in 1896. He quickly established himself as reporter, working first for the Kansas City Times (1891-1893), then the Kansas City World (1893), and The Kansas City Star (1894-1920). He took a leave from newspaper reporting to serve on the staff of Country Gentleman and Ladies’ Home Journal (1920-1928), but returned to the Kansas City Star in 1928, and continued there until his death.

After he was assigned to interview evangelist Billy Sunday, he took a leave from the Star to go to New York to work as Sunday's publicity agent.

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Important facts

Born
Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Employers
The Kansas City Star
Awards
Pulitzer Prize for Reporting
Also known as
Alexander Black MacDonald

People in A. B. MacDonald's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped A. B. MacDonald's

Frequently asked questions

Who was A. B. MacDonald?

American journalist (1871-1942)

When was A. B. MacDonald born?

A. B. MacDonald was born on 6 May 1871.

When did A. B. MacDonald die?

A. B. MacDonald died on 9 April 1942.

What was A. B. MacDonald's occupation?

A. B. MacDonald was a journalist.

What nationality was A. B. MacDonald?

A. B. MacDonald was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: A. B. MacDonald

· Wikidata: Q4647560

· DBpedia: A. B. MacDonald

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). A. B. MacDonald. https://biography.guide/a-b-macdonald/

MLA: "A. B. MacDonald." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/a-b-macdonald/.

Chicago: "A. B. MacDonald." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/a-b-macdonald/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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