Cyrus MacMillan was a Canadian academic, writer, and politician whose career spanned higher education, public service, and the preservation of national folklore. Born in Prince Edward Island, he was educated at McGill University and Harvard University, where he completed his Ph.D. in 1909. He spent the majority of his professional life at McGill, serving as a professor, the Chair of the English department, and eventually the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science. His academic tenure was temporarily paused during World War I, during which he served overseas with the Canadian Siege Battery.\n\nAs an author, MacMillan made significant contributions to Canadian literature by collecting and documenting traditional stories. His notable publications include Canadian Wonder Tales (1918) and Canadian Fairy Tales (1922), which brought regional folklore to a wider audience. He also documented the history of his own institution in McGill and Its Story, 1821–1921, published in 1921.\n\nIn addition to his academic and literary pursuits, MacMillan was heavily involved in Canadian politics and religious affairs. He served on multiple royal commissions, was appointed Minister of Fisheries in 1930, and later served as a Member of Parliament during World War II. A dedicated Presbyterian, he also played a pivotal role in maintaining the independence of the Presbyterian Church of Canada during the church union movement of 1925.
