Music · 1923–2011Eddie Kirklandblues guitarist, harmonica player, singerJamaica-born, Alabama-raised bluesman who met John Lee Hooker at Detroit house parties while working at Ford's Rouge plant and toured with him from 1949 to 1962.DETROIT / A living lexicon / ¼
Famous Detroiters
People who were born here, moved here or built their careers in Detroit: musicians, carmakers, athletes, writers, inventors, civil-rights leaders and a few notorious names. With their dates, their Detroit story and the places where they lived, worked and played, closed ones included.
- 1,940 famous people
- 366 Detroit places
- 22 fields
Hungarian ties 22 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →
Field
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A–Z (family name)
427 people · 5/9 page
Clear filtersMusic · 1923–2011Eddie Kirklandblues guitarist, harmonica player, singerJamaica-born, Alabama-raised bluesman who met John Lee Hooker at Detroit house parties while working at Ford's Rouge plant and toured with him from 1949 to 1962.
Religion · 1804–1869Peter Paul LefevereCatholic bishopBelgian-born bishop who led the Catholic Diocese of Detroit for 28 years, built Saints Peter and Paul Church as its cathedral and brought teaching and nursing orders to the city.
Sports · 1940–2026Mickey Lolichbaseball pitcherLeft-hander who won three complete games, including Game 7, to be MVP of the 1968 World Series; he holds the Tigers' career strikeout record and stayed in metro Detroit for life.
Sports · born 1944Denny McLainbaseball pitcherTigers right-hander who won 31 games in 1968, the last major-leaguer to win 30 in a season, taking the MVP and Cy Young awards for the world champions.
Music · 1895–1981Mischa Mischakoffviolinist, concertmaster, teacherUkrainian-born violinist who led the string sections of America's top orchestras and was concertmaster of the Detroit Symphony under Paul Paray from 1952 to 1968.
Religion · 1767–1832Gabriel RichardCatholic priest, educator, territorial delegate to CongressFrench priest of Sainte-Anne's who wrote Detroit's motto after the fire of 1805, co-founded the University of Michigan and printed Michigan's first newspaper.
Sports · 1946–2015Charlie SandersAmerican football tight end, broadcaster, scoutHall of Fame tight end who played his whole career with the Lions (1968–1977) and served the franchise for decades afterward as broadcaster, coach and scout.
Business & brands · 1893–1932Eddie Stinsonpilot, aircraft manufacturerStunt flyer and record-setting pilot who, backed by Detroit investors, founded the Stinson Aircraft Company, maker of the SB-1 Detroiter, one of the first enclosed-cabin airliners.
Law · 1932–2017Anna Diggs Taylorfederal judge, civil rights lawyerYale-trained lawyer who built her career in Detroit and in 1979 became Michigan's first Black woman federal judge; in 2006 she struck down the NSA's warrantless wiretapping program.
Music · born 1934Jack Ashfordpercussionist, vibraphonist, producerFunk Brothers percussionist whose tambourine is on hundreds of Motown records, from "Nowhere to Run" to "War"; the last surviving Funk Brother.
Sports · born 1945Lem BarneyAmerican football cornerback and return specialistHall of Fame Lions cornerback of 1967–1977 who, with teammate Mel Farr, can be heard on Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On".
Sports · 1854–1927Charlie Bennettbaseball catcherStar catcher of the 1880s Detroit Wolverines who lost both legs in a train accident; the Tigers' first ballpark, Bennett Park, was named for him.
Politics · 1792–1859John Biddlearmy officer, mayor of Detroit, territorial delegatePhiladelphia-born officer who commanded Fort Shelby, served as Detroit's mayor in 1827–1828 and founded the estate that became the city of Wyandotte.
Press & broadcasting · 1864–1949George Gough Boothnewspaper publisher, arts patronDetroit News publisher who, with his wife Ellen Scripps Booth, founded Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills and championed the Arts and Crafts movement in Detroit.
Religion · 1826–1890Caspar Henry Borgesssecond Catholic Bishop of Detroit (1871–1887)German-born bishop who led the Diocese of Detroit from 1871 to 1887, invited the Jesuits to found the future University of Detroit and clashed with Polish parishioners.
Law · 1909–1997George W. Crockett Jr.civil rights lawyer, judge, congressmanRadical civil rights lawyer who co-founded one of the first integrated law firms in Detroit, became a storied Recorder's Court judge after the 1969 New Bethel incident and then served in Congress (1980–1991).
Business & brands · 1908–2005Max Fisherbusinessman, philanthropist, presidential adviserOil businessman who came to Detroit in 1930, built Aurora Gasoline and Speedway, led the city's Jewish community and civic renewal efforts, and gave his name to the Detroit Symphony's music center.
Religion · 1833–1918John Samuel Foleythird Catholic Bishop of Detroit (1888–1918)Baltimore-born priest who served as Bishop of Detroit for 30 years, the longest tenure in its history, as the auto boom tripled the city's Catholic population.
Business & brands · 1854–1919Charles Lang Freerrailcar manufacturer, art collector, founder of the Freer GalleryDetroit railcar industrialist whose Asian and Whistler collection, once housed in his Ferry Avenue home, became the Smithsonian's Freer Gallery of Art.
Religion · 1866–1937Michael GallagherCatholic Bishop of Detroit (1918–1937)Bishop of Detroit during the boom years, who founded Sacred Heart Seminary and was the protector of radio priest Charles Coughlin.
Science & invention · 1870–1938Edward N. Hinesroad builder, Wayne County road commissionerWayne County road commissioner who built the world's first mile of concrete highway on Woodward Avenue in 1909 and came up with the painted center line.
Politics · 1840–1901Hazen S. Pingreeshoe manufacturer, mayor of Detroit, governor of MichiganReforming shoe manufacturer, Detroit mayor 1890–1897 and governor, famous for fighting utility monopolies and for his 'potato patches' for the jobless; his statue stands in Grand Circus Park.
Press & broadcasting · 1835–1906James E. Scrippsnewspaper publisher, founder of The Detroit News, art patronLondon-born publisher who founded The Evening News (today's Detroit News) in 1873 and helped create the Detroit Museum of Art, forerunner of the DIA.
Politics · 1769–1846Solomon Sibleylawyer, first mayor of Detroit, territorial judgePioneer lawyer who arrived in 1797, wrote Detroit's first city charter and in 1806 became its first mayor, later serving as territorial delegate and chief justice.
Business & brands · 1816–1899Hiram Walkergrocer and distiller, founder of Hiram Walker & Sons (Canadian Club)Detroit grocer who built a distillery across the river in 1858, founded the company town of Walkerville and created Canadian Club whisky.
Music · 1819–1900Richard Storrs Willishymn composer, music critic, editorComposer of the tune 'Carol' for It Came Upon the Midnight Clear, who moved to Detroit during the Civil War, lived there for the rest of his life and is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery.
Business & brands · 1883–1967Matilda Dodge Wilsonheiress, philanthropist, Lieutenant Governor of Michigan, co-founder of Oakland UniversityJohn Dodge's widow, who built Meadow Brook Hall and Music Hall, became Michigan's first woman lieutenant governor and gave her estate to found Oakland University.
Religion · born 1964Hassan al-Qazwiniimam, religious scholarKarbala-born Shia imam who led Dearborn's Islamic Center of America for eighteen years and became one of Metro Detroit's best-known Muslim voices after 9/11.
Civil rights & activism · 1858–1929Clara Arthursuffragist, playground and public health reformerDetroit suffragist who led the Michigan Equal Suffrage Association and, as the Mother of the Playground Movement, built the city's playground system.
Politics · 1832–1881John J. Bagleytobacco manufacturer, governor of MichiganTeenage tobacco-shop apprentice who built Detroit's Mayflower Tobacco Company and became a reforming governor (1873–1877); his rediscovered statue turned up in DIA storage in 2019.
Theatre & dance · 1871–1932Jessie Bonstelletheater director, actress, company managerPioneering stage director who ran Detroit's Garrick Theatre stock company and in 1925 founded the playhouse that became the Detroit Civic Theatre, today's Bonstelle Theatre.
Politics · 1884–1957Charles Bowleslawyer, judge, mayor of DetroitKlan-backed candidate who nearly won the 1924 mayoral race as a write-in, later became mayor in 1930 and was recalled within six months amid charges of tolerating crime.
Sports · 1939–2013Gates Brownbaseball player, pinch hitter, coachBeloved pinch hitter who spent his whole playing career with the Tigers (1963–1975), lived in Detroit for more than fifty years and coached the 1984 champions.
Press & broadcasting · 1928–2016Paul Careyradio broadcasterWJR announcer for 36 years and Ernie Harwell's longtime partner on Tigers radio, known for his deep baritone.
Science & invention · 1914–1978Ethelene Crockettphysician, obstetrician-gynecologist, activistMichigan's first African American woman board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, who practiced in Detroit for decades and led public health and women's rights campaigns.
Science & invention · 1846–1892Charles Van Depoeleinventor, electrical engineerFlemish-born craftsman who made church furniture in Detroit in the 1870s while experimenting with electric light, then became a pioneer of the electric streetcar and inventor of the trolley pole.
Theatre & dance · born 1940Garth Faganchoreographer, dancer, company directorJamaican-born choreographer who spent the 1960s dancing and studying in Detroit before founding Garth Fagan Dance and winning a Tony for The Lion King.The lexicon keeps growing. Every entry lists its sources at the bottom. Dates were checked against Wikidata and Wikipedia. The texts are our own. Famous people's places among the sights ↗