Music · 1958–2009
Michael Jacksonsinger, songwriter, dancerThe King of Pop, whose career began when the Jackson 5 auditioned for Motown in Detroit in 1968; he later gave his famous glove and fedora to the Motown Museum.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.
- 1,949 famous people
- 516 Detroit places
- 17 fields
Hungarian ties 31 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →
Origin and citizenship
Field
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63 people · 1/2 page
Clear filtersMusic · 1958–2009Michael Jacksonsinger, songwriter, dancerThe King of Pop, whose career began when the Jackson 5 auditioned for Motown in Detroit in 1968; he later gave his famous glove and fedora to the Motown Museum.Danny Jacobsactor, voice actor, comedianDetroit-born voice of King Julien in The Penguins of Madagascar, who ran the Gem and Century Theatres in downtown Detroit in the early 2000s.
Comedy · born 1969
Ken Jeongcomedian, actor, physicianDetroit-born comedian and licensed physician, famous as Mr. Chow in The Hangover and Ben Chang in Community.
Music · 1948–2004Rick Jamessinger, songwriter, producerFunk star of “Super Freak” and “Mary Jane,” who first came to Detroit's Motown in 1966 with the Mynah Birds and later wrote and produced there as Ricky Matthews.
Politics · 1920–2009Janet Jaganpolitician, President of GuyanaChicago-born activist who became Guyana's first woman president (1997–1999); as a young woman she studied at the University of Detroit and Wayne University.
Science & invention · 1944–1986Gregory Jarvisengineer, astronautDetroit-born satellite engineer who died as a payload specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger in January 1986.
Music · born 1951Jackie Jacksonsinger, songwriterThe oldest Jackson brother and a founding member of the Jackson 5, who won their Motown contract at an audition at Hitsville U.S.A. in Detroit in 1968.
Music · born 1957Marlon Jacksonsinger, dancerJackson 5 singer and dancer who, at 11, auditioned with his brothers at Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. studio in Detroit in July 1968.
Science & invention · born 1954Bill Joycomputer scientist, entrepreneurAuthor of the vi editor, a key developer of BSD Unix and co-founder of Sun Microsystems, born in the Detroit suburb of Farmington Hills.
Comedy · born 1984Brandon T. Jacksonactor, stand-up comedian, rapperDetroit-born comedian and actor of Tropic Thunder and the Percy Jackson films, who first performed at youth nights in his father's Detroit church.
Music · 1927–2004Elvin Jonesjazz drummer, bandleaderPontiac-born drummer of John Coltrane's classic quartet, who learned his craft in Detroit's bebop clubs, above all the Blue Bird Inn.
Sports · born 1989Brandon Jenningsbasketball playerFirst American high schooler to skip college for pro basketball in Europe, who played three seasons as the Pistons' starting point guard.
Sports · born 1987
Jonas Jerebkobasketball playerSwedish forward drafted by the Pistons in 2009 who spent six seasons in Detroit, the longest stretch of his ten-year NBA career.
Music · born 1937
Neeme JärviconductorEstonian-born conductor who led the Detroit Symphony Orchestra from 1990 to 2005 in its restored Orchestra Hall, the second-longest tenure in the orchestra's history.
Music · 1923–1999Milt Jacksonjazz vibraphonist, composerDetroit-born vibraphonist who brought church-rooted blues feeling to bebop and became a founding member of the Modern Jazz Quartet.
Music · 1918–2010Hank Jonesjazz pianist, bandleader, composerPontiac-raised pianist, eldest of the Jones brothers with Thad and Elvin, who accompanied Ella Fitzgerald, backed Marilyn Monroe's "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" and appeared on about a thousand recordings.
Music · 1928–2025Sheila Jordanjazz singer, songwriter, educatorDetroit-born bebop singer who as a teenager sang in the city's jazz clubs and caught Charlie Parker's ear before moving to New York in 1951.
Sports · born 1990Reggie Jacksonbasketball point guardPoint guard who became the Pistons' leading scorer for several seasons after a 2015 trade, helping them make the playoffs in 2016 before injuries and a rebuild ended his run.
Film & TV · born 1961Al Jeantelevision writer, producerLongtime showrunner of The Simpsons, born in Detroit and raised in Farmington Hills, where he graduated from Harrison High School.
Science & invention · born 1958Brent W. Jett Jr.astronaut, naval aviator, test pilotFour-time Space Shuttle astronaut and Navy test pilot, born in Pontiac, Michigan.
Sports · born 1987Amir Johnsonbasketball forward, coachForward drafted straight out of high school by the Pistons in 2005, who spent four seasons in Detroit learning the game before a long, productive career elsewhere.Thad Jonesjazz trumpeter, cornetist, composer, bandleaderPontiac-born trumpeter and composer who played in the house band of Detroit's Blue Bird Inn before joining Count Basie and co-founding the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra.James Jamersonbassist (Funk Brothers session musician)Motown's great uncredited bassist, a Funk Brother who played on nearly every Hitsville hit of the 1960s and is buried in Detroit's Woodlawn Cemetery.
Music · 1937–1968Little Willie Johnsinger, songwriterDetroit-raised R&B singer who first recorded “Fever” and “Need Your Love So Bad,” and is buried at Detroit Memorial Park East in Warren.
Sports · born 1938Hayes Joneshurdler, public officialPontiac-raised hurdler who won Olympic gold in the 110 meters hurdles in Tokyo in 1964 and later led metro Detroit's suburban bus system.
Music · 1913–2014Herb Jeffriessinger, actorDetroit-born baritone who starred as a singing cowboy in 1930s Black-cast westerns and sang Duke Ellington's hit "Flamingo."
Sports · born 1996Stanley Johnsonbasketball player, forwardEighth overall pick in 2015 who spent four seasons as a young Pistons wing known for his defense, before his career took him overseas.Shannon Johnsonbasketball playerVeteran WNBA guard who signed with the Detroit Shock for the 2007 season and helped the team reach the WNBA Finals.
Sports · born 1985Calvin Johnsonfootball wide receiverHall of Fame wide receiver nicknamed "Megatron" who spent his entire nine-season career with the Detroit Lions and set the NFL single-season receiving yards record.Vinnie Johnsonbasketball guard, later automotive-parts executive"Bad Boys" era Pistons sixth man, nicknamed "the Microwave" for instant scoring off the bench, who hit the championship-clinching shot in the 1990 NBA Finals.
Film & TV · born 1966Walter Emanuel Jonesactor, martial artist, dancer, singerThe original Black Ranger, Zack Taylor, of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, born and raised in Detroit.Zeke Joneswrestler, coachSoutheastern Michigan-born Olympic silver medalist wrestler who later led USA Wrestling's freestyle program as national head coach.Mary Jacksoncharacter actressMilford-born character actress, Miss Emily Baldwin of The Waltons, who stayed close to her Oakland County village and is buried there.Charles Jacobsbusinessman, Olympic pole vaulter and yacht racer1908 Olympic bronze medalist in the pole vault who became a Detroit-area auto-parts manufacturer and one of the region's champion yacht racers.
Film & TV · 1900–1988Julanne Johnstonsilent film actress, dancerSilent-screen actress, the princess opposite Douglas Fairbanks in The Thief of Bagdad, who left Hollywood, married and lived out her life in Detroit and Grosse Pointe.
Film & TV · born 1962John Marshall JonesactorDetroit-born actor best known as Floyd Henderson, the widowed father on the sitcom Smart Guy.
Visual art · 1843–1942William Henry Jacksonphotographer, painter, explorerPioneer photographer of the American West who joined the Detroit Photographic Company in 1897, helping make Detroit a world center of color postcards.
Visual art · 1927–1995Ray Johnsoncollage and mail artistDetroit-born collagist and pioneer of mail art, a forerunner of Pop art often called New York's most famous unknown artist.
Music · 1918–1979Eddie Jeffersonjazz singer, lyricistPioneer of vocalese, the art of setting lyrics to jazz solos, who was shot and killed outside Baker's Keyboard Lounge in Detroit in 1979.
Music · born 1972Violent Jrapper, record label co-founder, wrestling promoterCo-founder of Insane Clown Posse and Psychopathic Records, the face-painted horrorcore act that built a national cult following out of metro Detroit.
Sports · 1869–1928Hughie Jenningsbaseball manager, former shortstopTigers manager from 1907 to 1920 who led Detroit to its first three American League pennants, famous for his "Ee-Yah!" cries from the coaching box.Oliver Jacksonjazz drummerDetroit drummer, nicknamed Bops Junior, who played the Blue Bird Inn with Billy Mitchell, toured a tap-and-drums act with Eddie Locke, and became a first-call swing drummer in New York.
Politics · born 1959Brenda Jonesunion leader, city council president, congresswomanCass Tech graduate and telephone-workers' union president who led the Detroit City Council (2014–2022) and briefly served in Congress after John Conyers resigned.
Politics · 1829–1896David Jeromemerchant, Union colonel, governor of MichiganSaginaw merchant and Civil War colonel who became Michigan's 18th governor (1881–1883) and the first born in the state – in Detroit, in 1829.Mable Johnblues singerDetroit-raised blues singer, sister of Little Willie John, and the first woman Berry Gordy signed to Tamla; later a Stax hitmaker and Raelette.
Music · 1934–2009Uriel JonesdrummerFunk Brothers drummer who played on "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and "The Tracks of My Tears".
Music · born 1982Boldy JamesrapperDetroit rapper known for his deep, unhurried voice and vivid street narratives, a prolific member of the Griselda collective.
Military · 1921–2022Alexander JeffersonTuskegee Airman, prisoner of war, teacherDetroit-born Tuskegee Airman who was shot down over France in 1944, survived a German POW camp, then taught science in Detroit public schools for decades; he lived to 100.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 ↗