Auto industry · 1876–1958Charles F. Ketteringinventor, engineer, head of GM ResearchInventor of the electric self-starter, first fitted to the 1912 Cadillac, and head of General Motors research from 1920 to 1947, whose laboratory stood in Detroit's New Center.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.
- 1,912 famous people
- 135 Detroit places
- 11 fields
Hungarian ties 22 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →
Field
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12 people
Clear filtersAuto industry · 1876–1958Charles F. Ketteringinventor, engineer, head of GM ResearchInventor of the electric self-starter, first fitted to the 1912 Cadillac, and head of General Motors research from 1920 to 1947, whose laboratory stood in Detroit's New Center.
Architecture & design · 1869–1942Albert KahnarchitectGerman-born "architect of Detroit" who designed the Ford Highland Park and River Rouge plants, the Fisher Building and hundreds of other city landmarks.
Auto industry · 1879–1948William S. Knudsenpresident of General Motors, wartime production chiefDanish immigrant who ran production at Ford's Highland Park, turned Chevrolet into GM's powerhouse and organized America's World War II arms output.
Politics · 1895–1971Harry Kellylawyer, governor of Michigan, state Supreme Court justiceOne-legged World War I hero and Detroit lawyer who governed Michigan during the 'Arsenal of Democracy' years (1943–1947) and later sat on the state Supreme Court.
Auto industry · 1868–1957Charles Brady Kingengineer, automotive pioneerEngineer who drove the first gasoline car on Detroit's streets on March 6, 1896, with Henry Ford following on a bicycle.
Science & invention · 1825–1911Herman Kieferphysician, civic leader, diplomatGerman revolutionary of 1848 who fled to Detroit, practiced medicine there for six decades, led German-American civic life and gave his name to the city's public health hospital.
Music · 1888–1957Victor Kolarconductor, composer, violinistBudapest-born conductor who spent two decades on the podium of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, rising from assistant to principal conductor, and died in Detroit.
Music · 1894–1979Karl KruegerconductorKansas-born conductor who revived the Detroit Symphony during the Second World War and led it from 1943 to 1949, when his departure caused it to disband again.
Business & brands · 1874–1952John H. Kunskymovie theater magnate, broadcasterDetroit-born son of Czech immigrants who built the city's first great chain of movie palaces, from nickelodeons to the Michigan and the Fisher, then co-founded WXYZ.
Religion · 1877–1927Lajos KovácsCatholic priest, editorHungarian Catholic priest who led Delray's Holy Cross Hungarian parish in the 1920s and drove the building of its landmark neo-Gothic church, dedicated in 1925.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 ↗