Politics · 1890–1949Frank Murphymayor of Detroit, governor, U.S. Supreme Court justiceRecorder's Court judge and Depression-era mayor of Detroit (1930–1933) who went on to govern Michigan and sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.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
- 22 fields
Hungarian ties 22 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →
Field
Connection
Born in
A–Z (family name)
9 people
Clear filtersPolitics · 1890–1949Frank Murphymayor of Detroit, governor, U.S. Supreme Court justiceRecorder's Court judge and Depression-era mayor of Detroit (1930–1933) who went on to govern Michigan and sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Law · 1913–1988John N. Mitchelllawyer, U.S. attorney generalDetroit-born bond lawyer who became Richard Nixon's attorney general and campaign manager, and later the highest-ranking official imprisoned over Watergate.
Politics · 1807–1880Robert McClellandlawyer, governor of Michigan, U.S. secretary of the interiorMonroe lawyer and Democratic governor (1852–1853) who served as President Pierce's interior secretary and spent his last 23 years practicing law in Detroit; he is buried at Elmwood.
Law · born 1960Greg Mathisjudge, television arbitrator, authorDetroit-raised former gang member who became a 36th District Court judge in the city and then TV's 'Judge Mathis' for 24 seasons (1999–2023).
Politics · 1848–1909William C. Mayburylawyer, congressman, mayor of DetroitDetroit-born lawyer and congressman who was mayor from 1897 to 1904, sealed the Detroit Century Box time capsule and invested in Henry Ford's first car company; his statue stands in Grand Circus Park.
Politics · 1899–1970Thaddeus M. Machrowiczlawyer, judge, congressmanPolish-born lawyer who rose from Hamtramck city attorney and judge to represent the Detroit area in Congress for a decade, then served as a federal judge in Detroit.
Law · 1920–1987Wade H. McCreejudge, U.S. solicitor general, law professorHarvard-trained lawyer who made his career in Detroit, becoming the first Black judge on the Wayne County Circuit Court and the Sixth Circuit, then U.S. solicitor general.
Politics · 1897–1987Louis Mirianilawyer, city council president, mayor of DetroitLegal aid lawyer and council president who succeeded Albert Cobo in 1957, completed Cobo Hall and the Civic Center, and remains Detroit's most recent Republican mayor.
Law · born 1943Isaiah McKinnonpolice officer, police chief, deputy mayor, professorOne of Detroit's first Black police officers, nearly killed by fellow officers during the 1967 uprising, who rose to chief of police (1993–1998) and later served as deputy mayor.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 ↗