Science & invention · born 1951Ben Carsonpediatric neurosurgeon, author, politicianDetroit-born pediatric neurosurgeon who led the first separation of twins joined at the back of the head, later a presidential candidate and U.S. housing secretary.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
- 21 fields
Hungarian ties 22 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →
Field
Connection
Born in
A–Z (family name)
22 people
Clear filtersScience & invention · born 1951Ben Carsonpediatric neurosurgeon, author, politicianDetroit-born pediatric neurosurgeon who led the first separation of twins joined at the back of the head, later a presidential candidate and U.S. housing secretary.
Politics · 1782–1866Lewis Cassterritorial governor, U.S. senator, secretary of stateGovernor of Michigan Territory from Detroit for 18 years and 1848 Democratic presidential nominee; Cass Avenue and Cass Tech bear his name, and he rests at Elmwood.
Politics · 1929–2019John Conyerspolitician, lawyerDetroit's congressman for more than half a century (1965–2017), the longest-serving African American member of Congress and Rosa Parks's longtime employer.
Press & broadcasting · 1891–1979Charles CoughlinCatholic priest, radio broadcaster, political agitatorThe Royal Oak 'Radio Priest' whose 1930s broadcasts from the Shrine of the Little Flower reached tens of millions before turning to antisemitism and support for fascism.
Politics · 1813–1879Zachariah Chandlermerchant, mayor of Detroit, U.S. senatorDetroit merchant and abolitionist who backed the Underground Railroad, served as mayor in 1851 and became Michigan's Radical Republican boss in the U.S. Senate.
Politics · born 1957Hansen Clarkepolitician, artistEast Side Detroiter of Bengali and African American parentage, trained as a painter, who served in both houses of the Michigan Legislature and as the first Bangladeshi American in Congress (2011–2013).
Politics · 1939–2021Barbara-Rose Collinspolitician, activistDetroit-born single mother turned activist who rose from the school board and City Council to become the first Black woman from Michigan elected to Congress (1991–1997).
Business & brands · 1872–1936James CouzensFord Motor Company co-founder and business manager, mayor of Detroit, U.S. senatorCanadian-born railroad clerk who became Ford's hard-driving business manager, then mayor of Detroit and a U.S. senator.
Auto industry · 1880–1936Roy D. Chapinco-founder and president of Hudson Motor Car Company, U.S. Secretary of CommerceOlds test driver who co-founded the Hudson Motor Car Company in Detroit, named it for merchant J. L. Hudson, and later served as U.S. Secretary of Commerce.
Politics · 1928–1979Jerome Cavanaghlawyer, mayor of DetroitDetroit-born Kennedy-era liberal who won an upset in 1961, marched with Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963 and was mayor during the 1967 uprising; first mayor to live in the Manoogian Mansion.
Politics · 1869–1927George P. Coddlawyer, mayor of Detroit, judge, congressmanDetroit-born lawyer and former Michigan baseball captain who was mayor in 1905–1906, then a Wayne County circuit judge and congressman.
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).
Politics · 1893–1957Albert Cobobusinessman, city treasurer, mayor of DetroitBurroughs executive and city treasurer who as mayor (1950–1957) drove freeway building and urban renewal, blocked public housing in white neighborhoods and gave his name to Cobo Hall.
Politics · 1792–1866Levi Cookmerchant, banker, mayor of DetroitDry-goods merchant and banker who held nearly every Detroit civic office of his era, including mayor in 1832 and 1835–1836 and chief of the fire department.
Politics · born 1965Kenneth Cockrel Jr.journalist, city council president, interim mayor of DetroitSon of radical lawyer Ken Cockrel Sr., former Free Press writer and council president who served as Detroit's interim mayor after Kwame Kilpatrick resigned (2008–2009).
Politics · 1902–1950Frank Couzensbuilding contractor, mayor of Detroit, bankerSon of Ford partner and mayor James Couzens who was himself Detroit's mayor in the depths of the Depression (1933–1938) and later founded the Wabeek Bank.
Politics · 1798–1838Marshall Chapinphysician, pharmacist, mayor of DetroitDoctor who opened Detroit's first drugstore in 1819, served as mayor in 1831 and 1833 and was city physician during the cholera epidemics of 1832 and 1834.
Law · born 1956James Craigpolice chief, politicianDetroit-born Cass Tech graduate who spent 28 years in the LAPD, then led the Detroit Police Department after bankruptcy (2013–2021) before a series of Republican campaigns.
Business & brands · 1842–1923Marvin H. Chamberlainliquor and tobacco merchant, inventor, mayor of DetroitMichigan-born schoolteacher turned liquor and tobacco merchant, council president and Democratic mayor (1886–1887), who later ran Detroit's garbage-reduction plant.
Civil rights & activism · 1938–1989Kenneth Cockrel Sr.radical lawyer, community organizer, city councilmanMarxist lawyer and co-founder of the League of Revolutionary Black Workers who won landmark courtroom battles for poor Detroiters and sat on the City Council (1978–1982).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 ↗