Jay Danielelectronic producer, DJ, label ownerDetroit house and techno producer launched by Theo Parrish and Kyle Hall, whose debut album Broken Knowz came out on Ninja Tune.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
- 22 fields
Hungarian ties 31 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →
Origin and citizenship
Field
Connection
Born in
A–Z (family name)
1379 people · 25/29 page
Clear filtersJay Danielelectronic producer, DJ, label ownerDetroit house and techno producer launched by Theo Parrish and Kyle Hall, whose debut album Broken Knowz came out on Ninja Tune.Lawson Demingactor, television horror hostCleveland-born actor who, as the cackling vampire Sir Graves Ghastly, hosted Saturday horror movies on Detroit's WJBK-TV 2 for fifteen seasons, from 1967 to 1982.Jim Diamondrecord producer, engineer, bassistDownriver-raised producer whose downtown studio, Ghetto Recorders, captured the sound of Detroit's garage revival, including the first White Stripes records.
Politics · 1894–1967Charles Diggs Sr.funeral director, state senatorMississippi-born Detroit funeral-home owner and Garveyite who became the first African American Democrat in the Michigan Senate (1937–1944) and wrote the state's civil rights law.
Music · born 1962Vinnie Dombroskisinger, songwriterDetroit-born singer and founder of Sponge, the 1990s alternative rock band behind “Plowed” and “Molly (16 Candles Down the Drain).”
Politics · 1820–1877William C. Duncanbrewer, mayor of Detroit, state senatorGreat Lakes steamer steward turned Detroit brewer who was the first president of the city council and mayor during the Civil War years of 1862–1863.Aaron Dworkinviolinist, arts leader, educatorViolinist and MacArthur Fellow who in 1997 founded the Detroit-based Sphinx Organization to develop young Black and Latino classical musicians.Esther Gordy EdwardsMotown executive, founder of the Motown MuseumBerry Gordy's eldest sister, a Motown executive who organized the Motortown Revue and in 1985 turned Hitsville U.S.A. into the Motown Museum.Joe Fallssportswriter, columnistDetroit's most widely read sportswriter for half a century, covering the Tigers for the Times and Free Press and later writing for the Detroit News.
Labor · 1907–1977Richard FrankensteenUAW vice president, labor organizerDetroit-born Dodge worker and UAW vice president who was beaten beside Walter Reuther at the 1937 Battle of the Overpass and ran for mayor in 1945.Hoyt W. Fullereditor, critic, journalistEditor of Negro Digest/Black World, the key magazine of the Black Arts Movement, who was raised in Detroit, graduated from Wayne State and began as a Detroit newspaperman.Snow Flake Grigsbycivil rights activist, postal worker and trade unionistSouth Carolina-born postal worker who campaigned for five decades in Detroit for fair hiring and housing for Black residents through mass protest and community organizing.Gary Grimshawgraphic artist, rock poster designer, light-show artistLincoln Park–raised poster artist who designed the Grande Ballroom's very first poster in 1966 and gave Detroit's rock revolution its psychedelic look.
Military · 1756–1803Jean François HamtramckUS Army officer, first American commander of DetroitMontreal-born Revolutionary War officer who took over Detroit from the British in July 1796 and commanded it until his death; the city of Hamtramck bears his name.Marion Haydenjazz bassist, educatorDetroit bassist, a Marcus Belgrave student at Cass Tech, founding member of the all-woman band Straight Ahead and 2025 Kresge Eminent Artist.
Press & broadcasting · born 1970Stephen Hendersonjournalist, columnist, radio and TV hostDetroit-born editorial writer who won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for commentary on the city's bankruptcy and hosts WDET's Detroit Today.Charles A. HillBaptist pastor, civil rights and labor activistDetroit-born pastor of Hartford Memorial Baptist Church (1920–1968) who opened his pulpit to the UAW and led fights for integrated housing and jobs.Nicholas Hoodminister, civil rights leader, Detroit City Council memberPastor of Plymouth Congregational Church who fought urban-renewal evictions, built affordable housing and became the second Black member of Detroit's City Council.
Business & brands · 1804–1883Charles Howardshipping merchant, banker, mayor of DetroitFormer schooner captain and Great Lakes shipping agent who built railroad lines, ran two banks and was elected Detroit's mayor for 1849.
Politics · 1801–1878Henry Howardmerchant, lumberman, mayor of Detroit, state treasurerLumber and dry-goods partner who was Detroit's mayor in 1837, the year of statehood, and the first treasurer of the State of Michigan.
Business & brands · 1846–1912
J. L. Hudsonmerchant, founder of the J. L. Hudson department storeEnglish-born merchant who founded Hudson's, Detroit's legendary Woodward Avenue department store, and bankrolled the Hudson Motor Car Company.
Music · 1938–2008Pervis Jacksonbass singerFounding bass singer and spokesman of the Spinners, famous for the "12:45" line in "Games People Play".
Religion · 1907–1971Prophet Jonespastor, televangelist and faith healerFlamboyant preacher who founded the Church of Universal Triumph, Dominion of God, in Detroit and became the first Black preacher in the city with a weekly TV show.Phat KatrapperDetroit rapper best known as J Dilla's closest early collaborator, partner in the duo 1st Down and voice of the classic Carte Blanche.
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.
Politics · 1804–1854John Ladueleather manufacturer, mayor of DetroitLeather merchant who, as mayor in 1850, defused a crisis over a jailed fugitive slave by raising money to buy the man's freedom.
Business & brands · 1822–1908Alexander Lewisgrain merchant, mayor of DetroitWindsor-born grain and flour merchant who ran one of Detroit's largest businesses, served as police commissioner and was Democratic mayor in 1876–1877.Peter LicavoliDetroit Mafia leader, Prohibition-era bootleggerSt. Louis-born gangster who ran rum-running and gambling rackets in Detroit and Toledo during Prohibition and was a founding leader of the Detroit Partnership.
Science & invention · 1876–1954Evangeline Lodge Land Lindberghchemistry teacherDetroit-born chemistry teacher at Cass Technical High School for two decades, best known as the mother of the aviator Charles Lindbergh.
Budd Lynchhockey broadcaster, public-address announcerOne-armed World War II veteran who spent 63 years with the Red Wings, first as play-by-play voice from 1949 and later as the beloved PA announcer at Joe Louis Arena.
Music · born 1975
MagdaDJ, producerPolish-born DJ who grew up in Hamtramck, learned techno in Detroit's record stores and raves and became a star of Richie Hawtin's Minus label.
Labor · 1901–1968Homer Martinsecond president of the United Auto Workers (1936–1939)Former Baptist preacher who led the UAW from its Detroit headquarters through the great sit-down strikes of 1936–1937, then split the union.Bruce Martynhockey radio broadcasterRadio voice of the Detroit Red Wings from 1964 to 1995, famous for his call "He shoots, he scores!"
Literature · born 1982Jamaal Maypoet, editor, teacherDetroit poet of Hum and The Big Book of Exit Strategies, who taught poetry in Detroit public schools and co-founded the small press Organic Weapon Arts.
Emil Mazeylabor leader, UAW secretary-treasurerSon of anti-war emigrants from Hungary, the fiery Briggs organizer rose to UAW secretary-treasurer and guarded the union's treasury for 33 years.
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.
Notorious figures · 1897–1969Angelo Meliconsigliere and leader of the Detroit PartnershipSicilian-born baker and restaurateur who became a leader of Detroit's warring Mafia factions and the Detroit Partnership's first and longest-serving consigliere.
Politics · 1810–1884Hugh Moffatcarpenter-builder, lumberman, mayor of DetroitScottish-born carpenter who built Detroit's Mariners' Church, grew rich in lumber and, as 'Honest Hugh Moffat,' served as Republican mayor from 1872 to 1875.Scott Morgansinger, guitarist, songwriterAnn Arbor soul-rock singer who fronted the Rationals in the 1960s and later co-led Sonic's Rendezvous Band with the MC5's Fred “Sonic” Smith.James M. Nederlandertheatrical producer, theater ownerDetroit-born head of the Nederlander Organization, which grew from a Detroit opera house lease into Broadway's second-largest theater owner; a ten-time Tony winner.Joseph Z. Nederlandertheater owner and operator, producerDetroit-born Nederlander brother who stayed home to run the family's Detroit theaters, rebuilt the Fisher Theatre in 1961 and helped open Pine Knob Music Theatre.
Sports · 1939–2011Jim Northrupbaseball player, outfielderMichigan-born Tigers outfielder whose grand slam and Game 7 triple were key blows in the 1968 World Series.Stanley NowakUAW organizer, Michigan state senatorPolish-American organizer who brought Detroit's Polish autoworkers into the UAW in the 1930s and served as a pro-labor Michigan state senator.
Music · born 1963Alan Oldhamtechno DJ, producer, graphic artist, painterDetroit radio host, comic artist and techno DJ known as DJ T-1000, who drew techno's early record art and toured with Underground Resistance.Omar-Selectronic producer, DJ, label ownerDetroit house and techno producer who has run the independent FXHE label since 2003 and became a mentor to younger local artists.Kevyn Orrbankruptcy lawyer, Detroit emergency managerBankruptcy lawyer appointed by Governor Rick Snyder as Detroit's emergency manager, who took the city into the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history in 2013 and out of it in December 2014.
Business & brands · 1852–1929John Pridgeon Jr.shipping executive, mayor of DetroitDetroit-born son of a shipping captain who ran the family's vessels and the Detroit & Windsor Ferry and served as Democratic mayor in 1888–1889.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 ↗
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