Music · born 1973
Monoxide Childrapper, producer, label co-founderDetroit rapper and producer, the other half of Twiztid, who rose from the city's 1990s battle scene to horrorcore stardom.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)
223 people · 4/5 page
Clear filtersMusic · born 1973Monoxide Childrapper, producer, label co-founderDetroit rapper and producer, the other half of Twiztid, who rose from the city's 1990s battle scene to horrorcore stardom.
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.
Business & brands · 1833–1907Dexter M. Ferryseed merchant, founder of D. M. Ferry & Co.Detroit merchant whose D. M. Ferry & Co. became the world's largest seed company, selling fresh seed in small paper packets across America.Charles T. Fisherco-founder of Fisher Body, industrialist and bankerWith his older brother Fred he founded Fisher Body in Detroit in 1908; the seven Fisher brothers built the car bodies of GM and the Fisher Building.Robert Gordymusic publisher, songwriter, singerYoungest Gordy sibling, a singer as "Bob Kayli", who ran Motown's Jobete Music Publishing for more than two decades.
Business & brands · 1804–1870Oliver Moulton Hydemanufacturer, mayor of DetroitHardware dealer turned maker of scales and steamboat engines who was elected Detroit's mayor three times (1854, 1856 and 1857).Bobo Jenkinsblues guitarist, singer, songwriter, label ownerAlabama-born bluesman who worked 27 years at Chrysler, recorded "Democrat Blues" for Chess, ran his own Detroit label and launched the first Detroit Blues Festival.Semon Knudsenautomotive executive, head of Pontiac and Chevrolet, president of FordSon of GM president William Knudsen who turned stodgy Pontiac into a performance brand, ran Chevrolet, then had a stormy 19 months as Ford's president.
Politics · 1812–1880Henry Ledyarddiplomat, businessman, mayor of DetroitLewis Cass's son-in-law and diplomatic aide who managed Cass's Detroit property, promoted Elmwood Cemetery and Michigan's first plank road, and was mayor in 1855.
Politics · 1780–1854Andrew Macksea captain, customs collector, newspaper owner, mayor of DetroitGlobe-circling sailor and Ohio businessman who became Detroit's customs collector, co-owned the early Free Press and was elected mayor in a special election in 1834.Johnnie Mae Matthewssinger, songwriter, producer, label owner"Godmother of Detroit Soul", the first African American woman to own and run a record label, whose Northern Recording Company launched the Distants and Bettye LaVette.
Sports · 1871–1935Frank Navinpresident and owner of the Detroit TigersInsurance bookkeeper who became the Tigers' president for 27 years, signed Ty Cobb and built Navin Field at Michigan and Trumbull.
Law · 1858–1933Horace Rackhamlawyer, original Ford Motor Company shareholder, philanthropistDetroit lawyer who drew up Ford Motor Company's incorporation papers, bought 50 shares against his banker's advice, and gave his fortune to the zoo, a golf course and education.
Politics · 1860–1941William Barlum Thompsonmeat merchant, city treasurer, mayor of Detroit, developerDetroit-born meat merchant and longtime city treasurer who was twice mayor (1907–1908 and 1911–1912) and later co-developed the Barlum Tower on Cadillac Square.
Music · born 1990Icewear Vezzorapper, entrepreneur, film producerEast-side Detroit rapper and businessman behind Iced Up Records and the Rich Off Pints series, named one of Detroit's most influential figures by Axios in 2022.
Business & brands · 1819–1875Kirkland C. Barkertobacco manufacturer, mayor of DetroitFounder of Detroit's KC Barker & Company (American Eagle Tobacco), mayor in 1864–1865, sportsman and friend of George Armstrong Custer.Joe Von Battlerecord store owner, record producerOwner of Joe's Record Shop on Hastings Street and one of the first Black independent record producers, who first recorded Rev. C. L. Franklin and the teenage Aretha Franklin.
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.
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.
Business & brands · 1866–1970Anna Thompson Dodgephilanthropist, heiress of Dodge BrothersScottish-born widow of Horace Dodge, one of the richest women in the world, who backed the DSO and paid for the Dodge fountain in Hart Plaza.
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.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.
Visual art · 1896–1976Eleanor Clay Fordphilanthropist, art patron, Ford Motor Company shareholderDetroit-born niece of J. L. Hudson and wife of Edsel Ford, a major DIA patron who willed the family's Grosse Pointe estate to the public.
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.
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.
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.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.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.
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.Jeffrey Sellertheatrical producerBroadway producer from Oak Park, Michigan, behind Rent, Avenue Q, In the Heights and Hamilton, who invented Broadway's rush and lottery tickets.
Politics · 1800–1883Charles C. Trowbridgeexplorer, ethnographer, banker, mayor of DetroitExplorer and early ethnographer of Michigan's Native peoples who became a leading Detroit banker, briefly served as mayor in 1834 and built what is likely the city's oldest surviving house.
Business & brands · 1833–1891William W. Wheatonwholesale grocer, mayor of DetroitConnecticut-born wholesale grocer who was elected Detroit's mayor twice, serving 1868–1871, and later sat in the Michigan House.Barney Alesrecord executiveDetroit-born son of a Sicilian barber who, as Motown's sales and promotion chief, got its records onto pop radio; later Motown's president.Harry Balkrecord producer, A&R executive, label founderDetroit-born producer who discovered Little Willie John and Rodriguez, co-produced Del Shannon's “Runaway,” and created Motown's rock label Rare Earth.Mark Bassrecord producer, label ownerDetroit producer who discovered Eminem on local radio in 1992, invited him into the studio and, with brother Jeff, released his first album.Bernard Besmanrecord producer, distributor, bandleaderDetroit record distributor who founded Sensation Records and in 1948 produced John Lee Hooker's first session, which yielded "Boogie Chillen'".
Business & brands · 1810–1894Christian H. Buhlindustrialist, banker, mayor of DetroitHatter and fur trader who became one of Detroit's leading industrialists and bankers and served as mayor at the outbreak of the Civil War (1860–1861).
Business & brands · 1806–1890Frederick Buhlfurrier, businessman, mayor of DetroitHatter-turned-fur-trader who with his brother Christian built one of Detroit's great fortunes and served as mayor in 1848.
Business & brands · 1855–1937Hamilton Carharttclothing manufacturer, founder of CarharttFounder of the workwear brand Carhartt, started in Detroit in 1889 to make tough overalls for railroad workers.
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.George DeBaptisteUnderground Railroad conductor, entrepreneurBarber, caterer and steamboat owner who led Detroit's Underground Railroad from 1846, ferrying freedom seekers across the river to Canada.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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