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State flag of Michigan
Location of Michigan in the US map
This is a list of notable people from the US state of
Michigan . People from Michigan
are sometimes referred to as
Michiganders , Michiganians, or, more rarely, Michiganites. This list includes people who were born, have lived, or worked in Michigan.
Actors, entertainers, and filmmakers
Actors
Directors, filmmakers, and producers
Ford Beebe , director of films, including serials
The Green Hornet and
Buck Rogers (born in
Grand Rapids )
Mike Binder , director, screenwriter and actor,
The Upside of Anger ,
Reign Over Me (born in
Birmingham )
John Randolph Bray , early film animator and producer (born in
Addison )
Jerry Bruckheimer , film and television producer,
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation ,
Pirates of the Caribbean (born in
Detroit )
Timothy Busfield , actor and television director,
Lipstick Jungle ,
Without A Trace ,
Damages (born in
Lansing )
Bill Carruthers , television producer and director (born in Detroit)
William Clemens , director of Nancy Drew and Perry Mason films (born in
Saginaw )
Kerry Conran , screenwriter and director,
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (born in
Flint )
Francis Ford Coppola , film director and screenwriter,
The Godfather trilogy,
Apocalypse Now (born in Detroit)
Roger Corman , director and producer,
The Little Shop of Horrors ,
The Wild Angels (born in Detroit)
Gerald Di Pego , screenwriter and producer,
Message in a Bottle (born in Flint)
Paul Feig , film and television director,
Bridesmaids (born in
Mount Clemens )
Robert J. Flaherty , filmmaker of
Nanook of the North , first commercially successful documentary (born in
Iron Mountain )
Anne Fletcher , director, actress, and choreographer,
The Proposal (born in Detroit)
Loyal Griggs , Oscar-winning cinematographer (born in
Sanilac County )
Albert Hughes and Allen Hughes , film directors, producers, and screenwriters,
Menace II Society (born in Detroit)
John Hughes , director and writer,
Ferris Bueller's Day Off ,
Home Alone (born in Lansing)
Jake Kasdan , film and television director,
Bad Teacher ,
Sex Tape (born in Detroit)
Lawrence Kasdan , screenwriter and director,
The Big Chill ,
Body Heat ,
Silverado ,
Wyatt Earp (educated in
Ann Arbor )
Jeff Katz , film producer,
The Pope's Exorcist ,
Snakes On A Plane (born in Detroit)
Lee H. Katzin , film and television director,
Le Mans (born in Detroit)
Woodie King Jr. , stage and film director and producer (raised in Detroit)
Neil LaBute , film director, screenwriter and playwright,
In the Company of Men (born in Detroit)
Mitchell Leisen , director,
Death Takes a Holiday ,
Midnight (born in
Menominee )
Norman Z. McLeod , director,
Horse Feathers ,
Topper ,
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (born in
Grayling )
McG , film director,
Charlie's Angels ,
Terminator Salvation (born in
Kalamazoo )
Michael Moore , Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker and writer (born in Flint)
Robert Moore , director,
Murder By Death ,
Chapter Two (born in Detroit)
Jane Murfin , screenwriter,
What Price Hollywood? (born in
Quincy )
Vincenzo Natali , director and screenwriter,
Cube (born in Detroit)
Joel Potrykus , director and screenwriter,
Ape ,
Buzzard (born in Ossineke)
Bill Prady , television writer and producer (born in Detroit)
Richard Quine , director and producer,
Bell, Book and Candle ,
Sex and the Single Girl (born in Detroit)
Sam Raimi , director, screenwriter, producer,
Spider-Man , television series
Xena: Warrior Princess (born in
Royal Oak )
Gene Reynolds ,
Emmy Award -winning director, co-creator of
M*A*S*H (raised in Detroit)
Lloyd Richards , stage director,
National Medal of Arts recipient (raised in Detroit)
Terry Rossio , screenwriter and film producer (born in Kalamazoo)
Leonard Schrader , screenwriter,
Kiss of the Spider Woman ,
The Yakuza (born in Grand Rapids)
Paul Schrader , director, screenwriter,
American Gigolo ,
Blue Collar ,
Taxi Driver ,
Raging Bull (born in Grand Rapids)
Robert Shaye , co-CEO of
New Line Cinema (born in Detroit)
Robert Tapert , producer of
The Evil Dead ,
Timecop ,
Xena: Warrior Princess (born in
Royal Oak )
Paul Weatherwax , film editor, two-time Academy Award winner (born in
Sturgis )
Harry Winer , film and television director and producer (born in Detroit)
Radio and television people
Byron Allen , comedian, television talk show host (born in Detroit)
Tim Allen , actor and comedian,
Home Improvement (lived in
Birmingham )
Gillian Anderson , actress,
The X Files (lived and went to school in
Grand Rapids )
Sean Baligian , radio host at WDFN, pre and post game Detroit Lions (born in
Livonia )
Kristen Bell , actress,
Veronica Mars (born in
Huntington Woods )
Elizabeth Berkley , actress,
Saved by the Bell (born and raised in
Farmington Hills )
Sandra Bernhard , comedian and actress (born in Flint)
Cam Brainard , radio and television announcer, narrator of Breed All About It on
Animal Planet (born in Flint)
Selma Blair , actress,
Kath & Kim ,
Anger Management (born in
Southfield )
Bill Bonds , television journalist,
WXYZ-TV (born in
Pontiac )
Dave Campbell , baseball player and broadcaster (born in
Manistee )
Dave Coulier , actor and stand-up comedian,
Full House (born in
St. Clair Shores )
Jeff Daniels , actor,
The Newsroom (grew up in
Chelsea )
Bob Eubanks , host of television game show
The Newlywed Game (born in Flint)
Paula Faris , correspondent for
ABC News and
The View (born in
Jackson )
Fred Foy , announcer, narrator of
The Lone Ranger television series (born in Detroit)
Cyndy Garvey , co-host with
Regis Philbin on what later became Regis & Kathie Lee , ex-wife of
Steve Garvey (born in Detroit)
John Gordon , radio voice of
Minnesota Twins (born in Detroit)
Chris Hansen , television journalist (born in
Chicago , but grew up in Michigan)
Thom Hartmann , radio talk show host, author (born in Lansing)
Ernie Harwell , radio broadcaster of
Detroit Tigers baseball (1960–2002) (born in Georgia, lived in
Novi )
Mario Impemba , television broadcaster of Detroit Tigers baseball (born in Detroit)
Art James , quiz show host and announcer (born in Dearborn)
Jackie Johnson , Los Angeles television meteorologist (born in
Plymouth )
Jana Kramer , actress,
One Tree Hill (born in
Rochester Hills )
Taylor Lautner , actor,
Scream Queens (born in Grand Rapids)
Casey Kasem , radio personality, host of
American Top 40 (born in Detroit)
James Lipton , host of
Bravo cable television series
Inside the Actors Studio , writer and poet (born in Detroit)
Loni Love , comedian, featured on
Chelsea Lately and
I Love The '80s (born in Detroit)
Bruce Martyn , radio broadcaster of
Detroit Red Wings hockey (from
Sault Ste. Marie )
Greg Mathis , television judge (born in Detroit)
J.P. McCarthy , radio personality,
WJR (1960–1995) (born in New York)
Ed McMahon , actor, announcer,
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson , sidekick to
Carson (born in Detroit)
Seth Meyers , comedian,
Saturday Night Live cast member, host of
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Martin Milner , actor, starred in Route 66 and Adam-12 television shows (born in Detroit)
George Noory , radio talk show host,
Coast to Coast AM (born in Detroit, raised in
Dearborn Heights )
Carter Oosterhouse , television personality,
Trading Spaces (born in
Traverse City )
Jack Paar , television talk show host,
The Tonight Show (raised in and worked in
Jackson )
Van Patrick , sportscaster for
Lions football and
Tigers baseball in Detroit
Arthur Penhallow , radio personality,
WRIF (1970–2009) (born in Hawaii)
Dick Purtan , longtime radio personality in Detroit area (lives in West Bloomfield)
Gilda Radner , comedian and actress,
Saturday Night Live (born in Detroit)
Rob Rubick , football player and radio-TV commentator (born in
Newberry )
Tom Selleck , actor, star of 1980s hit TV show
Magnum, P.I. , producer, National Guard veteran (born in Detroit)
Dax Shepard , actor,
Parenthood (raised in
Walled Lake and
Milford )
Ralph Story , radio and television personality (born in Kalamazoo)
Katherine Timpf , television personality, reporter and comedian (born in Detroit)
Lily Tomlin , comedian and actress,
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (born in Detroit)
Toni Trucks actress,
Twilight Saga ,
SEAL Team (born in Grand Rapids, raised in
Manistee )
Willie Tyler , comedian and ventriloquist (raised in Detroit)
Ty Tyson , sportscaster, voice of Detroit Tigers (1927–1953) (born in Pennsylvania, moved to Detroit)
Kimberly Paigion Walker , radio and television personality, actress, host of
106 & Park (born in
Oak Park )
Ginger Zee , meteorologist for ABC News and
Good Morning America (attended high school in
Rockford )
Reporters, editors, photographers, and broadcasters
Jim Bellows , newspaper editor, first managing editor of
Entertainment Tonight (born in
Detroit )
Charles Collingwood ,
CBS television news correspondent (born in
Three Rivers )
Candy Crowley ,
CNN
broadcast journalist (born in Michigan)
Jill Dobson ,
Fox News entertainment correspondent (born in
Quincy )
Dick Enberg , sportscaster (born in
Mount Clemens and raised in
Armada )
Joe Falls , sportswriter for Detroit newspapers (1956–2004) (born in New York, moved to Detroit)
Paula Faris , correspondent for
ABC News (born and raised in
Jackson )
Sara Ganim , correspondent for CNN (born in Detroit)
Robin Givhan , fashion editor for the
Washington Post (born in Detroit)
Wendell Goler , Fox News senior White House and foreign affairs correspondent (raised in Jackson)
Gael Greene , New York restaurant critic and author (born and raised in Detroit)
Sanjay Gupta , chief medical correspondent for CNN (born in
Novi )
Jemele Hill , columnist and television personality for
ESPN (born in Detroit)
Gus Johnson , sportscaster for
Fox Sports (born in Detroit)
Jim Kaat ,
MLB Network sportscaster (born in
Zeeland )
Suzanne Malveaux , CNN reporter and White House correspondent (born in
Lansing )
Miles O'Brien , broadcast news journalist for
PBS NewsHour (born in Detroit)
Michael Parks , Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and editor (both in Detroit)
Steve Phillips , former ESPN baseball analyst (from Detroit)
William E. Quinby , 19th-century editor and owner of the
Detroit Free Press (born in Maine, moved to Detroit)
Carl Quintanilla , anchor of the Sunday edition of
Today and
NBC Nightly News (born in
Midland )
Amy Robach ,
ABC news correspondent (born in
St. Joseph )
H.G. Salsinger , sports editor of
Detroit News (1909–1958) (born in Ohio, moved to Detroit)
Jay Schadler , ABC television news correspondent (born and raised in St. Joseph)
Serena Shim , Lebanese-American journalist for
Press TV (born in Detroit)
Watson Spoelstra , sportswriter for the
Detroit News 1945–73 (born in Grand Rapids)
Mike Tirico , sportscaster for ESPN,
NBC (lives in Ann Arbor)
Lem Tucker , pioneering African-American two-time
Emmy Award -winning news reporter (born in
Saginaw )
David Turnley , photojournalist and
1990 Pulitzer Prize winner (lives in Ann Arbor)
Taro Yamasaki , photojournalist and
1981 Pulitzer Prize winner (born in Detroit)
Other
Edgar Bergen , ventriloquist and actor (born in Chicago, raised in
Decatur )
Melrose Bickerstaff, model, 1st runner-up on
America’s Next Top Model Cycle 7
John Heffron , comedian and winner of
NBC 's
Last Comic Standing (born in Detroit)
Jamie Hyneman , special effects expert on
MythBusters (born in
Marshall )
Gregory Jbara , film, television and stage actor (born in
Westland )
Connie Kreski , model,
Playboy magazine
Playmate of the Year 1969 (born in
Wyandotte )
Lashonda Lester (died 2017), American stand-up comedian
Loretta Long , "Miss Susan" on
PBS 's
Sesame Street (born and raised in
Paw Paw )
Bob Murawski , film editor (born in Detroit)
Tariq Nasheed , conspiracy theorist (Detroit)
Tyler Oakley , YouTuber, activist, and author (born in
Jackson )
TooTurntTony , American social media personality, (born in
Commerce )
Kristina and Karissa Shannon , twin sister models and
Playboy Playmates (born in Ann Arbor)
Kate Upton , model and actress,
Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue "Rookie of the Year" 2011, cover model 2012 (born in
St. Joseph )
Architects
Constance Abernathy , architect, jeweler, and associate of
Buckminster Fuller (born in Detroit)
Charles N. Agree , builder of
Whittier Hotel and
Grande Ballroom
Marcus Burrowes , designer of
Herman Strasburg House
Emily Helen Butterfield , Michigan's first female licensed architect, artist and church architecture innovator (born in
Algonac )
C. Howard Crane , designer of Detroit's
Fox Theater and
Olympia Stadium (born in Connecticut, moved to Detroit)
John M. Donaldson , 19th-century Detroit architect
Alden B. Dow , architect and Dow Chemical heir, based in
Midland
Joseph N. French , designer of Detroit's
Fisher Building
Norman Bel Geddes , architectural industrial designer, aviation designer, and theatrical designer best known for the
1939 New York World's Fair pavilion
Futurama he designed for
General Motors (born in
Adrian )
Eric J. Hill , University of Michigan professor
Albert Kahn , architect (born in
Rhaunen , Germany; moved to Detroit)
Louis Kamper , designed
Cadillac Square Building and
Book Cadillac Hotel
William E. Kapp , designed
The Players Club
Florence Knoll , minimalist architect and furniture designer (born in
Saginaw )
John Lautner , Los Angeles-based architect (born in
Marquette )
Gordon W. Lloyd , British-born, Detroit-based architect, builder of many churches
George D. Mason , designer of
Detroit Masonic Temple and
Detroit Yacht Club
Charles Willard Moore , architect, leader of the humanistic architecture movement (born in
Benton Harbor )
S. Kenneth Neumann , designer of
One Kennedy Square
A.B. Pond and
Irving Kane Pond , Chicago architects, builders of Hull House (born in Ann Arbor)
Ralph Rapson , architect best known for the design of the original
Guthrie Theater in
Minneapolis (born in
Alma )
Harry J. Rill , designed
Globe Tobacco Building
Gino Rossetti , architect whose firm designed
Ford Field and
The Palace of Auburn Hills
Matthew L. Rossetti , architect whose firm designed Detroit-area sports stadiums, son of Gino Rossetti
Wirt C. Rowland , known for
Guardian Building and
Buhl Building (born in
Clinton )
Eero Saarinen , industrial designer (born in Finland, raised in
Bloomfield Hills )
Eliel Saarinen , known for art deco buildings, father of Eero Saarinen (lived in Bloomfield Hills)
Victor Saroki , designed
Royal Park Hotel
Ossian Cole Simonds , late 19th-century landscape architect (born in Grand Rapids)
Fred L. Smith , architect whose firm designed
Comerica Park
Minoru Yamasaki , architect, known for designing the
World Trade Center (born in
Seattle , later moved to Grand Rapids)
Artists and artisans
Ceramists
Fashion designers
Illustrators
Painters
Mathias Alten ,
impressionist painter (from
Grand Rapids )
Frederick Stuart Church , 19th-century painter (born in Grand Rapids)
E. Irving Couse , painter and founding member of the
Taos artist colony (born in
Saginaw )
Robert Seldon Duncanson (1820-1871), painter, the 19th century's greatest Western landscape artist (Smithsonian Institution), buried in Monroe's historic Woodland Cemetery (born in NY, raised in Monroe, Michigan)
Frederick Carl Frieseke , impressionist painter (from
Owosso )
Ian Hornak , realist painter (born in
Philadelphia , moved to
Mount Clemens , then Detroit)
Chase Langford , contemporary painter (born in
Pontiac )
Hughie Lee-Smith , painter (born in
Florida , moved to Detroit, attended
Wayne State )
Charles McGee , sculptor and painter (born in
South Carolina , moved to Detroit)
Gari Melchers , naturalism artist (born in Detroit)
Ann Mikolowski , painter (born in Detroit)
Julius Rolshoven , Santa Fe-based painter (born in Detroit)
John Mix Stanley , 19th-century painter and portraitist; co-founder of forerunner to
Detroit Institute of Arts (born in
Canandaigua, New York ; moved to Detroit)
Kent Twitchell , muralist and painter (born in
Lansing )
Carol Wald , painter and illustrator (born in Detroit)
Kurt Wenner , painter (born in Ann Arbor)
Ezra Winter , muralist, born 1886, works include
Canterbury Tales mural (1939), Library of Congress
John Adams Building , Washington, D.C. and murals in
Guardian Building , Detroit (born in
Traverse City )
Photographers
Talbert Abrams , "father of aerial photography" (born in
Tekonsha )
M.J. Alexander , American West photoessayist (born in
Sault Ste. Marie )
Louis James Pesha , pioneering marine photographer (born in Euphemia, Ontario, moved to
Marine City )
Bill Schwab , fine arts photographer (born in Detroit)
Irakly Shanidze , advertising, fashion, portrait, fine arts photographer (living in Detroit)
Sculptors
Astronauts and aviation pioneers
Dominic A. Antonelli , astronaut (born in Detroit)
Michael J. Bloomfield , astronaut (born in Flint, raised in
Lake Fenton )
William Boeing , aviation pioneer, founder of
Boeing Company (born in Detroit)
Roger B. Chaffee , astronaut (born in Grand Rapids)
Edward Heinemann , aircraft designer responsible wholly or in part for 20 major military aircraft, including the
A-4 Skyhawk , the
F3D Skyknight , and the
F4D Skyray (born in
Saginaw )
Augustus Moore Herring , aviation pioneer (lived in
St. Joseph )
Gregory Jarvis , astronaut and payload specialist; died in the explosion of the space shuttle
Challenger (born in Detroit)
Brent W. Jett , astronaut (born in
Pontiac )
Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson , aircraft engineer and aeronautical innovator (born in
Ishpeming )
Iven Carl Kincheloe Jr. , test pilot pioneer (born in Detroit; raised in
Cassopolis )
David Leestma , astronaut (born in
Muskegon )
Jerry M. Linenger , astronaut (born in
Eastpointe )
Charles Lindbergh , pioneer aviator (born in Detroit)
Jack R. Lousma , astronaut (born in Grand Rapids)
Nancy Harkness Love ,
World War II pilot, squadron commander and aviation training pioneer (born in
Houghton )
James McDivitt , astronaut (born in Chicago; moved to
Jackson )
Donald R. McMonagle , astronaut and Manager of Launch Integration at the
Kennedy Space Center (born in Flint)
Philip Orin Parmelee , aviation pioneer trained by the
Wright brothers (born in
Matherton ; raised in
Saint Johns )
Harriet Quimby , aviation pioneer and first US woman to receive a pilot's license (born in
Coldwater )
Ralph Royce , flew the first US military air operation (in 1916 in Mexico), oversaw air commands from the 1920s to the 1940s (born in
Marquette )
Richard A. Searfoss , astronaut (born in
Mount Clemens )
Alfred V. Verville , aviation pioneer from
Atlantic Mine ; Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame, 1991 inductee;
Pulitzer Trophy Race two-time winner; fellow of the Smithsonian Institution's
National Air and Space Museum
Alfred Worden , astronaut (born in
Jackson )
Fred Zinn ,
World War I aviator and aviation reconnaissance pioneer (born in
Battle Creek )
Business leaders and inventors
Automotive industry
Mary Barra , CEO of
General Motors (born in
Waterford )
David Dunbar Buick , founder of
Buick Motor Company (born in
Scotland ; emigrated to Detroit where he founded his company; moved with firm to
Flint )
Roy D. Chapin , founder of
Hudson Motor Car Company and
US secretary of commerce (born in
Lansing )
Roy D. Chapin Jr. , CEO and chairman of
American Motors Company (born in
Grosse Pointe )
Louis Chevrolet , founder of
Chevrolet motor company (born in
Switzerland , lived and died in Detroit)
Harlow Curtice , CEO and president of General Motors and 1955
Time magazine
Man of the Year (born in Petrieville; raised in
Eaton Rapids and began career in Flint)
William Davidson , CEO of
Guardian Industries , philanthropist and chairman of
Palace Sports and Entertainment , which owns the
Detroit Pistons of the
NBA , the
Detroit Shock of the
WNBA , and the
Tampa Bay Lightning of the
NHL (born in Detroit)
John DeLorean , automobile industry entrepreneur (born in Detroit)
Horace Elgin Dodge , automobile manufacturing pioneer (born in
Niles )
John Francis Dodge , automobile manufacturing pioneer (born in Niles)
William C. Durant , automobile industry pioneer (born in
Boston, Massachusetts ; moved to Flint and later
Pontiac )
Harley Earl , executive at General Motors, designer of the
Corvette (born in
Hollywood, California , worked in Detroit)
Pete Estes , president of
Pontiac , Chevrolet and General Motors (born in
Mendon )
Virgil Exner , automotive designer for
Studebaker and
Chrysler (born in Ann Arbor)
Charles T. Fisher , president of Detroit's
Fisher Body automotive
Max M. Fisher , industrialist, philanthropist (born in
Pittsburgh ; raised in
Salem, Ohio ; moved as an adult to metro Detroit)
Edsel Ford , automaker, president of
Ford Motor Company , founder of
Mercury autos (born in Detroit)
Henry Ford , iconic automaker, founder of Ford Motor Company (born in
Dearborn )
Henry Ford II , automaker, president and CEO of Ford (born in Detroit)
William Clay Ford Jr. , automaker and owner of NFL's
Detroit Lions (born in Detroit)
William Clay Ford Sr. , automaker, owner of Detroit Lions, chairman of
Henry Ford Museum (born in Detroit)
Lee Iacocca , CEO of Chrysler Corporation, television spokesman and author (born in
Allentown, Pennsylvania ; moved to Detroit)
Semon Knudsen , auto executive, head of Pontiac (born in
Buffalo, New York ; moved to Detroit)
William S. Knudsen , president of General Motors (born in
Denmark , lived and died in Detroit)
Henry M. Leland , machinist, inventor and engineer who founded
Cadillac and
Lincoln autos (born in
Vermont ; relocated to Detroit)
Walter Lorenzo Marr , first chief engineer of Buick (born in
Lexington )
Bill Mitchell , created or influenced design of many General Motors models (born in
Cleveland , lived and died in metro Detroit)
Charles Stewart Mott , first American partner of General Motors, also mayor of Flint, Michigan (born in
Newark, New Jersey , moved to Flint)
John Najjar , auto designer, developed prototype for
Ford Mustang (born in
Omaha, Nebraska , moved to Dearborn)
Charles W. Nash , auto pioneer, founder of
Nash Motors (born in Illinois, moved to
Mount Morris and Flint)
Ransom E. Olds , auto manufacturer; founder of
Oldsmobile (born in
Geneva, Ohio , longtime resident of
Lansing )
Roger Penske , founder of
Penske Corporation and the automobile racing team
Penske Racing (born in
Ohio ; moved to
Bloomfield Hills )
Harold Arthur Poling , president, chairman and CEO of Ford Motor Co. (born in
Troy )
Irving Jacob Reuter , president of Oldsmobile
Jack Roush , CEO/owner of Roush Racing
NASCAR (born in
Kentucky ; lived in
Ypsilanti before moving to
North Carolina )
Frederic L. Smith , one of the founders of Oldsmobile and General Motors (born in
Lansing )
Roger Smith , chairman and CEO of General Motors, subject of documentary
Roger & Me (born in
Ohio before moving to Detroit)
Preston Tucker , automobile designer, entrepreneur (born in
Capac )
Childe Wills , auto pioneer, designer of
Ford Model T (born in
Fort Wayne, Indiana ; moved to Detroit)
Computers, Internet, and high-tech industries
Steve Ballmer , former
Microsoft CEO (1999–2014); first person to be worth over a billion dollars based on stock options received as a corporate employee; owner of NBA's
Los Angeles Clippers (born in Detroit)
Jim Buckmaster , CEO of
Craigslist (born in Ann Arbor)
Dick Costolo , CEO of Twitter (born in
Royal Oak )
Tony Fadell , CEO of
Nest Labs , "father of the iPod"
[2] (born in Detroit)
William Hewlett , co-founder of
Hewlett-Packard (born in Ann Arbor)
Bill Joy , co-founder of
Sun Microsystems and its former chief scientist (born in
Farmington Hills )
Peter Karmanos Jr. , founder of
Compuware .
Michael Kinsley , founding editor of
Slate (born in Detroit)
Jack McCauley , engineer, inventor and
video game developer (born in
Battle Creek )
Kevin O'Connor , co-founder and CEO of
Doubleclick Internet
ad serving software company and advertising network (born in Detroit)
Scott McNealy , co-founder of Sun Microsystems (alumnus of
Cranbrook )
Larry Page , entrepreneur, co-founder of and former CEO of
Google search engine (born in
East Lansing )
Food and food-service industry
Mike Ilitch , owner and founder of
Little Caesars Pizza , owner of
Detroit Red Wings and
Detroit Tigers (born in Detroit)
Will Keith Kellogg , founder of
Kellogg Company (born in
Battle Creek )
Tom Monaghan , founder of
Domino's Pizza , former owner of
Detroit Tigers (born in Ann Arbor)
David M. Overton , founder and CEO of the
Cheesecake Factory, Inc. (born in Detroit)
C. W. Post , founder of
Post Cereals , inventor of
Grape-Nuts (born in
Illinois , moved to
Battle Creek )
James Vernor , founder of Vernor's Company and creator of
Vernor's Ginger Ale (born in Detroit)
Hiram Walker , founder of Hiram Walker & Sons distillery (born in Massachusetts, moved to Vegas
Furniture
Other business
Sewell Avery , chairman of
US Gypsum 1905–36,
Montgomery Ward (born in
Saginaw )
James Anthony Bailey , circus showman, co-founder of the
Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus (born in Detroit)
Don Barden , cable company pioneer and casino investor (born in Detroit)
Andrew "Andy" Beal , businessman, banking and real estate, founder and chairman of
Beal Bank (born in
Lansing )
George Gough Booth , publisher (from Michigan)
Walter Briggs Sr. , manufacturer,
Detroit Tigers owner 1919–52 (born in
Ypsilanti )
John W. Brown , CEO of
Stryker Corporation from 1977 to 2004 (born in
Tennessee , moved to Kalamazoo)
Joseph Bruce , co-founder of
Psychopathic Records , hip-hop singer and professional wrestler (born in
Wayne )
Leo Burnett , advertising firm founder (born in
St. Johns )
Wellington R. Burt , lumberman, industrialist, politician (
Saginaw )
Irving T. Bush , business leader, funded
Bush House in London and
Bush Terminal in
Brooklyn
Michael Cohrs , member of the board of
Deutsche Bank (born in Midland)
Adam E. Coffey , business executive
William Davidson , glass industry mogul, former owner of
Detroit Pistons (born in Detroit)
Richard DeVos , founder of
Alticor and former president of
Amway (born in
Forest Hills in metro
Grand Rapids )
Herbert Henry Dow , inventor and one of the founders of the US chemical industry (born in
Belleville, Ontario ; moved to
Midland )
John Fetzer , owner of Michigan radio and television companies and Detroit Tigers (born in Indiana, moved to Michigan)
Orville Gibson , founder of
Gibson Guitar Corporation (born in
Chateaugay, New York ; moved to Kalamazoo)
Daniel Gilbert , financier founder of online mortgage company
Quicken Loans , owner of NBA's
Cleveland Cavaliers (from
Livonia )
Arnold Gingrich , founder of
Esquire magazine (born in Grand Rapids)
Berry Gordy Jr. , founder of
Motown Records (born in Detroit)
Joseph Lowthian Hudson , founder of
Hudson's department store (born in England, moved to Detroit)
Fred Knorr , radio executive, Detroit Tigers part-owner 1956–60 (born in Detroit)
Sebastian S. Kresge , founder of
K-Mart (born in Bald Mountain, Pennsylvania; moved to Detroit)
Louis K. Liggett , founder of
Rexall drug store chain (born in Detroit)
Jerome D. Mack , president of Las Vegas hotels the
Riviera and
Dunes , founder of
UNLV (born in
Albion )
Alexander Macomb , early 19th-century merchant and land owner (born in Ireland, moved to Michigan)
William Macomb , 18th-century merchant and land owner (born in Ireland, moved to Michigan in 1755)
Alex Manoogian , inventor, founder of
Masco , philanthropist (born in Smyrna, Ottoman Empire; moved to Detroit)
Harold Matson , literary agent, founder of the Harold Matson Company (born in Grand Rapids)
Orville D. Merillat , founder of Merillat Kitchens, later
Merillat Industries (born in Fulton Co., Ohio, moved to
Adrian )
Richard Merillat , entrepreneur, former CEO of Merillat Industries and philanthropist (from Adrian)
Harry Mohney , founder of Deja Vu Showgirls (born in
Durand )
Frank Navin , owner of Detroit Tigers 1908–35 (born in Adrian)
Edgar Prince , founder of the Prince Corporation (born in
Holland )
Erik Prince , founder and owner of
Xe Services , formerly Blackwater Worldwide (born in Holland)
Stephen M. Ross , founder and CEO of
The Related Companies real estate firm, helped establish
Ross School of Business at University of Michigan which bears his name, 95% owner of
Miami Dolphins (born in Detroit)
William Shell , physician and co-founder of Targeted Medical Pharma, Inc. (born in
Detroit )
Frank Stanton , early television executive, president of
CBS from 1946 to 1972 (born in
Muskegon )
Wilbur F. Storey , 19th-century publisher and owner of the
Detroit Free Press , other newspapers (born in Vermont, moved to
Jackson )
Homer Stryker , M.D., inventor of mobile hospital bed; founder of orthopedic implant and medical product maker Stryker Corporation (born in
Athens )
Jon Lloyd Stryker , architect of Stryker Corp.; founder of
Arcus Foundation for gay/lesbian issues and ape conservation (born in Kalamazoo)
Pat Stryker , co-owner of the Stryker Corp. (born in Kalamazoo; moved to
Fort Collins, Colorado )
William E. Upjohn , founder of
The Upjohn Company (born in Kalamazoo)
Frederick Upton , senior vice president of
Whirlpool Corporation (born in
Battle Creek )
Louis Upton , founder of Whirlpool Corporation (born in Battle Creek)
Joseph Utsler , co-founder of
Psychopathic Records and hip-hop singer (born in
Wayne )
Jay Van Andel , co-founder of
Alticor and
Amway (born in Grand Rapids)
Brad Wardell , president and CEO of
Stardock software and computer game company (born in
Texas , lives in Michigan)
Garfield Wood , inventor, boat builder, hydroplane and motorboat pioneer (born in
Iowa , moved to Detroit)
Samuel Zell , real estate investor, publisher, philanthropist (born in
Chicago , attended University of Michigan)
Cartoonists, illustrators, and animators
Glenn Barr , artist for
DC Comics and the
Ren And Stimpy animated television series
Jim Benton , cartoonist and author (from metro Detroit area)
T. Casey Brennan , comic book author for
Vampirella ,
Creepy and
Eerie (from Ann Arbor)
J. Scott Campbell , co-founder of the
Cliffhanger imprint of
Wildstorm Productions co-creator of
Danger Girl and
Gen13 (born in
East Tawas )
Dave Coverly , syndicated cartoonist,
Speed Bump comic strip (born in
Plainwell )
Dave Dorman , science-fiction and fantasy illustrator and animationist (born in Michigan)
Bill Freyse , cartoonist known for
Our Boarding House (born in Detroit)
David S. Goyer , comic book writer and filmmaker, authored many issues of
Justice Society of America and comic-based films including
The Crow: City of Angels and
Blade ; co-wrote
Batman Begins (born in Ann Arbor)
Cathy Lee Guisewite , creator of
Cathy comic strip (born in Dayton, Ohio; grew up in
Midland )
Butch Hartman , animator, producer, director for
The Fairly OddParents (born in
Highland Park, Michigan )
Ed Emshwiller , animator, visual artist, and founder of CalArts Computer Animation Lab (born in
Lansing )
Al Jean , creator of
The Critic , writer for
The Simpsons and
Family Guy (born in
Farmington Hills )
Geoff Johns , comic book writer, known primarily for his work with
DC Comics (born in Detroit)
Vincent Locke , comic book illustrator, best known for his work on
Deadworld and
A History of Violence (from metro Detroit area)
Mike Manley , one of the main illustrators of
DC Comics 's
Batman and co-creator of
Marvel Comics 's
Darkhawk (born in Detroit)
Winsor McCay , pioneer film animator and artist of comic strip
Little Nemo in Slumberland (born in
Spring Lake )
William Messner-Loebs , comic book writer and artist (from Michigan)
Dan Mishkin , comic book writer, co-creator of
Amethyst, Princess of Gem World and
Blue Devil
Bill Morrison , cartoonist and illustrator; editor, principal writer and artist for
Bongo Comics Group overseeing the Simpsons comic book family; director of Futurama (born in
Lincoln Park )
James O'Barr , creator of the comic book series
The Crow (born in Detroit)
Gary Reed , comic book writer and publisher of
Caliber Comics (born in Detroit)
Chris Savino , writer, animator, comic book artist, director for
The Loud House (born in
Royal Oak, Michigan )
Jim Starlin ,
Marvel Comics illustrator and writer (born in Detroit)
John Henry Striebel , 20th-century comic strip pioneer (born in
Bertrand )
Haddon Sundblom , commercial illustrator and artist; created Coca-Cola Santa (born in
Muskegon )
Craig Thompson , cartoonist and
graphic novelist best known for
Blankets (born in
Traverse City )
Jerry Van Amerongen , comic strip writer best known for his syndicated comic panel The Neighborhood (born in Grand Rapids)
Sam Viviano , caricature artist and art director best known for his work in
Mad magazine (born in Detroit)
Larry Wright , two-time winner of the
National Cartoonist Society Editorial Cartoon Award and creator of the comic strips Wright Angles ,
Motley , and
Kit 'N' Carlyle (from
Allen Park )
Civil rights and suffrage leaders and abolitionists
Irene Osgood Andrews , woman's rights advocate best known for her writings on the problems of women in industry (born in
Big Rapids )
Leonard Baker ,
abolitionist , American Congregational minister (born in Detroit)
Olympia Brown ,
women's suffrage leader (born in
Prairie Ronde )
Pearl M. Hart , civil rights advocate and lawyer, activist for gay rights and the rights of immigrants (born in
Traverse City )
Erastus Hussey ,
abolitionist and leading
Underground Railroad stationmaster (from
Battle Creek )
Viola Liuzzo , 1960s white civil rights advocate who was murdered by the
Ku Klux Klan (born in
California, Pennsylvania ; moved to Detroit)
Malcolm X , civil rights leader (born in
Omaha, Nebraska ; raised in
Lansing )
Katharine Dexter McCormick , biologist, woman suffrage leader & philanthropist (born in
Dexter )
Rosa Parks , civil rights activist (born in
Tuskegee, Alabama ; moved to Detroit)
Lawrence Plamondon , cofounder of the
White Panther Party , activist, and first
hippie to be on the
FBI 's Most Wanted List (adopted and raised in
Traverse City , active in Ann Arbor, now living in
Barry County )
Anna Howard Shaw , leader in the women's suffrage movement (raised in northern Michigan wilderness and moved to
Big Rapids, Michigan for college)
Sojourner Truth , abolitionist (lived in Battle Creek)
Jonathan Walker ,
abolitionist and subject of
John Greenleaf Whittier 's poem "Man with the Branded Hand" (born in
Cape Cod, Massachusetts ; settled in
Muskegon )
Infamous Michiganders
Jim Bakker , scandal-ridden televangelist (born in
Muskegon )
Abe Bernstein ,
Prohibition -era gangster (born in New York; moved to Detroit)
Ivan Boesky , inside trader (born in Detroit)
Tony Chebatoris (1899–1938), murderer, bank robber and the only person executed for a crime in Michigan's history
Caryl Chessman (1921–1960), convicted robber and rapist who gained fame as a death row inmate (born in
St. Joseph )
John Norman Collins , "co-ed killer" (lived in Ypsilanti)
Charles Coughlin (1891–1979), anti-Semitic, pro-Hitler priest (born in
Hamilton, Ontario ; moved to
Birmingham )
Hawley Harvey Crippen , murderer (and first criminal to be captured with the aid of
wireless communication ) (born in Michigan, caught in England)
Leon Czolgosz (1873–1901), assassin of President
William McKinley (born in Detroit)
Sile Doty (1800–1876), burglar, horse thief (born in Vermont, spent later years in Michigan)
May Dugas de Pallandt van Eerde (1869–1937), notorious conwoman, raised in Menominee
Andrew Kehoe (1872–1927),
Bath School disaster bomber
Jack Kevorkian , physician infamous for assisted suicides (born in
Pontiac )
Kwame Kilpatrick , incarcerated former Detroit mayor (born in Detroit)
John List , mass murderer (born in
Bay City )
John Mitchell , conspiratorial
attorney general during
Watergate under President
Richard Nixon (born in Detroit)
Terry Nichols ,
Oklahoma City bombing co-conspirator (born in Michigan)
The Purple Gang , 1920s organized crime group in Detroit
Reed Slatkin , perpetrator of the largest
Ponzi scheme in the United States since that conducted by
Ponzi himself (born in Detroit)
Eddie Slovik , last US soldier executed for desertion (born in Detroit, raised in
Dearborn )
Carolyn Warmus , murderer whose murder case led to comparisons to
Fatal Attraction (born in
Troy , grew up in
Birmingham )
Aileen Wuornos , murderer made famous as the subject of the 2003 film
Monster starring
Charlize Theron (born in
Rochester )
Inventors
Thomas Edison , inventor, entrepreneur (born in
Milan, Ohio ; later settled in
Port Huron )
Robert Jarvik , medical inventor (born in
Midland )
Elijah McCoy , steam engine lubricator inventor; origin of the phrase "the real McCoy" (born in
Ontario ; moved to
Ypsilanti )
Sid Meier , "father of computer gaming," created the computer game Civilization and others (born in
Ontario moved to Detroit)
Ephraim Shay , inventor of the
Shay locomotive (born in Sherman Township,
Huron County, Ohio ; moved to
Harbor Springs )
Labor leaders
Leon E. Bates , labor leader (born in
Carrollton, Missouri , moved to Detroit)
Owen Bieber , labor leader (born in
North Dorr , worked in Grand Rapids)
Frank Fitzsimmons , labor leader (born in
Pennsylvania , moved at 16 to Detroit)
Douglas A. Fraser , labor leader (born in
Glasgow , Scotland; raised in Detroit)
James P. Hoffa , labor leader (born in Detroit)
James R. Hoffa , labor leader (born in
Indiana , moved to
Lake Orion )
Joseph Labadie , labor leader, political activist (born in
Paw Paw )
Walter Reuther , labor leader (born in
Wheeling, West Virginia ; moved to Detroit; died in
Pellston )
Leonard Woodcock , labor leader (born in
Providence, Rhode Island ; raised in Detroit)
Military figures
Christopher C. Augur , commanding officer of Union Army
XXII Corps (ACW) at
Battle of Plains Store in
Civil War (born in New York, settled in Michigan)
Remi A. Balduck , World War II naval hero (born in Detroit)
Frank Dwight Baldwin , major general in
US Army , twice awarded
Medal of Honor ; served in Civil War,
Indian Wars ,
Spanish–American War and
Philippine–American War (born in
Manchester )
Harry Hill Bandholtz , US brigadier general in World War I, head of US Military Mission to
Hungary (born in
Constantine )
Joseph Beyrle , only soldier to have served in both US Army and
Soviet Army in World War II (born in
Muskegon )
Ronald A. Burdo , World War II
US Marine Corps hero for whom
high speed transport
USS Burdo (APD-133) was named (born in
Cheboygan )
George H. Cannon , first US Marine to receive Medal of Honor in World War II (born in
Webster Groves, Missouri ; raised in Detroit)
Lewis Cass , US secretary of war, secretary of state, brigadier general in
War of 1812 , 1848
Democratic Party presidential nominee, governor of
Michigan Territory (born in
New Hampshire ; moved to Michigan when appointed governor)
William R. Charette ,
Korean War
US Navy hospital corpsman who selected
Unknown Soldier of World War II (born in
Ludington )
Ferdinand J. Chesarek , US Army general who served as Comptroller of the Army (born in
Calumet )
John G. Coburn , Four-star general, commander
US Army Materiel Command (born in
Ypsilanti )
George Armstrong Custer , US general, born in
New Rumley, Ohio ; moved to
Monroe )
Hugh A. Drum , US general who fought in Philippine–American War and World War I, later Chief of Staff of
First United States Army ,
AEF (born in
Fort Brady )
Sarah Emma Edmundson , Union spy and (disguised as a man) soldier (born in
Magaguadavic Settlement, New Brunswick , Canada; moved to Flint)
Daniel Ellsberg , military analyst, known for releasing
Pentagon Papers (grew up Detroit)
Anna Etheridge (aka Michigan Annie ), Civil War nurse enlisted with Michigan 2nd Infantry; active in nearly every major battle; awarded Kearney Cross for bravery at
Battle of Chancellorsville (born in
Wayne County )
Elon J. Farnsworth , Union Army cavalry general in Civil War, killed at
Battle of Gettysburg (born in
Green Oak )
Aubrey Fitch , US Navy admiral (born in
Saint Ignace )
Douglas Harold Fox , World War II naval hero killed at
Guadalcanal (born in
Walled Lake )
Ben Hebard Fuller ,
commandant of the Marine Corps (born in
Big Rapids )
Duane D. Hackney ,
Vietnam War
US Air Force hero (born in Flint)
Francis P. Hammerberg ,
United States Navy
diver who was awarded
Medal of Honor (born in
Daggett )
Henry Moore Harrington , officer in the
US 7th Cavalry Regiment who died with
George Armstrong Custer at
Battle of Little Big Horn (born in
Albion, New York ; moved as child to
Coldwater
Thomas C. Hart , US Navy director of submarines in World War I, US Navy admiral in World War II and later senator from
Connecticut (born in
Davison )
Micki King , Air Force colonel and Olympic gold-medalist diver (born in
Pontiac )
Frank Knox ,
secretary of the Navy under
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , 1936 Republican vice-presidential candidate and newspaper owner (born in
Boston, Massachusetts ; moved to Grand Rapids)
William S. Knudsen , US Army general during World War II,
General Motors president (born in
Denmark , lived and died in Detroit)
Aleda E. Lutz , Army flight nurse during World War II, second-most decorated woman in American military history (born in Freeland, Michigan; died in Mont Pilat, France)
Alexander Macomb , commanding general of the United States Army from 1828 to 1841 (born in Detroit)
Montgomery M. Macomb , brigadier general (born in Detroit)
William H. Macomb , commander in US Navy during Civil War (born in Detroit)
Robert Neller ,
commandant of the Marine Corps (born in
Louisiana , grew up in
East Lansing )
James Joseph Raby , rear admiral, USN (born in
Bay City )
Karl W. Richter , youngest pilot in Vietnam War to shoot down MiG in air-to-air combat, winner of
Air Force Cross ,
Distinguished Flying Cross , and
Purple Heart (born in
Holly )
Dean Rockwell ,
D-Day hero, coach of
Greco-Roman wrestling team at
1964 Summer Olympics and
Albion College football coach (born in rural
Cass County )
William Rufus Shafter (1835-1906) Union Army officer and Major General in the Spanish-American War (born in
Galesburg )
Frederick C. Sherman , World War II US Navy admiral (born in Michigan)
Oliver Sipple , marine who saved President
Gerald Ford 's life during a 1975 assassination attempt (born in Detroit)
Willard J. Smith ,
United States Coast Guard
commandant (born in
Suttons Bay )
Carl W. Weiss , World War II US Marine Corps hero who was killed in action at
Guadalcanal (born in Detroit)
Donald W. Wolf , World War II US Marine Corps hero who was killed in action at Guadalcanal (born in
Hart )
Musicians and composers
Classical
Joseph Alessi , trombonist (born in Detroit)
Robert Ashley , opera composer (born in Ann Arbor)
Theodore Baskin , principal oboist of the
Montreal Symphony Orchestra (born in Detroit)
William Bolcom ,
Grammy and
Pulitzer Prize -winning pianist and composer (born in
Seattle ; moved to Ann Arbor)
David DiChiera , director of the
Detroit Opera House 's
Michigan Opera Theatre
Maria Ewing , operatic soprano (born in Detroit)
John S. Hilliard , composer (born in
Hot Springs, Arkansas ; lived in Interlochen)
Angela Jia Kim , pianist (born in
East Lansing )
Robert Longfield , composer (born in Grand Rapids)
David Ott , composer (born in Kalamazoo)
Elizabeth Parcells , operatic soprano (born in Detroit; retired in
Grosse Pointe Farms )
Roger Reynolds , composer, Pulitzer Prize winner (born in Detroit)
Leo Sowerby , organist, composer, Pulitzer Prize winner (born in
Grand Rapids )
Thomas Schippers , conductor of the
Metropolitan Opera and the
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (born in Kalamazoo)
George Shirley , tenor,
National Medal of Arts recipient (born in
Indianapolis ; raised in Detroit)
Joseph Silverstein , violinist and concertmaster of
Boston Symphony Orchestra (born in Detroit)
Cheryl Studer , dramatic soprano (born in
Midland )
David Weber , clarinetist (born in
Vilna, Lithuania ; raised in Detroit)
Jazz and blues
Pepper Adams , jazz baritone saxophonist (born in
Highland Park )
Geri Allen , jazz pianist (born in Detroit)
Dorothy Ashby , jazz harpist (born in Detroit)
Anita Baker , jazz and
R&B singer (born in
Toledo, Ohio ; raised in Detroit)
Marcus Belgrave , jazz trumpeter (born in Detroit)
The Bluescasters , blues group (formed in Ann Arbor)
Kenny Burrell , jazz guitarist (born in Detroit)
Donald Byrd , jazz trumpeter (born in Detroit)
Betty Carter ,
Grammy Award -winning jazz vocalist (born in Flint)
Regina Carter , jazz violinist (born in Detroit)
James Carter , jazz woodwind player (born in Detroit)
Ron Carter , jazz bassist and member of the
Miles Davis Quintet (born in
Ferndale )
Bob Chester , jazz saxophonist and big band leader (born in Detroit)
Alice Coltrane , jazz keyboardist, harpist and composer (born in Detroit)
Xavier Davis , jazz pianist (born in Grand Rapids)
Clare Fischer , jazz, bossa nova, and Afro-Cuban jazz keyboardist, composer, and bandleader (born in
Durand )
Tommy Flanagan , jazz pianist best known as
Ella Fitzgerald 's accompanist (born in Detroit)
Kenny Garrett , jazz saxophonist (born in Detroit)
Barry Harris ,
bebop jazz pianist and educator (born in Detroit)
Joe Henderson , jazz saxophonist (born in
Lima, Ohio ; moved to Detroit)
Milt Jackson , jazz
vibraphonist (born in Detroit)
Elvin Jones , jazz drummer of the
hard bop era, part of
John Coltrane 's quartet (born in
Pontiac )
Hank Jones , jazz pianist,
National Medal of Arts recipient (born in
Vicksburg, Mississippi , grew up in Pontiac)
Isham Jones , 1920s bandleader, violinist, saxophonist and songwriter (born in
Coalton, Ohio , grew up in
Saginaw )
Thad Jones , jazz trumpeter (born in
Pontiac )
Earl Klugh ,
Grammy Award -winning jazz guitarist (born in Detroit)
Yusef Lateef , jazz saxophonist and flutist (born in
Chattanooga, Tennessee ; raised in Detroit)
Father Norman O'Connor (1921–2003), priest,
jazz aficionado, writer, radio and television host (born in Detroit)
Sy Oliver , trumpeter and bandleader (born in
Battle Creek )
Dave Pike , jazz
vibraphonist (born in Detroit)
Dianne Reeves , jazz vocalist and only person to have won the Grammy Award for "
Best Jazz Vocal Performance " three times in a row (born in Detroit)
Frank Rosolino , jazz trombonist (born in Detroit)
Sonny Stitt , jazz saxophonist (born in
Boston, Massachusetts ; raised in
Saginaw )
Art Van Damme , jazz accordionist (born in
Norway )
Sippie Wallace , blues singer (born in
Houston , later settled in Detroit)
Rudy Weidoeft , jazz saxophonist (born in Detroit)
Motown, R&B, and soul music
Florence Ballard , Motown-era singer, original lead singer of
The Supremes , inductee
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (born in
Mississippi ; raised in Detroit)
Oliver Cheatham , contemporary R&B singer (born in Detroit)
Lamont Dozier , Motown-era composer, member of
Holland-Dozier-Holland (born in Detroit)
Dwele , soul singer, songwriter and record producer (born in Detroit)
The Four Tops , Motown-era group with two No. 1 hits, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (formed in Detroit)
Aretha Franklin , singer, "The Queen of Soul", Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (born in
Memphis, Tennessee ; raised in Detroit)
Matt Giraud , piano player, drummer, R&B, soul & blues singer;
American Idol top 5, season 8 (born in Dearborn; raised in Ypsilanti;
Western Michigan University graduate)
Al Green , soul & gospel singer and pastor, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (grew up in Grand Rapids)
Brian Holland , Motown-era composer, member of Holland-Dozier-Holland (born in Detroit)
Edward Holland Jr. , Motown-era composer, member of Holland-Dozier-Holland (born in Detroit)
Adina Howard , R&B singer (born in Grand Rapids)
Mable John , first female singer to sign with
Berry Gordy (born in
Bastrop, Louisiana ; raised in Detroit)
The Jones Girls , R&B trio (born in Detroit)
LaKisha Jones , contestant on American Idol (born in Flint)
Jr. Walker & the All-Stars , Motown-era group whose song "
Shotgun " was a No. 1 hit (formed in
Battle Creek )
Kem , R&B and soul singer (raised in Detroit)
Bettye LaVette , soul singer (born in
Muskegon )
Barbara Lewis , singer known for hits "
Baby I'm Yours " and "
Hello Stranger " (born in
South Lyon )
The Marvelettes , Motown-era group whose "
Please Mr. Postman " was a No. 1 hit (formed in
Inkster )
Queen Naija , R&B singer
Freda Payne , Motown-era singer known for "
Band of Gold " (born in Detroit)
Martha Reeves , lead singer of Motown group
Martha and the Vandellas , Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (born in
Eufaula, Alabama ; raised in Detroit)
Smokey Robinson , Motown-era singer, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (born in Detroit)
Diana Ross , lead singer of The Supremes and solo artist, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (born in Detroit)
The Spinners , R&B group whose hits included "
Could It Be I'm Falling in Love " (formed in
Ferndale )
The Temptations , Motown group, three
Grammy awards with 14 No. 1 hits, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (begun in Detroit)
Edwin Starr ,
soul music singer, best known for his anti-war No. 1 hit "
War " (born in
Nashville , raised in
Cleveland , lived in Detroit)
Mary Wells , Motown-era singer best known for her No. 1 hit song "
My Guy " (born in Detroit)
Kim Weston , Motown and R&B singer (born in Detroit; currently lives in
Israel )
Jackie Wilson , R&B singer, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (born in Detroit)
BeBe Winans , R&B and gospel singer (born in Detroit)
Stevie Wonder , singer, musician, songwriter and winner of 24 Grammy awards, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (born in
Saginaw )
Philippe Wynne , R&B and gospel singer (born in Detroit)
Rock, rap, and pop
Aaliyah , singer and actress (born in
Brooklyn , New York; raised in Detroit)
Maurice Ager , producer (born in Detroit)
Gregg Alexander , singer-songwriter (from
Grosse Pointe )
Anybody Killa , rapper (raised in Detroit)
Hank Ballard , early rock musician best known for "The Twist" (born in Detroit)
Andrew Bazzi , singer, songwriter (born in Dearborn, raised in
Canton Township , attended
Plymouth-Canton Educational Park )
Big Sean , rapper (raised in Detroit)
Danny Brown , rapper (born in Detroit)
The Black Dahlia Murder ,
melodic death metal /
metalcore band (begun in Detroit)
Blaze Ya Dead Homie , rapper (raised in
Romeo )
Bliss 66 , pop band (from
Taylor )
Sonny Bono , singer-songwriter, record producer and politician (born in Detroit)
Rob Cantor , singer-songwriter and guitarist for rock band
Tally Hall (born in
Bloomfield Hills )
Tally Hall , rock band (formed in
Ann Arbor )
Kellin Quinn Bostwick , lead singer of
Sleeping with Sirens (raised in
Whitehall )
Donald Brewer , drummer for
Grand Funk Railroad (born in Flint)
Shana Cleveland , guitarist and vocalist (born in Kalamazoo)
Alice Cooper , musician, 2011 inductee in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (born in Detroit)
Marshall Crenshaw , musician (born in Detroit)
DDG , rapper (born in Pontiac)
42 Dugg , rapper
Eminem , rapper (born in
St. Joseph, Missouri ; raised in
Warren )
Esham , rapper (born in
Long Island, New York ; raised in Detroit)
Every Avenue , pop band (from
Marysville )
Factory 81 , rock band (from Detroit)
Mark Farner , lead singer of
Grand Funk Railroad (born in Flint)
Fireworks ,
pop-punk band (begun in Metro Detroit)
Doug Fieger , lead singer of
The Knack and co-writer of "
My Sharona " (from Detroit)
Glenn Frey , founding member of
The Eagles , 2008 inductee in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (born in
Royal Oak )
Craig Frost , keyboardist (born in Flint)
James Gurley , rock guitarist (born in Detroit)
J Dilla (James Dewitt Yancey), hip hop producer (born in Detroit)
Bill Haley , 1950s musician, 1987 inductee in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (born in
Highland Park )
Mayer Hawthorne , singer, producer, songwriter, DJ, rapper and multi-instrumentalist (born in Ann Arbor)
Insane Clown Posse , hip hop group (formed in Detroit)
I See Stars , electronicore band (formed in Warren)
Billy Jones , lead guitarist, singer-songwriter for The Outlaws (born Ann Arbor)
Maynard James Keenan , frontman of Tool and A Perfect Circle (born in
Ravenna, Ohio , raised in
Scottville )
Anthony Kiedis , lead singer,
Red Hot Chili Peppers (born in Grand Rapids)
Kid Rock , musician (born in
Romeo ; raised in
Mount Clemens )
Wayne Kramer , guitarist (born in Detroit)
Madonna , singer, inductee in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (born in
Bay City ; raised in
Pontiac and
Rochester Hills )
MC5 ,
protopunk band (begun in Lincoln Park)
Guy Mitchell , pop singer known for "
Singing the Blues ", "
Heartaches by the Number " (born in Detroit)
Natas , hip hop group (begun in Detroit)
Jason Newsted , bassist for
Metallica (born in
Battle Creek )
NF , hip-hop/rapper (born in
Gladwin, Michigan )
Matt Noveskey , bassist for
Blue October
Ted Nugent , musician, activist (born in Detroit)
Craig Owens , vocalist of the band
Chiodos (from
Davison )
Daniel Passino , musician, contemporary
R&B and pop singer-songwriter; contestant from NBC's The Voice season 10 (born in
New Boston )
Britta Phillips , singer-songwriter (from
Boyne City )
Pop Evil , rock band (began in
Muskegon )
Iggy Pop , rock musician, 2010 inductee in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (born in Muskegon)
Mike Posner , musician, synthpop and electropop singer-songwriter (born in Detroit)
Suzi Quatro , singer, bassist, and actress (born in Detroit)
Question Mark & the Mysterians , rock band (begun in Bay City)
The Romantics ,
new wave rock band (begun in Detroit)
Royce da 5'9" , rapper (born in Detroit)
DeJ Loaf , rapper (born in Detroit)
Mitch Ryder , rock musician known for "
Devil with a Blue Dress On " (born in
Hamtramck )
Bob Schneider ,
Texas -based rock musician (born in
Ypsilanti )
Bob Seger , singer, 2004 inductee in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (born in
Dearborn ; raised in Ann Arbor)
Bob Gentry , singer-songwriter (born in Detroit)
Del Shannon , singer, 1999 inductee in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (born in
Coopersville )
Chad Smith , drummer,
Red Hot Chili Peppers (raised in
Bloomfield Hills )
Sponge , post-grunge band (begun in Detroit)
Still Remains , metalcore band (begun in Grand Rapids)
The Stooges , rock band, 2010 inductees in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (begun in Ann Arbor)
Taproot ,
nu metal band (begun in Ann Arbor)
Thought Industry ,
progressive metal band (begun in Kalamazoo)
Twiztid , hip hop group (begun in
Eastpointe )
Uncle Kracker , rock musician (born in Mount Clemens)
Greta Van Fleet , rock band (began in
Frankenmuth )
The Verve Pipe , post-grunge band (formed in
East Lansing )
The Von Bondies ,
indie rock /
alternative band (from Detroit)
Narada Michael Walden , multi-platinum record producer and songwriter (born in Kalamazoo)
Malaya Watson ,
American Idol contestant (from
Southfield )
Wayne Static , singer for Static-x (born in Muskegon)
We Came as Romans , melodic metal core band (from
Troy )
Jack White , singer-songwriter (born in Detroit; raised in Detroit and Kalamazoo)
Meg White , drummer and
Grammy Award winner (born in
Grosse Pointe Farms )
The White Stripes , minimalist blues-rock duo (begun in Detroit)
Joyce Vincent Wilson , singer with
Tony Orlando and Dawn (born in Detroit)
Andrew W.K. , metal/hard rock composer (born in Ann Arbor)
D'arcy Wretzky , bass player for
The Smashing Pumpkins (born in
South Haven )
Other musicians
The Accidentals , alternative-rock band (formed in Traverse City)
Roy Bargy , musician, composer,
Jimmy Durante bandleader (born in
Newaygo )
Muruga Booker , drummer (born in Detroit, lives in Ann Arbor)
Ralston Bowles , folk musician, singer/songwriter (lives in Grand Rapids)
William David Brohn , Tony Award-winning orchestrator and arranger (born in
Flint )
Hughie Cannon , songwriter, "
Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey " (born in Detroit)
Erika Costell , YouTuber, model, and singer (born in
Bedford )
Johnny Desmond , big-band singer and recording artist (born in Detroit)
Harlan Howard , songwriter in
Country Music Hall of Fame (born in Detroit)
Marion Hutton , singer with
Glenn Miller orchestra (raised in
Battle Creek )
Herb Jeffries , singer (born in Detroit)
Mary Kaye , guitarist (born in Detroit)
Bernie Krause , pioneer in Moog synthesizers and folk singer with
The Weavers (born in Detroit)
Joseph LoDuca , film score composer (born in Michigan)
John Lowery , guitarist, a.k.a. John5, former member of
Marilyn Manson (born in
Grosse Pointe )
Stephen Lynch , comic musician (born in
Abington, Pennsylvania ; raised in
Saginaw )
Geoff Moore ,
Christian contemporary music
Grammy -winning singer and songwriter (born in Michigan)
Carrie Newcomer , folk musician (born in
Dowagiac )
Karen Newman , singer and anthem voice of
Detroit Red Wings hockey (raised in
Rochester )
Zeena Parkins , avant garde harpist (born in Detroit)
Rodriguez , singer, songwriter, subject of film
Searching for Sugar Man (born in Detroit)
Sycamore Smith , folk singer (born in
Marquette )
Tom Smith ,
filker , folk musician (lives in Ann Arbor)
Noel Stookey , "Paul" of
Peter, Paul and Mary folk group (born in
Baltimore , raised in
Birmingham )
Sufjan Stevens , folk musician (born in Detroit)
Bob Vincent , big-band singer (born in Detroit)
Margaret Whiting , singer and recording artist (born in Detroit)
CeCe Winans , gospel singer (born in Detroit)
Vickie Winans , gospel singer (born in Detroit)
George Winston ,
Grammy Award -winning new age pianist (born in Michigan)
Margaret Young , singer (born in Detroit)
Native-American leaders
Andrew Blackbird ,
Ottawa leader, historian and negotiator in Treaty of 1855 (born in
Harbor Springs )
Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish (or Bad Bird),
Potawatomi chief (from Michigan)
Mecosta , Potawatomi chief, for whom
Mecosta County is named (born near present-day
Big Rapids )
John Okemos ,
Ojibwa chief, for whom the city of
Okemos is named, signer of
Treaty of Saginaw (born on
Apple Island in present-day
West Bloomfield )
Simon Pokagon , Potawatomi chief, from whom Western Michigan's Pokagon Potawatomi take their name (born in
Berrien County , settled in
Hartland )
Pontiac , Native American chief and war leader (born near
Detroit River )
Shavehead , Potawatomi chief and warrior (born in
Cass County )
Shaw-shaw-way-nay-beece , Ojibwa chief and signer of Treaty of 1855 (born in
Isabella County )
Wawatam , Ojibwa chief at
Michilimackinac (born near
Mackinaw City )
Wosso (also called Owosso), for whom the city of
Owosso is named), chief of Shiawassee band of Ojibwa and signer of Treaty of Saginaw (born near present-day Owosso)
Political figures
National political figures
Spencer Abraham , US senator 1995–2001 and
secretary of energy 2001–05 (born in
East Lansing )
Henry B. Brown ,
US Supreme Court justice from 1891 to 1906 and author for court opinion in
Plessy v. Ferguson (born in
South Lee, Massachusetts ; settled and practiced law in
Detroit )
Jesse Brown , US secretary of Veterans Affairs under President
Bill Clinton (born in Detroit)
Wilber M. Brucker ,
US secretary of the army 1955–61 and
governor of Michigan 1931–33 (born in
Saginaw )
Dr.
Ben Carson ,
US secretary of Housing and Urban Development , retired
neurosurgeon , 2016 presidential candidate (born in Detroit)
Roy D. Chapin Sr.,
US secretary of commerce under President
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (born in
Lansing )
Betsy DeVos (born 1958),
US secretary of education under President
Donald Trump (born in
Holland )
Donald M. Dickinson ,
United States postmaster general of 19th century (born in New York, lived and died in Detroit)
Thomas W. Ferry , United States senator 1871–1883,
president pro tempore of the United States Senate 1875–1879
[3]
Betty Ford ,
First Lady of the United States 1974–77; advocate of breast cancer early detection and chemical dependency treatment (born in
Chicago ; raised in
Grand Rapids )
Gerald R. Ford , US representative and
38th president of the United States (born in
Omaha, Nebraska ; raised in Grand Rapids)
Jennifer Granholm , 47th governor of Michigan (born in
Canada ; raised in California;
Northville resident at time of her election),
US secretary of Energy under President
Joe Biden
Reed E. Hundt ,
Federal Communications Commission chairman under President Bill Clinton (born in Ann Arbor)
Herbert W. Kalmbach , attorney to
President Richard Nixon (born in
Port Huron )
Robert McClelland , governor of Michigan from 1852 to 1853 and
US secretary of the interior under President
James Buchanan (born in
Greencastle, Pennsylvania ; settled in
Monroe )
John N. Mitchell , US attorney general under President Richard Nixon 1969–72 (born in Detroit)
Cecilia Muñoz , White House director of Intergovernmental Affairs under President
Barack Obama (born in Detroit; raised in
Livonia )
Frank Murphy , Detroit mayor, Michigan governor, last governor-general of the
Philippines and first high commissioner to the Philippines, US attorney general and Supreme Court justice (born in
Harbor Beach )
Tom Price (born 1954),
US secretary of Health and Human Services under President Donald Trump (born in
Lansing , raised in
Dearborn )
Ann Romney , former First Lady of
Massachusetts (born in Detroit)
George W. Romney ,
governor of Michigan 1963–69, chairman of
American Motors , US secretary of Housing and Urban Development (born in
Chihuahua, Mexico ; raised in
Salt Lake City , moved to Detroit)
Mitt Romney , US senator for Utah,
governor of Massachusetts (2003–2007), and 2012 Republican nominee for president (born in Detroit; raised in
Bloomfield Hills )
Rodney E. Slater ,
US secretary of transportation under President Bill Clinton (born in
Marianna, Arkansas ; lived some time in
Ypsilanti )
Margaret Spellings , US secretary of education under President
George W. Bush , co-author of
No Child Left Behind Act (born in
Ann Arbor )
Gene Sperling , director of National Economic Council under presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama (born in Ann Arbor)
Potter Stewart , US Supreme Court justice (born in
Jackson )
Arthur Summerfield , US postmaster general 1953–61 (born in
Pinconning )
Edwin F. Uhl ,
mayor of Grand Rapids,
ambassador to Germany, assistant secretary of state, and for 13 days in 1895 was acting
US Secretary of State (born in
Rush, New York , raised in Ypsilanti, moved to Grand Rapids)
Michigan political figures
Russell A. Alger ,
governor of Michigan 1902–07, US senator,
secretary of War during
Spanish–American War (born in
Ohio ; moved to
Grand Rapids )
Dennis Archer , mayor of Detroit 1994–2001 (born in Detroit)
Dave Bing , mayor of Detroit 2009–2013 (born in Washington, D.C.; moved to Michigan)
Austin Blair , anti-slavery governor of Michigan (born in New York; settled in
Eaton Rapids )
James Blanchard , governor of Michigan 1983–91, ambassador to Canada (born in Detroit)
Prentiss M. Brown , US senator, chairman of
Detroit Edison Company and
Mackinac Bridge Authority (born in
St. Ignace )
Jerome Cavanagh , mayor of Detroit 1962–70 (born in Detroit)
John Conyers , second longest-serving member of US House of Representatives (born in Detroit)
Debbie Dingell , US representative (born in Detroit)
John Dingell , longest-serving member of US House of Representatives (born in
Colorado Springs, Colorado ; raised in Detroit)
John Engler , three-term governor of Michigan (born in
Mount Pleasant )
Paul G. Goebel , two-term mayor of Grand Rapids (born in Grand Rapids)
Roman Gribbs , mayor of Detroit 1970–74 (born in Detroit)
Alexander Groesbeck , 30th governor of Michigan (born in
Warren )
Ebenezer O. Grosvenor , 14th lieutenant governor and state treasurer (born in New York, lived and died in
Jonesville )
Philip A. Hart , US senator (born in
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania ; moved to Detroit)
Andy Levin , US congressman (born in
Berkley )
Carl Levin , US senator 1979–2015 (born in Detroit)
T. John Lesinski , Michigan lieutenant governor and judge (born in Detroit)
Sander M. Levin , US congressman (born in Detroit)
Oscar Marx , mayor of Detroit 1913–18 (born in
Wayne County )
Louis Miriani , mayor of Detroit 1957–62 (born in Detroit)
Russell C. Ostrander , mayor of
Lansing and chief justice of state Supreme Court (born in
Ypsilanti )
Hazen S. Pingree , mayor of Detroit 1890–97 (born in
Denmark, Maine ; moved to Detroit)
Charles E. Potter , US senator 1952–59 (born in
Lapeer )
Donald W. Riegle Jr. , US senator 1976–95 (born in Flint)
Dorothy Comstock Riley , Michigan Supreme Court judge, first Hispanic woman elected to Supreme Court of any state (born in Detroit)
Lenore Romney , former First Lady of Michigan, 1970 US senate candidate (born in
Utah , lived in
Bloomfield Hills , died in
Royal Oak )
Solomon Sibley , first mayor of Detroit (born in
Sutton, Massachusetts , moved to Michigan)
Debbie Stabenow , US senator (born in
Gladwin )
Rashida Tlaib , US representative (born in Detroit)
Arthur H. Vandenberg , US senator, founder of the
United Nations (born in Grand Rapids)
George W. Welsh , mayor of Grand Rapids 1938–49 and lieutenant governor (born in
Scotland )
Gretchen Whitmer , 49th governor of Michigan (born in Lansing)
G. Mennen Williams , 41st governor of Michigan (born in Detroit)
Howard Wolpe , US congressman, special envoy to Great Lakes Region of Africa, director of Africa Program at
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (born in California, settled in
Kalamazoo )
Coleman Young , mayor of Detroit 1974–94 (born in
Tuscaloosa, Alabama , moved to Detroit)
Other political figures
Allen Alley , chairman of
Oregon Republican Party (born in Kalamazoo)
Arthur Brown , US senator from
Utah (born in Kalamazoo)
Jane L. Campbell , mayor of
Cleveland, Ohio , 2002–06 (born in Ann Arbor)
Amanda Carpenter , political adviser and speechwriter for Sen.
Jim DeMint (born in
Montrose )
Laurie Perry Cookingham ,
city manager of
Kansas City, Missouri , for 19 years, tenure longer than any US city manager (born in
Saginaw )
Dr.
Royal S. Copeland , US senator from New York (born in
Dexter )
Rennie Davis , prominent
anti-Vietnam War protest leader of 1960s (born in
Lansing )
Thomas Dewey ,
governor of New York , lost presidential race in 1944 and 1948 (born in
Owosso )
Frank Emerson , 15th
governor of Wyoming (born in
Saginaw )
Michael Fougere , mayor of
Regina, Saskatchewan , Canada (born in
Farmington )
Elisha Peyre Ferry , first governor of
Washington Territory and Civil War colonel (born in
Monroe )
Obadiah Gardner , US senator for
Maine (born near
Port Huron )
Tom Hayden , social and political activist, politician (born in Detroit)
Clyde L. Herring , 26th
governor of Iowa and US senator (born in
Jackson County )
William J. McConnell , third
governor of Idaho (born in
Commerce )
William E. Quinby , US ambassador to the Netherlands (born in Maine, moved to Detroit)
Henry Hastings Sibley , first
governor of Minnesota (born in Detroit)
John Sinclair , political activist, writer, musician (born in Flint)
Jan Ting , unsuccessful 2006 US senate candidate for
Delaware (born in
Dearborn )
Religious leaders
Frederic Baraga , Roman Catholic
missionary , bishop and
Ojibway and
Ottawa
grammarian (born in present-day
Slovenia ; settled among the Native American mission at Arbre Croche (now
Cross Village )
Emma Pow Bauder , Conference Missionary, California Conference,
Church of the United Brethren in Christ (born in
North Adams )
D. M. Canright , early leader of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church (born in
Kinderhook )
D. Stanley Coors , American bishop of the
Methodist Church (born in
Pentwater )
Daniel Dolan ,
Traditional Catholic bishop (born in Detroit)
Walter Elliott , 19th-century Roman Catholic priest whose writing sparked the
Americanism heresy (born in Detroit)
William Montague Ferry ,
Presbyterian minister and missionary who founded several settlements in
Ottawa County , known as the father of
Grand Haven
[4] and of Ottawa County
[5]
Lucien Greaves , social activist; spokesman and co-founder of
The Satanic Temple
Virginia Harris , publisher of the writings of
Mary Baker Eddy ; president and founding trustee of the
Mary Baker Eddy Library for the Betterment of Humanity; chair of the
Christian Science Board of Directors, 1990–2004 (lived in Birmingham)
James Aloysius Hickey ,
cardinal and Roman Catholic
archbishop of the
Archdiocese of Washington (born in
Midland )
John C. Maxwell , evangelical Christian author, speaker, and pastor (born in
Garden City )
Bruce R. McConkie , prominent
apostle and theologian of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (born in Ann Arbor)
Josh McDowell , leading Evangelical
Christian apologist and author (born in Battle Creek and grew up in
Union City )
Jason Miller , rabbi and entrepreneur (born in Detroit)
Warith Deen Mohammed (1933–2008), son of
Elijah Muhammad , leader of American Society of Muslims (born in Hamtramck)
Wallace Fard Muhammad , founder of
Nation of Islam (birthplace debated; moved to Detroit and founded his first mosque there)
Thomas Gumbleton , Roman Catholic auxiliary bishop (born in Detroit)
Henry Churchill King , theologian, president of
Oberlin College and member of the
King-Crane Commission on the status of
Palestine (born in
Hillsdale )
Baba Rexheb , Moslem leader and mystic, founder of the
Bektashi Sufi lodge in
Taylor (born in what is now
Albania ; fled to
Taylor )
Edmund Szoka , president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State (born in Grand Rapids)
John A. Trese , priest of the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit (born in
St. Clair )
Allen Henry Vigneron , Roman Catholic
Bishop of Oakland in California (born in
Mount Clemens )
Geerhardus Vos , theologian known as the "Father of Reformed Biblical Theology" (born in the
Netherlands ; moved to Grand Rapids)
Ellen G. White , founding member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (born in Maine, settled in Battle Creek with husband James)
James Springer White , founding member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (born in
Palmyra, Maine , settled in Battle Creek)
Rabbi
Sherwin Wine , founder of the
Society for Humanistic Judaism (born in Detroit)
Scholars
Art historians
Economists, mathematicians, and social scientists
Henry Carter Adams , economist (born in
Davenport, Iowa ; moved to Ann Arbor)
Akhil Reed Amar , legal scholar, an expert on
constitutional law and
criminal procedure (born in Ann Arbor)
Earl Babbie , sociologist (born in Detroit)
Bruce Bartlett , economist, advisor to presidents
Ronald Reagan and
George H. W. Bush (born in Ann Arbor)
Edward Griffith Begle , mathematician specializing
topology , director of the
School Mathematics Study Group (born in
Saginaw )
George David Birkhoff , mathematician best known for the
ergodic theorem (born in
Overisel )
Robert John Braidwood , archaeologist and anthropologist (born in Detroit)
Napoleon Chagnon , anthropologist (born in
Port Austin )
Charles Cooley , sociologist, known for his concept of the
looking-glass self (born in Ann Arbor)
Samuel J. Eldersveld , political scientist, mayor of Ann Arbor, department chair at University of Michigan
Carol Karp , mathematician and leader in the theory of infinitary logic (born in Forest Grove))
Alfred V. Kidder , archaeologist (born in
Marquette )
Leslie Kish , sociologist and statistician, pioneer in survey sampling methodology, professor at University of Michigan
Eduard Lindeman , educational pioneer (born in
St. Clair )
Tom Morey , mathematician, aerospace engineer, musician and surfing analyst (born in Detroit)
Walter Pitts , logician who worked in the field of
cognitive psychology (born in Detroit)
Wardell Pomeroy , psychologist known for his work on sexual behavior (born in Kalamazoo)
Michael Porter , economist and author (born in Ann Arbor)
Paul Rehak ,
archaeologist (born in Ann Arbor)
Jeff Sachs , economist, economic adviser to nations, author, director of the
Earth Institute at
Columbia University (born in Detroit)
Claude E. Shannon , "father of information theory and of digital computer circuit design" (born in
Petoskey ; raised in
Gaylord )
Robert Shiller , Nobel Prize winning economist, academic, author (born in Detroit)
Nate Silver , statistician,
psephologist , and writer (born in East Lansing)
Isadore Singer , mathematician (born in Detroit)
Theda Skocpol , sociologist and political scientist (born in Detroit)
Stephen Smale ,
Fields Medal -winning mathematician (born in Flint)
Gene Sperling , economist, political expert, counselor to Treasury Secretary
Tim Geithner (born in Ann Arbor)
Kenneth Waltz , prominent
international relations theorist (born in Ann Arbor)
Brian Wesbury , economist (born in Ann Arbor)
Leslie White , anthropologist and major advocate of
neoevolutionism (born in
Kansas , moved to Ann Arbor)
Historians
Ray Stannard Baker , historian and biographer of President
Woodrow Wilson (born in Lansing)
Charles Bigelow , print historian, font designer,
MacArthur Foundation Award winner (born in Detroit)
Bruce Catton , historian of the
US Civil War (born in
Petoskey ; raised in
Benzonia )
John D'Arms , history of ancient Rome (born in
Poughkeepsie, New York , moved to Ann Arbor)
Natalie Zemon Davis , historian and feminist, pioneered the "new social history," author of
The Return of Martin Guerre (born in Detroit)
Samuel J. Eldersveld , political scientist at the
University of Michigan ; former mayor of Ann Arbor (from Ann Arbor)
Natural scientists and engineers
Charles Bachman , computer scientist (lived in East Lansing)
Werner Emmanuel Bachmann ,
biochemistry pioneer in
steroid synthesis who carried out the first total synthesis of a
steroidal hormone ,
equilenin (born in Detroit)
Liberty Hyde Bailey , botanist (born in
South Haven )
Bob Bemer , computer scientist (born in
Sault Ste. Marie )
J Harlen Bretz , geologist (born in
Saranac )
Lyman James Briggs , engineer, physicist, headed the
Briggs Advisory Committee on Uranium (born in
Assyria )
Robert L. Carroll , paleontologist (born in Kalamazoo)
Douglas Houghton Campbell , botanist (born in Detroit)
Kazimierz Fajans , chemist (born in
Warsaw, Poland , fled
Nazi persecution to settle in Ann Arbor)
David Fairchild , botanist (born in
Lansing )
Robert M. Graham , computer scientist, contributed to
Multics (born in Michigan)
Michael Hendricks , psychologist, suicidologist, and an advocate for the LGBT community
Alfred Hershey , Nobel Prize-winning
bacteriologist (born in
Owosso )
Robert E. Horton , "father of
hydrology , ecologist and soil scientist (born in
Parma )
Nicholas Hotton III , paleontologist (born in Michigan)
Douglass Houghton , first
state geologist of Michigan , explorer of
Keweenaw County (born in New York; moved to Detroit)
John H. Hubbell , radiation physicist (born in Ann Arbor)
Edward Israel , astronomer and polar explorer (born in Kalamazoo)
Ernest Kirkendall , chemist and metallurgist (born in
East Jordan , raised in
Highland Park )
William LeMessurier , structural engineer (born in
Pontiac )
Forest Ray Moulton , astronomer (born in
Le Roy )
Jonas Salk , Head of Epidemiology at the University of Michigan
[6]
Glenn T. Seaborg , chemist,
Nobel prize winner (born in
Ishpeming )
Werner Spitz , forensic pathologist, emigrated from
Israel to
St. Clair Shores
Samuel C. C. Ting , Nobel Prize-winning physicist (born in Ann Arbor)
James Craig Watson , astronomer (born in
Fingal, Ontario ; raised in Ann Arbor)
Thomas Huckle Weller , virologist and Nobel Prize winner in medicine (born in Ann Arbor)
Philosophers
Brand Blanshard ,
Yale University
rationalist philosopher (born in
Fredericksburg, Ohio ; raised in
Bay View )
Voltairine de Cleyre , anarchist philosopher and political activist (born in
Leslie )
William A. Earle ,
Northwestern University philosopher of
existentialism and
phenomenology (born in
Saginaw )
Gary Habermas , historian, New Testament scholar, and
philosopher of religion (born in Detroit)
Reinhold Niebuhr , political philosopher and theologian (moved to Detroit)
Alvin Plantinga , philosopher of religion (born in Ann Arbor)
Wilfrid Sellars , philosopher (born in Ann Arbor)
Other scholars and researchers
Benjamin Franklin Bailey ,
electrical engineer , professor and researcher (born in Sheridan)
Ellen Dannin ,
Penn State law professor, expert in labor law of
New Zealand and US (born in Flint)
Richard Ellmann , literary critic and biographer (born in Highland Park)
H. Wiley Hitchcock ,
musicologist director for
Institute for Studies in American Music , co-author of New Grove Dictionary of American Music (born in Detroit)
Emmett Leith , electrical engineering professor and inventor of three-dimensional
holography (born in Detroit; moved to Ann Arbor)
Larry Soderquist , corporate and securities law expert, novelist,
Vanderbilt professor (born in Ypsilanti)
Sports figures
Writers
Others
Huwaida Arraf , co-founder of
International Solidarity Movement (ISM), a pro-
Palestinian organization (born in Detroit)
Todd Beamer , passenger aboard
United Airlines Flight 93 recognized as a hero for his actions (born in Flint)
Harry Blackstone Sr. , magician (born in
Illinois , settled in
Colon , where his home is now American Museum of Magic)
Harry Blackstone Jr. , magician and television performer (born in
Three Rivers )
Ralph Bunche , 1950
Nobel Peace Prize winner, first won by an African American (born in Detroit)
Christie Brinkley , supermodel and actress (born in
Monroe )
William Durant Campbell , major leader in
World Scout Foundation (born in Flint)
Martin H. Carmody , Depression-era Supreme Knight of
Knights of Columbus (born in Grand Rapids)
Emor L. Calkins , State president of the Michigan
Woman's Christian Temperance Union for 25 years
Patricia Donnelly ,
Miss America 1939 (born in Detroit)
Pamela Eldred ,
Miss America 1970 (born in
West Bloomfield )
Nancy Fleming ,
Miss America 1961 (born in
Montague )
Frederick Carl Frieseke ,
Impressionist painter (born in
Owosso )
Joe Girard , salesman and author (born in Detroit)
Carole Gist ,
Miss USA 1990 (born in Detroit)
Kirsten Haglund ,
Miss America 2008 (born in
Farmington Hills )
Mona Hanna-Attisha , pediatrician and public health advocate (grew up in
Royal Oak )
Robert G. Heft , designer of current 50-star American flag (born in
Saginaw )
Lewis Cass Ledyard , lawyer, president of
New York City Bar Association (born in Detroit)
Tom McEvoy , professional poker player,
1983 World Series of Poker champion (born in
Grand Rapids )
Vince Megna , lawyer, author and primary shaper of so-called "lemon laws" (born in
Iron Mountain )
Perle Mesta , prominent Washington, D.C., socialite (born in
Sturgis )
Marvin Mitchelson , celebrity divorce attorney (born in Detroit)
Jerry Mitchell ,
Tony Award -winning choreographer (born in
Paw Paw )
Kenya Moore ,
Miss USA 1993 (born in Detroit)
Lenda Murray , bodybuilder, 8-time
Ms. Olympia (born in Detroit)
Kaye Lani Rae Rafko ,
Miss America 1988 (born in Monroe)
Terry Rakolta , founder of Americans for Responsible Television (from
Bloomfield Hills )
Greg Raymer ,
2004 World Series of Poker champion (born in
Minot, North Dakota ; raised in
Lansing )
Helen Cary Russell , president, Michigan State Federation of Women's Clubs
Norman Shumway , heart transplant pioneer (born in Kalamazoo)
Annie Edson Taylor , first person to go over
Niagara Falls in a barrel (lived in
Bay City )
R.J. Thomas , labor leader (born in
East Palestine, Ohio ; moved to Detroit in his early 20s)
Dita Von Teese , burlesque dancer (born in West Branch)
Veronica Webb , model, Revlon spokesperson (born in Detroit)
Ken Westerfield ,
disc sport (
Frisbee ) pioneer, athlete, showman, promoter (born in Detroit)
Floyd Wilcox , president of
Shimer College (born in
Mason )
See also
Notes
^
"Hoon Lee – Department of Art and Design – Grand Valley State University" . gvsu.edu . Archived from
the original on September 14, 2016. Retrieved March 16, 2017 .
^ Kelion, Leo (November 29, 2012).
"Tony Fadell: From iPod father to thermostat start-up" . BBC News . Retrieved March 16, 2017 .
^
"Bioguide Search" . Biographical Directory of the United States Congress . Retrieved March 17, 2021 .
^ Seibold, David H. (2007). Grand Haven - In the Path of Destiny . Norton Shores, Michigan: Grand Haven Historical Society. p. 39.
ISBN
978-1-4243-1900-8 .
^ Bartholomew, Henry (1908).
Collections of the Pioneer Society of the State of Michigan. together with reports of county pioneer societies . Wynkoop Hallenbeck Crawford, Co., State Printers. p. 307.
^
"Jonas Salk, MD" . Archived from
the original on February 16, 2006. Retrieved April 2, 2006 .
References and further reading