List of people from Detroit

thumb|Detroit, as seen from [[Windsor, Ontario|Windsor, Canada]]

The list of people from Detroit includes those who were born, have lived, or worked in Detroit, Michigan, and in Metro Detroit.

Activists

Octavia Williams Bates
Viola Liuzzo
Gin'nnah Muhammad
Rosa Parks
Betty Shabazz
Jalonne White-Newsome
Malcolm X

Artists and designers

Architects

Charles N. Agree
C. Howard Crane
Joseph Nathaniel French
Francis E. Griffin
Nathan Johnson
Beverly Hannah Jones
Albert Kahn
Roger Margerum
Wirt C. Rowland
Bernard C. Wetzel
Donald F. White
Minoru Yamasaki

Ceramists

Horace Caulkins
Tom Lollar
Diana Pancioli
Mary Chase Perry Stratton

Dancers

Lottie "The Body" Graves

Fashion designers

Tracy Reese
Anna Sui
John Varvatos

Painters

Larry D. Alexander
Ian Hornak
Charles McGee
Allie McGhee
Gari Melchers
Niagara
Carl Owens
John Mix Stanley
Carol Wald
Irakly Shanidze
Taro Yamasaki

Sculptors

Marshall Fredericks
Mike Kelley
Julius T. Melchers
Carl Milles
Corrado Parducci
Matt Paweski
Richard Ritter
Carlo Romanelli
Edward Wagner

Textile and interior designers

Carole Harris
Ruth Adler Schnee

Astronauts

Gregory Jarvis

Business, industry, academics, and labor

Steve Ballmer
Elissa P. Benedek
William E. Boeing
George Gough Booth
Bonnie Brennan
Eli Broad
Roy D. Chapin
Roy D. Chapin Jr.
Nina Clifford
Bertrand Curtis Spitzley
William Davidson
Louis-Césaire Dagneau Douville de Quindre
John DeLorean
Horace Elgin Dodge
John Francis Dodge
Shel Dorf
George Doundoulakis
William C. Durant
William R. Farrand
Mark Fields
Charles T. Fisher
Alfred Ford
Edsel Ford
Edsel Ford II
Henry Ford
Henry Ford II
William Clay Ford Jr.
William Clay Ford Sr.
Charles Lang Freer
Dan Gilbert
Elizabeth L. Gleicher
Les Gold
Berry Gordy
Edgar Gott
Tyree Guyton
Arthur Hayes
Frank J. Hecker
Jimmy Hoffa
Flora Hommel
Joseph L. Hudson
Christopher Ilitch
Denise Ilitch
Marian Ilitch
Mike Ilitch
Peter Karmanos Jr.
Sebastian S. Kresge
Henry M. Leland
Charles Lindbergh
Michael J. Malik Sr.
Alex Manoogian
Oscar F. Mayer
Elijah McCoy
Manuel "Matty" Moroun
Alan Mulally
David Overton
Francis Palms
Roger Penske
Walter Pitts
Heinz Prechter
David Preston
Ashley Qualls
Walter Reuther
Stephen M. Ross
Jeffrey Sachs
James E. Scripps
Robert J. Shiller
DePrice Taylor, community relations executive for the Kansas City Current and civic leader
Art Van Elslander
James Vernor
Robert J. Vlasic
Hiram Walker
B. Joseph White
Kate Williams
Ralph Wilson
Mark Zbikowski

Clergy and religion

Solanus Casey
C. L. Franklin
Lucien Greaves
Elijah Muhammad
Wallace Fard Muhammad
Jack Van Impe

Government and politics

thumb|upright=0.81|[[Sonny Bono]]

thumb|upright=0.81|Judge [[Gershwin A. Drain]]

Albert M. Bielawski (1867–1942), member of the Michigan House of Representatives
James Blanchard (born 1942), U.S. representative for Michigan and governor of Michigan
Suzanne Bonamici (born 1954), U.S. representative for Oregon
Sonny Bono (1935–1998), U.S. representative for California
Walter B. Brady, member of the Michigan House of Representatives
Cora Brown (1914–1972), first African American woman elected to a state senate who was a member of the Michigan Senate
Henry Billings Brown (1836–1913), justice of the Supreme Court
Vern Buchanan (born 1951), U.S. representative for Florida
Ella Bully-Cummings (born 1958), chief of the Detroit Police
Ralph Bunche (1904–1971), Nobel Peace Prize winner and diplomat
Mickey Cafagna (1943–2009), mayor of Poway, California
Walter H. Campbell (1876–1944), member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Ben Carson (born 1951), secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Lewis Cass (1782–1866), secretary of state and U.S. senator for Michigan
Roy D. Chapin (1880–1936), secretary of Commerce
J. Michelle Childs (born 1966), federal judge
John Conyers (1929–2019), U.S. representative for Michigan
Leon Czolgosz (1873–1901), anarchist who assassinated president William McKinley
Francis X. Desnoyers (1813–1868), mayor of Green Bay, Wisconsin and member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
Thomas E. Dewey (1902–1971), governor of New York
Debbie Dingell (born 1953), U.S. representative for Michigan
John Dingell (1926–2019), U.S. representative for Michigan
John Dingell Sr. (1894–1955), U.S. representative for Michigan
Gershwin A. Drain (born 1949), federal judge
Keith Ellison (born 1963), U.S. representative for Minnesota and attorney general of Minnesota
Jack Faxon (1936–2020), member of the Michigan Senate
William Webb Ferguson (1857–1910), member of the Michigan House of Representatives
Moses W. Field (1828–1889), U.S. representative for Michigan
Burley Follett (1806–1877), mayor of Green Bay, Wisconsin
Michael Fougere (born 1956), mayor of Regina, Saskatchewan
Nathan Goodell (1798–1883), mayor of Green Bay, Wisconsin
Reneé Hall (born 1971), police chief of the Dallas Police Department
Albert Hammond (1883–1968), member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
Tom Hayden (1939–2016), member of the California State Senate
Robert J. Huber (1922–2001), U.S. representative for Michigan
Tupac A. Hunter (born 1973), member of the Michigan Senate
Jon A. Husted (born 1967), U.S. senator for Ohio
Marilyn Jean Kelly (born 1938), chief justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
Kwame Kilpatrick (born 1970), mayor of Detroit
T. John Lesinski (1925–1996), member of the Michigan House of Representatives
Carl Levin (1934–2021), U.S. senator for Michigan
Henry W. Lord (1821–1891), U.S. representative for Michigan
Alfred Lucking (1856–1929), U.S. representative for Michigan
Eileen McNulty (born 1952), Pennsylvania Secretary of Revenue
John N. Mitchell (1913–1988), United States attorney general
Frank Murphy (1890–1949), governor of Michigan and Supreme Court justice
Simon J. Murphy Jr. (1851–1926), mayor of Green Bay, Wisconsin
John Stoughton Newberry (1826–1887), U.S. representative for Michigan
Casmer P. Ogonowski (1923–2012), member of the Michigan House of Representatives
Dorothy Comstock Riley (1924–2004), judge of the Michigan Supreme Court
Mitt Romney (born 1947), U.S. senator for Utah and governor of Massachusetts
Henry Hastings Sibley (1811–1891), governor of Minnesota
Shri Thanedar (born 1955), U.S. representative for Michigan
Rashida Tlaib (born 1976), U.S. representative for Michigan
Augustus B. Woodward (1774–1827), judge of Michigan Territory and Florida Territory
Coleman Young (1918–1997), mayor of Detroit

Military

Emma Didlake
Charles Keller
John Kemp Mizner
Joseph P. Sanger

Movie, radio, television, and journalism

Nicole Alexander
Byron Allen
Tim Allen
Maureen Anderman
Curtis Armstrong
Lucille Ball
Joan Barry
Josh Becker
Kristen Bell
Mary L. Bell
Jim Bellows
Elizabeth Berkley
Mike Binder
Selma Blair
Bill Bonds
Jerry Bruckheimer
Ellen Burstyn
Dean Cain
Bruce Campbell
Bill Carruthers
Kim Carson
Seymour Cassel
Jessica Cauffiel
Carol Christensen
Art Clokey
Francis Ford Coppola
Roger Corman
Dave Coulier
Wally Cox
Nicole Curtis
Vondie Curtis-Hall
Pam Dawber
Jude Demorest
Ryan Destiny
Doris Dowling
Wayne Dyer
Dana Elcar
Sherilyn Fenn
Audrey Ferris
Jeremy David Fisher
Dann Florek
Fred Foy
Max Gail
Sara Ganim
Cyndy Garvey
Marla Gibbs
Robin Givhan
Reagan Gomez-Preston
Chuck Goudie
Gael Greene
Judy Greer
David Alan Grier
Karl Haas
Norman Hackett
Kirsten Haglund
Chris Hansen
Elisabeth Harnois
Julie Harris
Butch Hartman
Charlie Hill
Jemele Hill
Ellen Hollman
Telma Hopkins
Royce Howes
Ernie Hudson
Hughes brothers (Albert and Allen Hughes)
John Hughes
Tom Hulce
Kim Hunter
Darren James
Al Jean
Ken Jeong
Gus Johnson
Walter Emanuel Jones
Ella Joyce
Casey Kasem
Andrew Keenan-Bolger
Celia Keenan-Bolger
Maggie Keenan-Bolger
Brian Kelly
David Patrick Kelly
Carrie Keranen
Keegan-Michael Key
Richard Kiel
Michael Kinsley
Jana Kramer
Neil LaBute
Ray Lane
Piper Laurie
Misty Lee
Joan Leslie
Lashonda Lester
James Lipton
Brandi Love
Loni Love
Robert Mac
Lee Majors
Dick Martin
Greg Mathis
Karen McDougal
Antoine McKay
Ed McMahon
Tim Meadows
S. Epatha Merkerson
Nicki Micheaux
Ivana Miličević
Martin Milner
David Robert Mitchell
Kenya Moore
Naima Mora
Harry Morgan
Michael Moriarty
Bob Murawski
Tariq Nasheed
Vincenzo Natali
Denise Nicholas
George Noory
Rob Paulsen
Gilda Radner
Sam Raimi
Ted Raimi
David Ramsey
Joyce Randolph
Amber Rayne
Diona Reasonover
Della Reese
Gene Reynolds
Sam Richardson
Tim Robinson
Fred Roggin
Bruce Joel Rubin
Michelle Ruff
Roz Ryan
Pat St. John
Soupy Sales
Chris Savino
George C. Scott
Tom Selleck
Dax Shepard
Serena Shim
Sicily
Stirling Silliphant
J. K. Simmons
Donnie Simpson
Tom Sizemore
Tom Skerritt
Nick Sousanis
David Spade
Elaine Stritch
Geoff Stults
George Stults
William Talman
Danny Thomas
Marlo Thomas
Lily Tomlin
Courtney B. Vance
Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Robert Wagner
Cynthia Watros
Peter Werbe
Billy West
Rachelle Wilkos
Robin Williams
John Witherspoon
Max Wright
H.M. Wynant
Lucky Yates
Steven Yeun

Musicians, bands and composers

thumb|[[Alice Cooper]]

thumb|[[Aretha Franklin]]

thumb|[[Madonna]]

thumb|[[Stevie Wonder]]

2 Sins
42 Dugg
Aaliyah
Geri Allen
Almighty Dreadnaughtz
The Amboy Dukes
Anybody Killa
Dorothy Ashby
Juan Atkins
Bad Meets Evil
Anita Baker
Florence Ballard
Hank Ballard
Ortheia Barnes
Max Bendix
Theodore Bendix
Brendan Benson
Big Herk
Big Sean
Bizarre
The Black Dahlia Murder
Blaze Ya Dead Homie
Bliss 66
Blue Stahli
Brainstorm
Broadzilla
Roy Brooks
Danny Brown
Kenny Burrell
Donald Byrd
Robert Byrne
Carl Carlton
Ron Carter
Emilio Castillo
Celldweller
Cha Cha
Champtown
Cherrelle
The Clark Sisters
George Clinton
Anita Cochran
Alice Coltrane
The Contours
Alice Cooper
Marshall Crenshaw
D12
Dark Lotus
DeBarge
Warren Defever
Dej Loaf
Ken Delo
Johnny Desmond
Destroy All Monsters
The Detroit Cobras
Marcella Detroit
David DiChiera
The Dirtbombs
Vinnie Dombroski
Lamont Dozier
The Dramatics
Dwele
Dennis Edwards
Jango Edwards
Electric Six
Eminem
Enchantment
Esham
Maria Ewing
Factory 81
Abdul Fakir
Henry Fambrough
Fatt Father
Shamari Fears
Tommy Flanagan
The Floaters
Sean Forbes
The Four Tops
Aretha Franklin
Erma Franklin
Paul Franklin
Glenn Frey
Curtis Fuller
The Funk Brothers
Gallery
Kenny Garrett
Marvin Gaye
Nicci Gilbert
The Go
King Gordy
Gore Gore Girls
The Gories
Josh Gracin
Troy Gregory
Tee Grizzley
Jeff Gutt
Fred Hammond
Roland Hanna
The Hard Lessons
Barry Harris
Louis Hayes
Joe Henderson
Michael Henderson
Dallas Hodge
Cha Cha Hogan
Brian Holland
Edward Holland Jr.
Major Holley
House of Krazees
Hush
I Prevail
I See Stars
Insane Clown Posse
J Dilla
Milt Jackson
Oliver Jackson
Herb Jeffries
JMSN
Little Willie John
Marv Johnson
The Jones Girls
JR JR
Jumpsteady
Ray Kamalay
Kash Doll
Kem
Kid Rock
Kina
Nahru Lampkin
Bettye LaVette
Yusef Lateef
Hugh Lawson
Laura Lee
Legz Diamond
Lizzo
Joseph LoDuca
Lene Lovich
Madonna
Teairra Marí
Martha and the Vandellas
The Marvelettes
Derrick May
MC5
Thema "Tayma Loren" McKinney
Tomo Miličević
Jeff Mills
The Miracles
Guy Mitchell
Jack Montrose
Moodymann
Motown Rage
Alicia Myers
Negative Approach
Ted Nugent
Norman O'Connor
Bobby Ogdin
One Way
The Originals
Ray Parker Jr.
Parliament-Funkadelic
Daniel Passino
Freda Payne
Scherrie Payne
Lawrence Payton
Peekaboo
Dave Pike
Terry Pollard
Iggy Pop
Porcelain Black
Mike Posner
Proof
Psychopathic Rydas
Mike Quatro
Suzi Quatro
The Raconteurs
Rare Earth
Martha Reeves
Karriem Riggins
Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise
Smokey Robinson
Rockwell
Sixto Rodriguez
The Romantics
Rosetta Pebble
Frank Rosolino
Diana Ross
Royce Da 5'9"
Rucka Rucka Ali
Mitch Ryder
Kevin Saunderson
Search the City
Bob Seger
James Royce Shannon
Slum Village
Chad Smith
Brian Southall
JD Souther
The Spinners
Sponge
Sufjan Stevens
Jason Stollsteimer
Levi Stubbs
The Suicide Machines
The Supremes
Tally Hall
The Temptations
Mark Tremonti
Obie Trice
Trick-Trick
Twiztid
Uncle Kracker
The Von Bondies
Leon Ware
Don Was
Dinah Washington
Keith Washington
We Came as Romans
Mary Wells
Kim Weston
Jack White
The White Stripes
Margaret Whiting
Brandi Williams
Jackie Wilson
Joyce Vincent Wilson
Mary Wilson
The Winans family
Marv Won
Stevie Wonder
Belita Woods
Ali-Ollie Woodson
Xzibit
Val Young
Sherry Zannoth

Sports figures

thumb|[[Barbara Gilders]]

thumb|[[Al Kaline]]

thumb|[[Harry Newman (American football)|Harry Newman]]

thumb|[[Rickea Jackson]]

American football

Anthony Adams
Erik Affholter
Fred Arbanas
Alan Ball
Willie Beavers
Kevin Belcher
Walter Bender
Jerome Bettis
Earl Blaik
Kevin Brooks
Gilbert Brown
Rick Byas
Walt Clago
Dan Currie
Gary Danielson
Joe DeLamielleure
Bob Dozier
Braylon Edwards
Stan Edwards
Bump Elliott
Tony F. Elliott
Phil Emery
Larry Fitzpatrick
Willie "The Wisp" Fleming
Larry Foote
Ed Frutig
Devin Funchess
Devin Gardner
Sauce Gardner
Antonio Gates
Vernon Gholston
William Gholston
Jerry Glanville
Kevin Glenn
Brandon Graham
Chris Greenwood
Bobby Grier
Ruffin Hamilton
K. J. Hamler
Aaron Hayden
Matt Hernandez
Derek Hill
Lano Hill
Lavert Hill
Pepper Johnson
Matthew Judon
Desmond King
Jason Lamar
T. J. Lang
Jourdan Lewis
Tony Lippett
Mike Martin
Greg Marx
Derrick Mason
Norm Masters
Malik McDowell
Ray McLean
Lou Mihajlovich
Harry Newman
Michael Ojemudia
Nick Perry
Ron Pitts
Ron Rice
Allen Robinson
Paul Rudzinski
Robert Saleh
Bart Scott
Paul Seymour
Dion Sims
Dwight Smith
Ambry Thomas
Milt Trost
Chance Warmack
Mike Weber
Norm Wells
Michael Westbrook

Baseball

Ryan Anderson
Anthony Bass
Augie Bergamo
Hunter Brown
Arlene Buszka
Danny Fife
Bill Freehan
Paul Fry
Chris Getz
Kirk Gibson
Eric Haase
Harry Heilmann
Pat Hentgen
Willie Horton
Art Houtteman
Al Kaline
Dolores Klosowski
Ryan LaMarre
Charley Lau
Ron LeFlore
DJ LeMahieu
Stan Lopata
Derek Lowe
John Mayberry
Bob Miller
Anthony Misiewicz
Mary Ann Moore
Hal Newhouser
Milt Pappas
Billy Pierce
Nick Plummer
J. J. Putz
Ed Reulbach
Mary Rini
Chris Sabo
John Schreiber
Matt Shoemaker
Ted Simmons
John Smoltz
Frank Tanana
Ron Teasley
Jason Varitek
Margaret Wenzell
Connie Wisniewski
Tom Yawkey

Basketball

Maurice Ager
Bacari Alexander
Keith Appling
B. J. Armstrong
Jamie Arnold
Sam Balter
Shane Battier
Dave Bing
Mark Brisker
P. J. Brown
Bill Buntin
Kris Clyburn
Will Clyburn
Derrick Coleman
Jordan Crawford
Earl Cureton
Mel Daniels
Dave DeBusschere
David DeJulius
Chris Douglas-Roberts
Terry Duerod
Howard Eisley
Kay Felder
Dane Fife
Marcus Fizer
Derrick Gervin
George Gervin
Willie Green
Malik Hairston
Reggie Harding
Jaden Hardy
Manny Harris
Spencer Haywood
Jermaine Jackson
Josh Jackson
Rickea Jackson
Greg Kelser
Voshon Lenard
Grant Long
John Long
Kalin Lucas
Tim McCormick
Terry Mills
Eric Money
Jordan Morgan
Rob Murphy
Derrick Nix
Scott Perry
Rashad Phillips
Tajuan Porter
Shawn Respert
Jalen Reynolds
Ryan Rollins
Jalen Rose
Chase Simon
Steve Smith
Durrell Summers
Edmond Sumner
Roy Tarpley
Maurice Taylor
Rudy Tomjanovich
Robert Traylor
Terry Tyler
Derrick Walton
Gary Waters
Terrence Watson
Rocket Watts
Chris Webber
Romeo Weems
Kevin Willis
Cassius Winston

Bodybuilding

Lenda Murray

Boxing

Johnathon Banks
Eddie Futch
Mickey Goodwin
Thomas Hearns
Jackie Kallen
Hilmer Kenty
Joe Louis
Milton McCrory
Steve McCrory
Jimmy Paul
Sugar Ray Robinson
Mary Jo Sanders
Emanuel Steward

Fencing

Byron Krieger

Frisbee

Ken Westerfield

Golf

Donna Caponi
Calvin Peete

Hockey

Sid Abel
Jeff Blashill
David Booth
Adam Burt
Jimmy Carson
Shawn Chambers
Kyle Connor
Alex DeBrincat
Danny DeKeyser
Alex Delvecchio
Cam Fowler
Nathan Gerbe
Tim Gleason
Mike Grier
Mike Hartman
Derian Hatcher
Kevin Hatcher
Connor Hellebuyck
Gordie Howe
Mark Howe
Marty Howe
Al Iafrate
Ryan Kesler
Vladimir Konstantinov
Torey Krug
Pat LaFontaine
Dylan Larkin
David Legwand
Nicklas Lidström
Ted Lindsay
Cooper Marody
Alec Martinez
Mike Modano
David Moss
Josh Norris
Chris Osgood
Pat Peake
Kevin Porter
Brian Rafalski
Erik Reitz
Bryan Rust
Gordon Tottle
John Vanbiesbrouck
Don Waddell
Doug Weight
Zach Werenski
James Wisniewski
Mike York
Steve Yzerman

Mixed martial arts

Daron Cruickshank
Kevin Lee

Motorsports

Bob Keselowski
Brad Keselowski
Brian Keselowski
Benny Parsons
Phil Parsons

Olympians

Pat Costello
Jim Gardiner
James McIntosh
Art McKinlay
John McKinlay
John Welchli

Professional wrestling

Eric Bischoff
Bruiser Brody
Terry "Sabu" Brunk
D-Ray 3000
Danhausen
Excalibur
Terry "Rhino" Gerin
Allysin Kay
Mighty Igor
Kevin Nash
Brandi Rhodes
Bert Ruby
Chris Sabin
The Sheik
Alex Shelley
George Steele
Robert Teet

Soccer

Ayo Akinola
Dylan Borczak
Marcelle Bruce
Mark Christensen
Cobi Jones
Alexi Lalas
Kate Markgraf

Swimming and diving

Barbara Gilders
Fletcher Gilders

Tennis

Michael Russell

Track and field

Avery Brundage
Henry Carr
Marshall Dill
Ken Doherty
Guy Murray
Allen Tolmich
Delisa Walton-Floyd
Quincy Watts
Lorenzo Wright

Writers, novelists and poets

thumb|[[Alice Emma Ives]]

Mitch Albom
Nelson Algren
Ron Allen
Harriette Arnow
Mathis Bailey
Alice Elinor Bartlett
Jack Berry
E. Jean Carroll
Jeremiah Curtin
Christopher Paul Curtis
Jeffrey Eugenides
Donald Goines
Edgar Guest
Judith Guest
Carla Harryman
Robert Hayden
Royce Howes
Alice Emma Ives
Geoff Johns
William Kienzle
Tim LaHaye
Helen Landgarten
Elmore Leonard
Philip Levine
Thomas Ligotti
Thomas Lynch
Robert Lyons
Dwayne McDuffie
Ron Milner
James O'Barr
Joyce Carol Oates
Daniel Okrent
Marge Piercy
Alice Randall
Dudley Randall
John Sinclair
Jim Starlin
Ebony Elizabeth Thomas
Paul Vachon
Barrett Watten
Michael Zadoorian
Helen Zia

Others

Club Chalamet, social media personality