List of people from Detroit
The following is a list of notable people from Detroit, Michigan. This list includes people who were born, have lived, or worked in and around Metro Detroit.
Activists
- Rosa Parks
- Betty Shabazz
- Malcolm X
Artists
Architects
- Charles N. Agree
- C. Howard Crane
- Albert Kahn
- Wirt C. Rowland
- 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
- Gari Melchers
- Eric Millikin
- Niagara
- Carl Owens
- John Mix Stanley
- Carol Wald
Photographers
- Bill Schwab
- Irakly Shanidze
- Taro Yamasaki
Sculptors
- Marshall Fredericks
- Mike Kelley
- Julius T. Melchers
- Carl Milles
- Corrado Parducci
- Richard Ritter
- Carlo Romanelli
- Edward Wagner
Textile designers
- Ruth Adler Schnee
Astronauts
- Gregory Jarvis
Business, industry, academics, and labor
- Steve Ballmer
- Elissa P. Benedek
- William E. Boeing
- George Gough Booth
- Eli Broad
- Roy D. Chapin
- Roy D. Chapin Jr.
- Nina Clifford
- Louis-Césaire Dagneau Douville de Quindre
- William Davidson
- John DeLorean
- Horace Elgin Dodge
- John Francis Dodge
- Shel Dorf
- George Doundoulakis
- William C. Durant
- Jeremiah Dwyer
- 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
- Frank J. Hecker
- Jimmy Hoffa
- Joseph L. Hudson
- Christopher Ilitch
- Denise Ilitch
- Marian Ilitch
- Mike Ilitch
- Peter Karmanos Jr.
- William J. Keep
- 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
- Heinz Prechter
- Ashley Qualls
- Walter Reuther
- Richard Ritter
- Stephen M. Ross
- Jeffrey Sachs
- James E. Scripps
- Art Van Elslander
- James Vernor
- Hiram Walker
- B. Joseph White
- Kate Williams
- Ralph Wilson
- Mark Zbikowski
Clergy and religion
- Solanus Casey
- Gregory Dickow
- C. L. Franklin
- Lucien Greaves
- Elijah Muhammad
- Wallace Fard Muhammad
Government and politics
- Albert M. Bielawski
- James Blanchard
- Sonny Bono
- Walter B. Brady
- Cora Brown
- Henry Billings Brown
- Vern Buchanan
- Ella Bully-Cummings
- Ralph Bunche
- Mickey Cafagna
- Ben Carson
- Lewis Cass
- Roy D. Chapin
- John Conyers
- Francis X. Desnoyers
- Thomas E. Dewey
- Emma Didlake
- John Dingell Jr.
- John Dingell Sr.
- Gershwin A. Drain
- Keith Ellison
- Jack Faxon
- William Webb Ferguson
- Moses W. Field
- Burley Follett
- Michael Fougere
- Nathan Goodell
- David G. Grimes
- Albert Hammond
- Tom Hayden
- Robert J. Huber
- Tupac A. Hunter
- Jon A. Husted
- Marilyn Jean Kelly
- Kwame Kilpatrick
- T. John Lesinski
- Carl Levin
- Viola Liuzzo
- Henry W. Lord
- Alfred Lucking
- John N. Mitchell
- Frank Murphy
- Simon J. Murphy Jr.
- John Stoughton Newberry
- Casmer P. Ogonowski
- Dorothy Comstock Riley
- Mitt Romney
- Henry Hastings Sibley
- Pamela Sossi
- Augustus B. Woodward
- Coleman Young
Movie, radio, television figures and journalists
- Nicole Alexander
- Byron Allen
- Tim Allen
- Maureen Anderman
- Curtis Armstrong
- Lucille Ball
- Joan Barry
- Josh Becker
- Kristen 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
- Sherilyn Fenn
- Audrey Ferris
- Jeremy David Fisher
- 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
- Jemele Hill
- Ellen Hollman
- Telma Hopkins
- Royce Howes
- Ernie Hudson
- Hughes brothers
- 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
- Joan Leslie
- James Lipton
- Brandi Love
- Loni Love
- Kendra Lust
- 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
- Vincenzo Natali
- Denise Nicholas
- George Noory
- Rob Paulsen
- George Peppard
- Gilda Radner
- Sam Raimi
- Ted Raimi
- Joyce Randolph
- Amber Rayne
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Brendan Benson
- Big Herk
- Big Sean
- Bizarre
- The Black Dahlia Murder
- Blade Icewood
- Blaze Ya Dead Homie
- Bliss 66
- Blue Stahli
- Brainstorm
- Broadzilla
- Bronze Nazareth
- Roy Brooks
- Danny Brown
- Kenny Burrell
- Donald Byrd
- Robert Byrne
- Carl Carlton
- Ron Carter
- 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
- Johnny Desmond
- Destroy All Monsters
- The Detroit Cobras
- Marcella Detroit
- David DiChiera
- The Dirtbombs
- Lamont Dozier
- The Dramatics
- Dwele
- Dennis Edwards
- Jango Edwards
- Electric Six
- Eminem
- Enchantment
- Esham
- Maria Ewing
- Factory 81
- Abdul Fakir
- 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
- Brian Holland
- Edward Holland Jr.
- Major Holley
- House of Krazees
- Hush
- 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
- 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
- Jeff Mills
- The Miracles
- Guy Mitchell
- Jack Montrose
- Moodymann
- Motown Rage
- Alicia Myers
- Ted Nugent
- Norman O'Connor
- One Way
- The Originals
- Ray Parker Jr.
- Parliament-Funkadelic
- Theo Parrish
- 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
- Slum Village
- Chad Smith
- Brian Southall
- J. D. Souther
- The Spinners
- Edwin Starr
- 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
Sports figures
American football
- Anthony Adams
- 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
- Larry Fitzpatrick
- Willie "The Wisp" Fleming
- Larry Foote
- Ed Frutig
- Devin Funchess
- Antonio Gates
- Vernon Gholston
- William Gholston
- Jerry Glanville
- Kevin Glenn
- Brandon Graham
- 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
- Malik McDowell
- Ray McLean
- Lou Mihajlovich
- Harry Newman
- Michael Ojemudia
- Donovan Peoples-Jones
- Nick Perry
- Ron Rice
- Allen Robinson
- Paul Rudzinski
- Bart Scott
- Paul Seymour
- Dion Sims
- Dwight Smith
- Milt Trost
- Chance Warmack
- Mike Weber
- Norm Wells
- Michael Westbrook
Baseball
- Ryan Anderson
- Anthony Bass
- Augie Bergamo
- Arlene Buszka
- Danny Fife
- Bill Freehan
- 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
- Bob Miller
- 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
- 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
- Derrick Coleman
- Jordan Crawford
- Earl Cureton
- Mel Daniels
- Dave DeBusschere
- Chris Douglas-Roberts
- Howard Eisley
- Kay Felder
- Dane Fife
- George Gervin
- Willie Green
- Malik Hairston
- Reggie Harding
- Manny Harris
- Spencer Haywood
- Jermaine Jackson
- Josh Jackson
- Greg Kelser
- Voshon Lenard
- Grant Long
- John Long
- Kalin Lucas
- Tim McCormick
- Terry Mills
- Eric Money
- Jordan Morgan
- Derrick Nix
- Rashad Phillips
- Tajuan Porter
- Aerial Powers
- Jalen Rose
- Chase Simon
- Steve Smith
- Durrell Summers
- Edmond Sumner
- Roy Tarpley
- Maurice Taylor
- Rudy Tomjanovich
- Robert Traylor
- Terry Tyler
- Derrick Walton
- Gary Waters
- Rocket Watts
- Chris Webber
- 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
- Shawn Chambers
- Kyle Connor
- Alex DeBrincat
- Danny DeKeyser
- Alex Delvecchio
- Cam Fowler
- Nathan Gerbe
- Tim Gleason
- Andy Greene
- Mike Grier
- Mike Hartman
- Derian Hatcher
- Kevin Hatcher
- Gordie Howe
- Mark Howe
- Marty Howe
- Al Iafrate
- Max Jones
- Megan Keller
- Ryan Kesler
- Vladimir Konstantinov
- Pat LaFontaine
- Dylan Larkin
- David Legwand
- Nicklas Lidström
- Ted Lindsay
- Alec Martinez
- Mike Modano
- David Moss
- Josh Norris
- Chris Osgood
- Pat Peake
- Kevin Porter
- Brian Rafalski
- Erik Reitz
- Gordie Roberts
- Bryan Rust
- 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
- Ron Keselowski
- Gordon Mineo
- Benny Parsons
- Phil Parsons
Olympians
- Pat Costello
- Jim Gardiner
- James McIntosh
- Art McKinlay
- John McKinlay
- John Welchli
Professional wrestling
- Luther Biggs
- Eric Bischoff
- Bruiser Brody
- Terry "Sabu" Brunk
- D-Ray 3000
- Excalibur
- Terry "Rhino" Gerin
- Allysin Kay
- Kevin Nash
- Brandi Rhodes
- Bert Ruby
- Chris Sabin
- The Sheik
- Alex Shelley
- Sgt. Slaughter
- George Steele
- Rick Steiner
- Scott Steiner
- Robert Teet
Soccer
- 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
- Mitch Albom
- Nelson Algren
- Ron Allen
- Harriette Arnow
- Mathis Bailey
- Alice Elinor Bartlett
- 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
- Paul Vachon
- Barrett Watten
- Helen Zia