Michigan Famous People

Famous Americans: History and Biographies

Links to histories and biographies of the famous people of Michigan. Many famous people of Michigan have made significant contributions to the history of our nation and the state of Michigan. These famous Americans, famous entertainers, famous players, famous scientist, famous singers, famous statesmen, famous women, heroes, great explorers, and others Michigan famous Americans have all made Michigan their home. This list includes Michigan historical figures, celebrities and those individuals of Michigan who have influenced the lives of others.

• Tim Allen (1953 - ) Actor, famous for the T.V. series Home Improvement; grew up in Birmingham.
• Chris Van Allsburg (1949 - ) Writer of children's books who won Caldecott Awards for drawings in The Polar Express and Jumanji; born in Grand Rapids.
• Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac (1658 - 1730), French colonial administrator, founder of Detroit (1701).
• Lewis Cass (1782 - 1866), Michigan territorial governor (1813 - 1831), U. S. senator from Michigan (1845 - 1857), U. S. cabinet officer, and Democratic candidate (1848) for the U. S . presidency.
• Walter P. Chrysler (1875 - 1940) Industrialist who established the Chrysler Corporation.
• Madonna Louise Ciccone (1958 - ) Singer with hit singles "Material Girl," and "Vogue."  She has also acted in such movies as A League of Their Own, and Evita; born in Bay City.
• Ty Cobb (1886 - 1961) Baseball star, played 22 seasons (1905 - 1926) for the Detroit Tigers.
• Francis Ford Coppola (1939 - ) Writer, producer, and director, most famous for The Godfather; born in Detroit.
• George Armstrong Custer (1839 - 1876) Commander of Michigan's cavalry brigade in the Civil War, later killed in the Battle of the Little Bighorn
• Thomas Edison (1847 - 1931) Inventor; lived in Port Huron.
• Gerald R. Ford (1913 - ) Became the 38^th President of the United States when Richard Nixon resigned; grew up in Grand Rapids.
• Henry Ford (1863 - 1947) Founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903; from Dearborn.

• Daniel Gerber (1898 - 1974) Developed canned baby food in 1927.

 
• Earvin "Magic" Johnson (1959 - ) Basketball star that led the Los Angeles Lakers to five NBA titles in the 1980s; retired in 1991 after announcing he had the AIDS virus and now works to educate people about the disease; from Lansing.
• John Harvey Kellogg (1852 - 1943) & William Keith Kellogg (1860 - 1951) Invented corn flakes and founded the Kellogg Company in 1906; brothers from Battle Creek.
• Charles Lindbergh (1902-1974) The first person to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean; born in Detroit.
• Joe Louis (1914 - 1981) World heavyweight boxing champion (1937 - 1949); lived in Detroit.
• Walter Reuther (1907 - 1970) Labor leader, president of the United Automobile Workers (1946 - 1970). 

• "Sugar" Ray Robinson (1921 - 1989) Boxing Champion often called the best fighter in the history of boxing; from Detroit.

More Famous People of Michigan

• Nelson Algren author, Detroit
• Ralph J. Bunche statesman, Detroit
• Ellen Burstyn actress, Detroit
• Bruce Catton historian, Petoskey
• Roger Chaffee astronaut, Grand Rapids
• Francis Ford Coppola film director, Detroit
• Thomas E. Dewey politician, Owosso
• Edna Ferber author, Kalamazoo
• Henry Ford industrialist, Dearborn
• Julie Harris actress, Grosse Pointe Park
• William R. Hewlett inventor, Ann Arbor
• Earvin Magic Johnson basketball player, Lansing
• Donald B. Keck inventor, Lansing
• Julie Krone jockey, Benton Harbor
• Ring Lardner writer, Niles
• Dick Martin comedian, Detroit
• John N. Mitchell attorney general, Detroit
• Ted Nugent singer, Detroit
• John T. Parsons inventor, Detroit
• Gilda Radner comedienne, Detroit
• Della Reese singer, Detroit
• Diana Ross singer, Detroit
• Thomas Schippers conductor, Kalamazoo
• Steven Seagal actor, Lansing
• Bob Seger singer, Detroit
• Tom Selleck actor, Detroit
• John C. Sheehan inventor, Battle Creek
• Potter Stewart jurist, Jackson
• Lily Tomlin actress, Detroit
• Danny Thomas entertainer, Deerfield
• Margaret Whiting singer, Detroit
• Stevie Wonder singer, Saginaw