List of people from Detroit
The following is a list of people from Detroit, Michigan. This list includes notable people who were born, have lived, or worked in and around Detroit as well as its metropolitan area.
Activists
Artists
Architects
- Charles N. Agree
- C. Howard Crane
- Joseph Nathaniel French
- Albert Kahn
- Wirt C. Rowland
- Minoru Yamasaki
Ceramists
Dancers
Fashion designers
Painters
- Larry D. Alexander
- Ian Hornak
- Charles McGee
- Allie McGhee
- Gari Melchers
- Eric Millikin
- Niagara
- Carl Owens
- John Mix Stanley
- Carol Wald
Photographers
Sculptors
- Marshall Fredericks
- Mike Kelley
- Julius T. Melchers
- Carl Milles
- Corrado Parducci
- Richard Ritter
- Carlo Romanelli
- Edward Wagner
Textile designers
Astronauts
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
- Bertrand Curtis Spitzley
- 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
- Arthur Hayes
- 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
- Stephen M. Ross
- Jeffrey Sachs
- James E. Scripps
- Robert J. Shiller
- 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
- Jack Van Impe
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
- Walter H. Campbell
- Ben Carson
- Lewis Cass
- Roy D. Chapin
- J. Michelle Childs
- John Conyers
- Francis X. Desnoyers
- Thomas E. Dewey
- Emma Didlake
- John Dingell
- John Dingell Sr.
- Gershwin A. Drain
- Keith Ellison
- Jack Faxon
- William Webb Ferguson
- Moses W. Field
- Burley Follett
- Michael Fougere
- Nathan Goodell
- Reneé Hall
- 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
- Joseph P. Sanger
- Henry Hastings Sibley
- Augustus B. Woodward
- Coleman Young
Military
Movie, radio, television figures and journalists
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Blade Icewood
- Blaze Ya Dead Homie
- Bliss 66
- Blue Stahli
- Brainstorm
- Broadzilla
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Sponge
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Donovan Peoples-Jones
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Aerial Powers
- Shawn Respert
- Jalen Reynolds
- 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
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
Frisbee
Golf
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
- Andy Greene
- Mike Grier
- Mike Hartman
- Derian Hatcher
- Kevin Hatcher
- Connor Hellebuyck
- Gordie Howe
- Mark Howe
- Marty Howe
- Al Iafrate
- Max Jones
- Megan Keller
- 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
- Jeff Petry
- Kevin Porter
- Brian Rafalski
- Erik Reitz
- Gordie Roberts
- Bryan Rust
- Gordon Tottle
- John Vanbiesbrouck
- Don Waddell
- Doug Weight
- Zach Werenski
- James Wisniewski
- Mike York
- Steve Yzerman
Mixed martial arts
Motorsports
- Bob Keselowski
- Brad Keselowski
- Brian Keselowski
- Ron Keselowski
- Gordon Mineo
- Benny Parsons
- Phil Parsons
Olympians
Professional wrestling
- Luther Biggs
- 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
- Sgt. Slaughter
- George Steele
- Rick Steiner
- Scott Steiner
- Robert Teet
Soccer
Swimming and diving
Tennis
Track and field
Writers, novelists and poets
- 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
- Paul Vachon
- Barrett Watten
- Michael Zadoorian
- Helen Zia