Theatre & dance · 1874–1926Harry Houdiniillusionist, escape artist, stage and film performerBudapest-born escape artist who played Detroit's vaudeville houses for decades, leapt handcuffed off the Belle Isle Bridge in 1906 and died in the city on Halloween 1926.DETROIT / A living lexicon / ¼
Famous Detroiters
People who were born here, moved here or built their careers in Detroit: musicians, carmakers, athletes, writers, inventors, civil-rights leaders and a few notorious names. With their dates, their Detroit story and the places where they lived, worked and played, closed ones included.
- 1,743 famous people
- 96 Detroit places
- 15 fields
Hungarian ties 21 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →
Field
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Born in
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28 people
Clear filtersTheatre & dance · 1874–1926Harry Houdiniillusionist, escape artist, stage and film performerBudapest-born escape artist who played Detroit's vaudeville houses for decades, leapt handcuffed off the Belle Isle Bridge in 1906 and died in the city on Halloween 1926.
Music · 1902–1988Son Houseblues singer, slide guitaristDelta blues master who shaped Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters, spent his last years in Detroit and is buried at Mount Hazel Cemetery under a monument paid for by local fans.
Science & invention · 1846–1933William Henry Holmesanthropologist, archaeologist, artistSmithsonian anthropologist, survey artist of the American West and director of the national art gallery, who spent his last year with his son in Royal Oak.
Sports · 1886–1983Jam HandyOlympic swimmer and water polo player, industrial filmmakerTwo-time Olympic bronze medalist who built the Jam Handy Organization in Detroit into one of America's largest producers of industrial and training films.
Politics · 1805–1871Jacob M. Howardlawyer, U.S. senatorDetroit lawyer and Republican Party co-founder who as U.S. senator helped shape the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments, including the citizenship clause.
Sports · 1894–1951Harry Heilmannbaseball player, radio announcerFour-time batting champion for the Tigers who hit .403 in 1923, then became the team's beloved radio voice from 1934 to 1950.
Music · 1917–1988J. C. Heardjazz drummer, bandleaderDetroit-raised swing and bop drummer who played with Teddy Wilson, Cab Calloway and Jazz at the Philharmonic, then returned to Detroit in 1966 as a bandleader and mentor.
Music · 1926–1989Kenny Hagoodjazz singerDetroit-born bebop-era ballad singer who sang with Dizzy Gillespie's big band and on Miles Davis's "Darn That Dream" from Birth of the Cool.
Press & broadcasting · 1918–2010Ernie Harwellbaseball broadcasterThe voice of the Detroit Tigers for 42 seasons, whose gentle Georgia drawl on WJR radio defined summer for generations of Michiganders.
Science & invention · 1870–1938Edward N. Hinesroad builder, Wayne County road commissionerWayne County road commissioner who built the world's first mile of concrete highway on Woodward Avenue in 1909 and came up with the painted center line.
Music · 1927–2007Joe Hunterpianist, bandleader, arrangerFirst leader of the Funk Brothers (1959–1964), who recruited James Jamerson and played piano on "Shop Around", "Do You Love Me" and "Heat Wave".
Music · 1913–2005Karl Haasclassical music radio host, pianist, musicologistGerman Jewish émigré who settled in Detroit and in 1959 launched Adventures in Good Music on WJR, which became the world's most widely heard classical music radio program.
Music · 1867–1922E. Azalia Hackleyconcert soprano, choral director, educator, activistDetroit-raised concert soprano and 'race musical missionary' who promoted music education for Black Americans; Detroit Public Library's Hackley Collection bears her name.
Press & broadcasting · 1819–1888John H. Harmonprinter, newspaper publisher, mayor of DetroitPrinter who came to Detroit with the 1838 Patriot raiders, rose to own the Detroit Free Press and served as Democratic mayor in 1852–1853.
Business & brands · 1804–1870Oliver Moulton Hydemanufacturer, mayor of DetroitHardware dealer turned maker of scales and steamboat engines who was elected Detroit's mayor three times (1854, 1856 and 1857).
Military · 1756–1803Jean François HamtramckUS Army officer, first American commander of DetroitMontreal-born Revolutionary War officer who took over Detroit from the British in July 1796 and commanded it until his death; the city of Hamtramck bears his name.
Politics · 1786–1826Henry I. Huntmerchant, mayor of DetroitEarly Detroit merchant and officeholder who became mayor in 1826 and died in office that September; uncle of the Civil War artillery chief of the same name.The lexicon keeps growing. Every entry lists its sources at the bottom. Dates were checked against Wikidata and Wikipedia. The texts are our own.