Earle Graserradio actorDetroit-raised Wayne University graduate who was the voice of the Lone Ranger on WXYZ from 1933 until his death in a Farmington car crash in 1941.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.
- 1,940 famous people
- 515 Detroit places
- 22 fields
Hungarian ties 22 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →
Origin and citizenship
Field
Connection
Born in
A–Z (family name)
367 people · 8/8 page
Clear filtersEarle Graserradio actorDetroit-raised Wayne University graduate who was the voice of the Lone Ranger on WXYZ from 1933 until his death in a Farmington car crash in 1941.
Business & brands · 1834–1894
Stephen Benedict Grummondshipowner, marine industrialist, mayor of DetroitSt. Clair River sailor who built a Great Lakes shipping empire from Detroit, including the largest tug and wrecking business on the lakes, and was mayor in 1884–1885.David Hackneyguitarist, songwriterGuitarist and visionary of Death, the east side Detroit trio of brothers now hailed as one of the first punk bands, and the first all-Black one.
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.Blade IcewoodrapperCharismatic leader of the Street Lord'z whose 2004 hit “Boy Would You (Boss Up)” launched the “Blade Dance”; he was shot and killed on Seven Mile in 2005.
Music · 1941–1981Hubert JohnsonsingerOriginal bass singer of the Contours and cousin of Jackie Wilson, whose connection helped the group sign with Motown.
Politics · 1787–1846De Garmo Jonesbusinessman, mayor of Detroit, state senatorHard-driving Detroit entrepreneur, railroad director and builder of Michigan's first capitol, who served as mayor in 1839.
Civil rights & activism · 1931–2011Eleanor Josaitiscivil rights activist, co-founder of Focus: HOPESuburban homemaker who co-founded Focus: HOPE in 1968 and led it for four decades, called Detroit's Mother Teresa for her work against racism and poverty.
Religion · 1877–1927
Lajos KovácsCatholic priest, editorHungarian Catholic priest who led Delray's Holy Cross Hungarian parish in the 1920s and drove the building of its landmark neo-Gothic church, dedicated in 1925.
Civil rights & activism · 1817–1890William Lambertabolitionist, Underground Railroad leaderFree-born tailor and abolitionist who for half a century helped lead Detroit's Underground Railroad and its Black community.William Lavintenor, voice teacherTenor raised in Detroit who returned after an international career to teach at the Michigan Conservatory and sing as soloist at Fort Street Presbyterian Church for two decades.Josephine Harreld Loveconcert pianist, musicologist, museum founderConcert pianist and musicologist who moved to Detroit in 1941 and in 1969 co-founded Your Heritage House, a fine arts museum and studio for the city's children.Harold McKinneyjazz pianist, composer, bandleader, educatorDetroit pianist, composer and teacher, a committed bebopper who played with visiting giants and co-founded both Tribe and the Rebirth jazz-education organization.Paul McPharlinpuppeteer, puppet maker, historian of puppetryDetroit puppeteer who staged some twenty productions in the city (1928–1937), founded the Marionette Fellowship of Detroit and co-founded the Puppeteers of America.
Business & brands · 1819–1882Merrill I. Millsfur trader, tobacco and stove manufacturer, mayor of DetroitConnecticut gunpowder heir who stayed in Detroit by accident in 1845, built tobacco and stove companies and was the city's Democratic mayor in 1866–1867.
Politics · 1822–1900John Pattoncarriage maker, mayor of DetroitIrish-born carriage maker and popular fire-company leader who served as Detroit's mayor in 1858–1859, the first two-year term under a new charter.Sylvester Pottssinger, songwriterDetroit singer and songwriter who recorded for Fortune Records with the Hi-Fidelities and was a longtime member of the Contours.Bert Rubyprofessional wrestler, trainer, promoterHungarian-Jewish wrestler from Transylvania who became a fixture of Detroit professional wrestling as a barefoot grappler, trainer and the right-hand man of promoter Harry Light.Zoltan Sepeshypainter, art educatorHungarian-born painter who settled in Detroit in 1921 and later led the Cranbrook Academy of Art for about two decades.
Bernhard Strohbrewer, founder of the Stroh BreweryGerman brewer from Kirn who founded the Lion's Head Brewery in Detroit in 1850, the start of the Stroh Brewery that brewed in the city for 135 years.Ty Tysonradio sports announcerWWJ announcer who called the first Detroit Tigers radio broadcast in 1927 and became the city's first great sports voice.James Vernorpharmacist, creator of Vernors ginger aleDetroit druggist whose barrel-aged Vernors ginger ale, sold from a Woodward Avenue soda fountain, became one of America's oldest surviving soft drinks.BaatinrapperSlum Village co-founder whose playful, spiritual verses helped define the group's sound alongside J Dilla and T3 in the 1990s.Clare Cummingsmagician, television clownDetroit-area magician who became Milky the Clown, the Twin Pines Dairy's TV mascot, on Detroit television from 1950 to 1964.
Auto industry · 1888–1961Lawrence P. Fisherpresident of Cadillac, Fisher Body co-ownerThe Fisher brother who ran Cadillac and discovered designer Harley Earl, bringing him to Detroit to style the 1927 LaSalle.George Pierrottravel-film host, editor, lecture impresarioGravel-voiced host who brought the world to Detroit through the DIA's World Adventure Series and the TV travelogue George Pierrot Presents.Gretchen Valadebusinesswoman, jazz philanthropist, record label founderCarhartt heiress known as Detroit's Angel of Jazz, who founded Mack Avenue Records and the Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe and kept the Detroit Jazz Festival free.David Whitney Jr.lumber baron, real estate investorLumber baron who became one of Michigan's richest men and built the pink jasper mansion on Woodward Avenue now known as The Whitney restaurant.Sunnie Wilsonnightclub and hotel owner, promoterParadise Valley businessman and one of its first unofficial mayors, who ran the giant Forest Club and the Mark Twain Hotel and was Joe Louis's close friend and partner.The lexicon keeps growing. Every entry lists its sources at the bottom. Dates were checked against Wikidata and Wikipedia. The texts are our own. Famous people's places among the sights ↗