Science & invention · 1864–1929
Charles Horton CooleysociologistPioneer of American sociology who coined the 'looking-glass self'; he spent his whole life in Ann Arbor and taught the University of Michigan's first sociology course.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.
- 1,949 famous people
- 516 Detroit places
- 8 fields
Hungarian ties 31 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →
Origin and citizenship
Field
Connection
Born in
A–Z (family name)
14 people
Clear filtersScience & invention · 1864–1929Charles Horton CooleysociologistPioneer of American sociology who coined the 'looking-glass self'; he spent his whole life in Ann Arbor and taught the University of Michigan's first sociology course.
Science & invention · 1887–1975
Kazimierz Fajansphysical chemistPolish-born pioneer of radioactivity and co-discoverer of protactinium, who taught at the University of Michigan from 1936 after leaving Nazi Germany.
Science & invention · 1904–2007
Rudolf Arnheimart and film theorist, psychologistGerman-born theorist of art and visual perception, author of Art and Visual Perception, who spent his last three decades in Ann Arbor and taught at the University of Michigan.
Music · 1948–2009Ron Ashetonguitarist, bassist, songwriterGuitarist and co-founder of the Stooges, the Ann Arbor proto-punk band that served as a house band at Detroit's Grande Ballroom.
Music · 1948–2020
Ivan Králguitarist, bassist, songwriter, producer, filmmakerPrague-born guitarist of the Patti Smith Group and Iggy Pop, co-writer of “Dancing Barefoot,” who spent his final years recording in Ann Arbor and Detroit.Dave Alexanderbassist, songwriterOriginal bassist of the Stooges, the Ann Arbor proto-punk band that came up through Detroit's Grande Ballroom alongside the MC5.
Science & invention · 1903–1981Rensis Likertsocial psychologistPsychologist behind the Likert scale and founder of the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research in Ann Arbor.
Music · 1931–2010Shirley Verrettopera singer (mezzo-soprano and soprano), voice teacherCelebrated Verdi and Donizetti star who spent her final 14 years teaching voice at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she died in 2010.Ronald Inglehartpolitical scientistFounding president of the World Values Survey and theorist of 'post-materialist' values, who taught at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor from 1966 until his death in 2021.
Music · 1949–2014Scott AshetondrummerThe Stooges' drummer, raised in Ann Arbor from age 14, whose primal beat drove the band from its Grande Ballroom debut to its 21st-century reunion.Eric Namesnikcompetition swimmer, coachTwo-time Olympic silver medalist swimmer who spent nearly two decades in the University of Michigan swimming program, first as an athlete and later as a coach, before his death near Ann Arbor.
Science & invention · 1942–2011David Rumelhartcognitive psychologistCognitive scientist whose work on parallel distributed processing and backpropagation laid foundations for modern neural networks; he spent his last years in the Ann Arbor area.Virgil Exnerautomotive designer, creator of Chrysler's Forward LookAnn Arbor–born designer whose Forward Look gave Chrysler its soaring 1955–1963 tailfin cars and set off a styling race with GM.Boogie Woogie Redblues and boogie-woogie pianist, singerDetroit-raised boogie-woogie pianist who backed John Lee Hooker and Sonny Boy Williamson as a teenager and later became a star of Ann Arbor's Blind Pig.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 ↗
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