Politics · 1813–1879Zachariah Chandlermerchant, mayor of Detroit, U.S. senatorDetroit merchant and abolitionist who backed the Underground Railroad, served as mayor in 1851 and became Michigan's Radical Republican boss in the U.S. Senate.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.
- 1,912 famous people
- 135 Detroit places
- 21 fields
Hungarian ties 22 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →
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150 people · 2/4 page
Clear filtersPolitics · 1813–1879Zachariah Chandlermerchant, mayor of Detroit, U.S. senatorDetroit merchant and abolitionist who backed the Underground Railroad, served as mayor in 1851 and became Michigan's Radical Republican boss in the U.S. Senate.
Sports · born 1990Will Clyburnbasketball playerDetroit-born forward who starred at Romulus High School before a college career at three schools and a long professional career in Europe, winning EuroLeague Final Four MVP in 2019.
Business & brands · born 1963Dick Costolotechnology executive, former CEO of TwitterRoyal Oak–born University of Michigan graduate who co-founded FeedBurner and ran Twitter as CEO from 2010 to 2015.
Sports · born 1988Jordan Crawfordbasketball playerDetroit-born guard who attended a Detroit public high school before a college and NBA career that took him to Washington, Boston and several other franchises.
Film & TV · born 1970Larry Joe Campbellactor, comedianAccording to Jim's Andy, a northern Michigan native who earned a theater master's at Wayne State, performed at The Second City Detroit and co-founded the Detroit Creativity Project.
Music · born 1969James Carterjazz saxophonist, multi-reedistDetroit-born saxophone virtuoso, trained in Donald Washington's youth ensemble, whose 1988 sit-in with Lester Bowie at the Detroit Institute of Arts launched his career.
Music · born 1966Regina Carterjazz violinistDetroit-born jazz violinist, trained at Cass Tech and Oakland University, who rose with the all-female group Straight Ahead and later won a MacArthur “genius” grant.
Film & TV · born 1971Sharon Caseactress, former modelDetroit-born soap star who has played Sharon Newman on The Young and the Restless since 1994, winning a Daytime Emmy in 1999.
Sports · born 1946Don Chaneybasketball coach, former playerTwo-time NBA champion as a player elsewhere who worked as a Pistons assistant coach and later served two seasons as Detroit's head coach in the mid-1990s.
Sports · born 1960Dino Ciccarelliice hockey player, right wingerHall of Fame goal-scorer who reached his 500th career goal with the Red Wings and later opened Detroit-area sports bars named for his jersey number.
Comedy · born 1978Eugene Corderoactor, comedian, writerFilipino American comic actor of The Good Place, Loki and Star Trek: Lower Decks, raised in Detroit's northern suburbs and a 1996 graduate of Brother Rice High School.
Music · born 1969Carl Craigelectronic music producer, DJ, label founderDetroit techno's leading second-wave producer, founder of Planet E Communications and co-creator of the Detroit Electronic Music Festival in Hart Plaza.
Film & TV · 1864–1943Frank CampeauactorDetroit-born stage actor turned silent-film character player, a frequent screen partner of Douglas Fairbanks in more than 90 films.
Music · born 1934Aldo CeccatoconductorMilan-born conductor who was music director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra from 1973 to 1977 and added more than 45 works to its repertoire.
Sports · born 1978Daniel Clearyice hockey forward, front-office executiveNewfoundland-born forward who made the Red Wings out of a tryout in 2005, won the 2008 Stanley Cup as the first Newfoundlander ever to do so, and now directs the team's player development.
Sports · 1922–1990Nathaniel Cliftonbasketball and baseball playerOne of the first African American players in the NBA, who closed his basketball career with the Pistons after their move to Detroit, then joined the Negro-league Detroit Stars.
Music · born 1979Tommy ClufetosdrummerDetroit-born hard-rock drummer who started with Mitch Ryder and Ted Nugent and went on to play for Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath's farewell tours.
Sports · born 1976Ty Conklinice hockey goaltenderJourneyman backup goaltender who twice signed with the Red Wings, backstopping Detroit to the 2009 Stanley Cup Final and recording a memorable shutout at the Winter Classic.
Sports · born 1994Andrew Coppice hockey forwardAnn Arbor-born forward who played youth hockey with Detroit Compuware, starred at the University of Michigan and signed a five-year contract with the Red Wings in 2022.
Film & TV · born 1962Doug Chiangfilm designer, concept artistDearborn-raised College for Creative Studies alumnus who became Lucasfilm's executive creative director and chief designer of the Star Wars prequels.
Music · 1952–2025Carl Carltonsinger, songwriterDetroit-born soul and funk singer who started as "Little" Carl Carlton and later scored "Everlasting Love" (1974) and "She's a Bad Mama Jama" (1981).
Politics · born 1957Hansen Clarkepolitician, artistEast Side Detroiter of Bengali and African American parentage, trained as a painter, who served in both houses of the Michigan Legislature and as the first Bangladeshi American in Congress (2011–2013).
Visual art · 1912–1999Harry Callahanphotographer, educatorDetroit-born photographer who took up the camera while working at Chrysler and became one of the great innovators of American modernist photography.
Science & invention · born 1950Alexa Canadypediatric neurosurgeonThe first African American woman board-certified in neurosurgery in the United States, chief of neurosurgery at Children's Hospital of Michigan in Detroit from 1987 to 2001.
Sports · 1903–1962Mickey Cochranebaseball catcher and managerHall of Fame catcher who, as player-manager, led the Tigers to pennants in 1934 and 1935 and Detroit's first World Series title.
Politics · 1939–2021Barbara-Rose Collinspolitician, activistDetroit-born single mother turned activist who rose from the school board and City Council to become the first Black woman from Michigan elected to Congress (1991–1997).
Business & brands · 1872–1936James CouzensFord Motor Company co-founder and business manager, mayor of Detroit, U.S. senatorCanadian-born railroad clerk who became Ford's hard-driving business manager, then mayor of Detroit and a U.S. senator.
Sports · 1880–1968Sam Crawfordbaseball player, outfielderHall of Fame Tigers right fielder of 1903–1917, Ty Cobb's teammate and rival, who still holds the major-league record for career triples.
Architecture & design · 1876–1945Paul Philippe CretarchitectFrench-born Philadelphia architect who designed the Detroit Institute of Arts' Beaux-Arts museum building on Woodward Avenue (1927).
Sports · 1957–2024Earl Curetonbasketball forward and centerDetroit native who played for the University of Detroit and his hometown Pistons and won NBA titles with Philadelphia and Houston.
Auto industry · 1880–1936Roy D. Chapinco-founder and president of Hudson Motor Car Company, U.S. Secretary of CommerceOlds test driver who co-founded the Hudson Motor Car Company in Detroit, named it for merchant J. L. Hudson, and later served as U.S. Secretary of Commerce.
Music · 1931–1991James Clevelandgospel singer, composer, arranger, choir directorChicago gospel giant who worked at Detroit's New Bethel Baptist Church under Rev. C. L. Franklin and founded the Gospel Music Workshop of America after a Detroit Sing-A-Rama.
Sports · born 1976Dan CampbellAmerican football coach, former tight endFormer Lions tight end who became head coach in 2021 and, after a famous "kneecaps" introduction, turned Detroit into a Super Bowl contender.
Visual art · born 1959Nick Cavesculptor, performance artistAmerican artist famous for his wearable Soundsuits, who earned his MFA in fiber art at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills.
Music · 1877–1912Hughie Cannonsongwriter, pianistDetroit-born ragtime songwriter and pianist who wrote "(Won't You Come Home) Bill Bailey" in 1902, later a standard for Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Aretha Franklin.
Sports · 1933–1986Norm Cashbaseball player, first basemanFun-loving Tigers first baseman of 1960–1974 who won the 1961 batting title and was the first Tiger to hit a ball over Tiger Stadium's right-field roof.
Sports · 1928–1986Jack ChristiansenAmerican football safety and return specialistHall of Fame safety whose name was given to the Lions' famed 1950s secondary, "Chris's Crew", and one of the most dangerous punt returners in NFL history.
MusicCarla Cookjazz singerDetroit-born jazz singer, a Cass Tech classmate and friend of violinist Regina Carter, whose 1999 debut It's All About Love earned a Grammy nomination.
Music · born 1953Marshall Crenshawsinger, songwriter, guitaristDetroit-born, Berkley-raised power-pop songwriter of “Someday, Someway”, who played John Lennon in Beatlemania and Buddy Holly in La Bamba.
Politics · 1928–1979Jerome Cavanaghlawyer, mayor of DetroitDetroit-born Kennedy-era liberal who won an upset in 1961, marched with Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963 and was mayor during the 1967 uprising; first mayor to live in the Manoogian Mansion.
Music · born 1980Cha Charapper, actress, radio personalityDetroit-born rapper and Cass Tech alumna who released Dear Diary on Epic in 1999, worked with Royce da 5'9″ and later turned to acting and radio.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 ↗