Music · born 1968Rodney Whitakerjazz double bassist, educatorDetroit-born bassist, a Marcus Belgrave protégé who played with Terence Blanchard, Roy Hargrove and Wynton Marsalis and now leads jazz studies at Michigan State University.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
- 366 Detroit places
- 22 fields
Hungarian ties 22 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →
Field
Connection
Born in
A–Z (family name)
125 people · 3/3 page
Clear filtersMusic · born 1968Rodney Whitakerjazz double bassist, educatorDetroit-born bassist, a Marcus Belgrave protégé who played with Terence Blanchard, Roy Hargrove and Wynton Marsalis and now leads jazz studies at Michigan State University.
Politics · 1782–1854John R. Williamsmerchant, first elected mayor of DetroitDetroit-born merchant who wrote the 1824 city charter, served as the first elected mayor and co-founded the paper that became the Detroit Free Press; John R Street is named after him.
Law · 1774–1827Augustus B. Woodwardfirst chief justice of Michigan Territory, city plannerFirst chief justice of Michigan Territory who drew up Detroit's radial street plan after the fire of 1805; Woodward Avenue bears his name.
Politics · 1951–2023JoAnn Watsonactivist, radio host, pastor, city councilwomanDetroit-born activist, talk radio host and pastor who served ten years on the Detroit City Council (2003–2013) as an outspoken voice against the state takeover of the city.
Music · born 1975Waajeedproducer, DJ, visual artistConant Gardens-raised producer and Slum Village insider who moved from J Dilla-era hip-hop to Detroit house with his Dirt Tech Reck label.
Civil rights & activism · 1912–2001Charleszetta WaddlesPentecostal minister, founder of the Mother Waddles Perpetual MissionPentecostal minister known as Mother Waddles who for more than four decades fed, clothed and trained Detroit's poor through her Perpetual Mission.
Business & brands · 1833–1891William W. Wheatonwholesale grocer, mayor of DetroitConnecticut-born wholesale grocer who was elected Detroit's mayor twice, serving 1868–1871, and later sat in the Michigan House.
Auto industry · 1878–1940C. Harold Willsengineer and metallurgist, chief contributor to the Model T, founder of Wills Sainte ClaireDetroit-raised toolmaker who was Henry Ford's first key engineer, shaped the Model T and its vanadium steel, and later built the Wills Sainte Claire car.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 ↗