This is a list of people who were born in, lived in, or are closely associated with the city of

Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...

Academia

* Graham Tillett Allison Jr., American political scientist and professor at the

John F. Kennedy School of Government The Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), officially the John F. Kennedy School of Government, is the school of public policy and government of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school offers master's degrees in public policy, publi ...

at Harvard University * Katharine Cramer Angell, one of two named founders of The Culinary Institute of America *

Sonya Curry Sonya Alicia Curry (née Adams; born May 30, 1966) is an American educator. She is the mother of basketball players Stephen Curry and Seth Curry. Early life Sonya Alicia Adams was born in Radford, Virginia, to Cleive and Candy Adams. They li ...

, educator *

Christopher Ellison Christopher Michael Ellison (born 16 December 1946 in St Pancras, London) is an English actor. He is best known for his role as DCI Frank Burnside in the ITV police series ''The Bill'' and short-lived spin-off series '' Burnside''. Education ...

, sociologist specializing in the sociology of religion * Chris Folk, served in the office of School Community Relations for the Charlotte Mecklenburg County Schools during desegregation *

Martha Louise Morrow Foxx Martha Louise Morrow Foxx (October 9, 1902 – 1985) was an American educator who worked at the Piney Woods Country Life School campus of the Mississippi Blind School for Negroes for forty years, from 1929 to 1969. Early life Martha Louise Morrow ...

, pioneering educator for the blind * Edith Henderson, landscape architect * John Kuykendall, served as 15th president of Davidson College * Paul Marion, university administrator and academic * George C. Williams, evolutionary biologist * Anne D. Yoder, biologist, researcher, and professor

Art and literature

Romare Bearden Romare Bearden (September 2, 1911 – March 12, 1988) was an American artist, author, and songwriter. He worked with many types of media including cartoons, oils, and collages. Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, Bearden grew up in New York City ...

(1911–1988), artist and writer * Brian Blanchfield, poet and essayist *

Jason V. Brock Jason Vincent Brock (born March 1, 1970) is an American author, artist, editor and filmmaker. He is the CEO and co-founder (with his wife, Sunni) of JaSunni Productions, LLC, whose documentary films include ''Charles Beaumont: The Short Life of ...

, filmmaker, musician, artist, and author * Don Brown, author and attorney * W. J. Cash, writer and journalist *

Silas Farley Silas Farley (born ) is an American ballet dancer, choreographer and educator. He danced at the New York City Ballet between 2013 and 2020, and choreographed outside the company. In 2021, he became the dean of Colburn School's Trudl Zipper Dance ...

, ballet dancer, choreographer and educator * Brent Funderburk, artist *

Harry Golden Harry Lewis Golden (May 6, 1902 – October 2, 1981) was an American writer and newspaper publisher. Early life Golden was born Herschel Goldhirsch (or Goldenhurst) in the shtetl Mikulintsy, Austria-Hungary. His mother Nuchama (nee Klein) was R ...

, author * Hank Hanegraaff, author,

radio talk-show Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues and consisting entirely or almost entirely of original spoken word content rather than outside music. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often featu ...

host, former advocate of

evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being "born again", in which an individual exper ...

Christianity (until 2017 with his conversion to Eastern Orthodox faith) * Cheris F. Hodges, author *

Travis Jeppesen Travis Jeppesen is an American novelist, poet, artist, and art critic. He is known, among other works, for his novel '' The Suiciders''; a non-fiction novel about North Korea, ''See You Again in Pyongyang''; and for his object-oriented writing ...

, author * Ben Long, artist, most known for his fresco work and drawings *

Carson McCullers Carson McCullers (February 19, 1917 – September 29, 1967) was an American novelist, short-story writer, playwright, essayist, and poet. Her first novel, ''The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter'' (1940), explores the spiritual isolation of misfits ...

, author *

Jenny Offill Jenny Offill (born 1968) is an American novelist and editor. Her novel ''Dept. of Speculation'' was named one of "The 10 Best Books of 2014" by ''The New York Times Book Review''. Early life Jenny Offill is the only child of two private-school ...

, novelist * Diane Oliver (1943–1966), a Black feminist writer *

Kathy Reichs Kathleen Joan Reichs (née Toelle, born 1950) is an American crime writer, forensic anthropologist and academic. She is an adjunct professor of anthropology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Early life and education Kathleen ...

, anthropologist and author *

Stephanie S. Tolan Stephanie S. Tolan (born 1942 in Ohio) is an American author of children's books. Her book Surviving the Applewhites received a Newbery Honor in 2003. She obtained a master's degree in English at Purdue University. Tolan is a senior fellow at the ...

, children's book author *

Mel Tomlinson Mel Alexander Tomlinson (January 3, 1954 – February 5, 2019) was an American dancer and choreographer. At the time of his debut with the New York City Ballet in 1981, he was the only African-American dancer in the company. Ballet choreographer ...

, ballet and modern dancer *

Justin Tornow Justin Tornow is an American dancer, choreographer, dance scholar, and dance teacher. She is the founder and artistic director of COMPANY, a co-founder and co-organizer of Durham Independent Dance Artists, former Board President of the North Caro ...

, dancer and choreographer

Business

* Irwin Belk, businessman and politician, executive with

Belk Belk, Inc. is an American department store chain founded in 1888 by William Henry Belk in Monroe, North Carolina, with nearly 300 locations in 16 states. Belk stores and Belk.com offer apparel, shoes, accessories, cosmetics, home furnishings, a ...

department stores *

Cy Bahakel Cy Nesbe Bahakel (April 12, 1919 – April 20, 2006) was an American politician. He was a North Carolina state senator and a media magnate. He was a member of the Democratic Party. His son-in-law is former US Representative Robert Pittenger (R ...

, former North Carolina State Senator and media magnate, instrumental in bringing

Charlotte Hornets The Charlotte Hornets are an American professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Hornets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division, and pla ...

franchise to Charlotte *

Jim Crockett Jr. James Allen Crockett Jr. (August 10, 1944 – March 3, 2021) was an American professional wrestling promoter. From 1973 to 1989, he was part owner of Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP), a wrestling company affiliated with the National Wrestling Allian ...

, former professional wrestling promoter *

Richard Darman Richard Gordon "Dick" Darman (May 10, 1943January 25, 2008) was an American businessman and government official who served in senior positions during the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. Early life Darman was born in Charlot ...

, businessman and government official who served in senior positions during the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush *

Elisabeth DeMarse Elisabeth DeMarse is a businesswoman. She is a former Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of TheStreet.com. As of 2022 she is a board member of the NYC based ad-fraud prevention and marketing company Kubient inc. Early life and educat ...

, businesswoman, former chairman and CEO of

TheStreet ''TheStreet'' is a financial news and financial literacy website. It is a subsidiary of The Arena Group. The company provides both free content and subscription services such as Action Alerts Plus a stock recommendation portfolio co-managed by B ...

* James Buchanan Duke, industrialist, founder of The Duke Endowment and

Duke University Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist Jame ...

* Jay Faison, entrepreneur and a

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization ...

philanthropist, founder of the ClearPath Foundation *

Jack Fulk Jack Z. Fulk (November 30, 1932 – March 30, 2011) was an American businessman who co-founded the Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits fast food restaurant chain in 1977 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Life Fulk was born to Charles and Lucille H ...

(1932–2011), founder of fast-food chain Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits * Earl Patterson Hall, real estate developer and businessman who founded

Carowinds Carowinds is a amusement park located adjacent to Interstate 77 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The park straddles the North Carolina-South Carolina state line, with a portion of the park located in Fort Mill, South Carolina. However, it has an of ...

Robert L. Johnson Robert Louis Johnson (born April 8, 1946) is an American entrepreneur, media magnate, executive, philanthropist, and investor. He is the co-founder of BET, which was acquired by Viacom in 2001. He also founded RLJ Companies, a holding compa ...

, co-founder of BET, former majority owner of then

Charlotte Bobcats Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most popu ...

, first black American billionaire *

Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the g ...

, former professional Hall of Fame basketball player, principal owner & chairman of the

* Herman Lay, involved in potato chip manufacturing with his eponymous brand of

Lay's Lay's is a brand of potato chips, as well as the name of the company that founded the chip brand in the United States. The brand is also referred to as Frito-Lay because both Lay's and Fritos are brands sold by the Frito-Lay company, which has b ...

potato chips *

Leon Levine Leon Levine (born June 8, 1937) is an American businessman and philanthropist. He founded the Family Dollar chain of discount stores. Early life Leon Levine was born into a Jewish family on June 8, 1937, in Wadesboro, North Carolina. The family ...

, founder of Family Dollar; billionaire, businessman and philanthropist * Michael Marsicano, President and CEO of The Foundation for the Carolinas, one of the largest philanthropic community foundations in the country in terms of assets *

Hugh McColl Hugh L. McColl Jr. (born 18 June 1935) is a fourth-generation banker and the former Chairman and CEO of Bank of America. Active in banking since around 1960, McColl was a driving force behind consolidating a series of progressively larger, mos ...

, former chairman and CEO of Bank of America *

Bruton Smith Ollen Bruton Smith (March 3, 1927 – June 22, 2022) was a promoter and owner/CEO of NASCAR track owner Speedway Motorsports, Inc. He was inducted into NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2016 and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2007. He was bill ...

, billionaire; founder and CEO of

Speedway Motorsports, Inc. Speedway Motorsports, LLC is an American company that owns and manages auto racing facilities that host races sanctioned by NASCAR, IndyCar Series, NHRA, World of Outlaws and other racing series. The company was founded by Bruton Smith and has i ...

and founder of

Sonic Automotive Sonic Automotive is a Fortune 500 company based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is the fifth largest automotive retailer in the United States as measured by total revenues. The company was founded by O Bruton Smith and completed its initial p ...

* Clemmie Spangler, businessman, former president of the 16-campus University of North Carolina system from 1986 to 1997; was No. 117 on '' Forbes'' list of 400 richest Americans * David S. Taylor, business executive who is currently the chairman, President, and CEO of Procter & Gamble * Robert Yates, former owner of

NASCAR Cup Series The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, and from 1950 to 1970 it was known as the Grand National Division. In 1971 ...

team Yates Racing * Blake R Van Leer III, notable entrepreneur, grandson of President of Georgia Tech, Inventor, Civil rights advocate

Entertainment

Tyler Barnhardt Tyler Davis Barnhardt (born January 13, 1993) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Matthew Roe in the American period drama television series ''Underground'' and Charlie St. George in the American teen drama streaming television se ...

, actor, best known for '' Underground'', ''

13 Reasons Why ''13 Reasons Why'' is an American teen drama television series developed for Netflix by Brian Yorkey and based on the 2007 novel ''Thirteen Reasons Why'' by author Jay Asher. The series revolves around high school student Clay Jensen (Dylan ...

'' *

Melendy Britt Melendy Britt (born October 31, 1943) is an American actress who has been active in television and voice acting since the 1970s. Career Britt's most notable animated work is for Filmation, voicing characters such as She-Ra, and the second a ...

, actress *

Ben Browder Robert Benedict Browder (born December 11, 1962) is an American actor, writer and film director, known for his roles as John Crichton in ''Farscape'' and Cameron Mitchell in ''Stargate SG-1''. Early life Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Browder g ...

, actor, '' Farscape'' and ''

Stargate SG-1 ''Stargate SG-1'' (often stylized in all caps, or abbreviated ''SG-1'') is a military science fiction adventure television series within Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's ''Stargate'' franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, i ...

'' *

Ayesha Curry Ayesha Disa Curry (née Alexander; born March 23, 1989) is a Canadian-American actress, cookbook author, and cooking television personality and the wife of basketball player Stephen Curry. After guest roles in several television shows and movies, ...

, actress, celebrity cook, author * Nick Cannon, Television host, Rapper, actor, comedian, attended Quail Hollow Middle School *

Mark Freiburger Stephen Mark Freiburger (born July 16, 1983) is an American filmmaker. Early life and education * Graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 2005. Film work * Writer/Director of the upcoming feature film ''Follow By ...

, filmmaker * Rohit Gupta, film director, producer *

Ali Hillis Ali Hillis (born December 29, 1978) is an American actress who has appeared in television and film, and voices a number of characters in video games. She may be best known for her video game work as Dr. Liara T'Soni in the ''Mass Effect'' trilogy ...

, actress *

Lauren Holt Lauren Elizabeth Holt (born March 12, 1991) is an American actress, comedian, and singer. She began her career with the Upright Citizens Brigade, an improv and sketch comedy troupe in Los Angeles. In 2020, Holt, alongside Andrew Dismukes and Pu ...

, actress, comedian, singer, and cast member of '' Saturday Night Live'' *

Brian Huskey Brian Huskey (born September 8, 1968) is an American character actor, comedian, and writer. He is best known for his roles in comedy programs such as '' People of Earth'', ''Childrens Hospital'', ''Veep'', and ''Another Period''. He also provides ...

, actor, comedian, and writer * Billy James (publicist), musician, producer, and writer * Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, actor, former professional wrestler, attended Montclaire Elementary School * Emeril Lagasse, celebrity chef, television personality, attended Johnson & Wales University * Sharon Lawrence, actress, known for '' NYPD Blue'' *

Chyler Leigh Chyler Leigh West (pronounced ; ''née'' Potts), known professionally as Chyler Leigh, is an American actress, singer and model. She is known for portraying Janey Briggs in the comedy film ''Not Another Teen Movie'' (2001), Lexie Grey in the A ...

, actress *

Ross McElwee Ross McElwee is an American documentary filmmaker known for his autobiographical films about his family and personal life, usually interwoven with an episodic journey that intersects with larger political or philosophical issues. His humorous an ...

, documentary filmmaker; professor at Harvard University * Eva Noblezada, actress, singer *

Jim Rash James Rash (born July 15, 1971) is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He portrayed the role of Dean Craig Pelton on the NBC sitcom ''Community'' (2009–2015), for which he was nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Be ...

, actor in

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are ...

/ Yahoo's '' Community'' *

Britt Robertson Brittany Leanna Robertson (born April 18, 1990) is an American actress. She is known for her lead role in '' The First Time'' (2012), and has appeared in the films ''Tomorrowland'' (2015), '' The Space Between Us'' (2017), ''A Dog's Purpose'' ...

, actress *

Gloria Saunders Gloria Ella Saunders (September 29, 1927 – June 4, 1980) was an American actress of film and television, primarily from the late 1940s to 1960. Background Career Saunders acting career began on stage. She was discovered when she performed ...

, actress * Randolph Scott, actor, 1940s and '50s film star *

Jessica Stroup Jessica Leigh Stroup (born October 23, 1986) is an American actress, best known for her role as Erin Silver on '' 90210'' (2008–2013), Max Hardy on ''The Following'' (2014–2015) and Joy Meachum on '' Iron Fist'' (2017–2018), which is set i ...

, actress, best known for portraying Erin Silver on '' 90210'' *

Berlinda Tolbert Berlinda Tolbert is an American film and television actress. Tolbert is best known for her role as Jenny Willis Jefferson, the daughter of Tom and Helen Willis on the CBS sitcom ''The Jeffersons'', which originally aired from 1975 until 1985. ...

, actress on CBS sitcom ''

The Jeffersons ''The Jeffersons'' is an American sitcom television series that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, to July 2, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes. ''The Jeffersons'' is one of the longest-running sitcoms in history, ...

'' *

Skeet Ulrich Skeet Ulrich (; born Bryan Ray Trout on January 20, 1970) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in popular 1990s films, including Billy Loomis in '' Scream'' (1996), Chris Hooker in '' The Craft'' (1996) and Vincent Lopiano in '' ...

, actor, '' Jericho''; graduate of Northwest Cabarrus High School *

Earl Wentz Earl Wentz (March 22, 1938 – November 15, 2009) was an American pianist, composer, and musical director most noted for his creation in 2000 of the American Composer Series, an ongoing performance series in the cabaret format. Early years ...

, actor, pianist, composer, and musical director, known for his creation of the

American Composer Series The American Composer Series is an ongoing performance series in the cabaret revue format, paying tribute to the greatest composers of popular American music on the American scene, particularly those composers associated with Tin Pan Alley.

in 2000 * Maurice Williams, songwriter and performer of Maurice William and the Zodiacs, famous for "Stay"

Government and law

* Armistead Burwell, associate justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court from 1892 to 1894 * Rebecca Carney, Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly * Daniel G. Clodfelter, attorney and politician, Democratic mayor of

* Chris Cole, politician * Charlie Smith Dannelly, educator and politician, Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly *

Walter E. Dellinger III Walter Estes Dellinger III (May 15, 1941 – February 16, 2022) was an American attorney and legal scholar who served as the Douglas B. Maggs Professor of Law at Duke University School of Law. He also led the appellate practice at O'Melveny & My ...

, professor and

solicitor A solicitor is a legal practitioner who traditionally deals with most of the legal matters in some jurisdictions. A person must have legally-defined qualifications, which vary from one jurisdiction to another, to be described as a solicitor and ...

* Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr., mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina 1935–1941 *

Anthony Foxx Anthony Renard Foxx (born April 30, 1971) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the United States Secretary of Transportation from 2013 to 2017. President Barack Obama nominated him in April 2013, and he was confirmed by a 100–0 ...

, 17th United States Secretary of Transportation, and mayor of Charlotte (2009–2013) * Jim Gulley, member of the North Carolina General Assembly * Richard Hudson, United States Representative for North Carolina's 8th congressional district *

Cheslie Kryst Cheslie Corrinne Kryst (; April 28, 1991 – January 30, 2022) was an American television correspondent, model, and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss USA 2019. Kryst was also an attorney and had served as a correspondent for ''Ex ...

, lawyer;

Miss North Carolina USA The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group since 1992. In 2005, Miss North Carolina USA Chelse ...

2019 and

Miss USA 2019 Miss USA 2019 was the 68th Miss USA pageant. It was held at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada, on May 2, 2019. Nick Lachey and Vanessa Lachey served as hosts, while Lu Sierra served as commentator, all for the second consecutive time and ...

Pat McCrory Patrick Lloyd McCrory (born October 17, 1956) is an American businessman, politician and radio host who served as the 74th governor of North Carolina from 2013 to 2017. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 53rd Mayor of ...

, 74th

Governor of North Carolina The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The governor directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander in chief of the military forces of the state. The current governor, ...

; longest-serving mayor in Charlotte's history (1995–2009) *

Mick Mulvaney John Michael Mulvaney (born July 21, 1967) is an American politician who served as director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from February 2017 until March 2020, and as acting White House Chief of Staff from January 2019 until March ...

, former

United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland The United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland (officially the Special Envoy of the President and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland) is the top U.S. diplomat supporting the Northern Ireland peace process. The position is held ...

and White House Chief of Staff in the Trump Administration, attended Charlotte Catholic high school * James McDuffie, North Carolina State Senator * James B. McMillan, federal judge who ruled in favor of school busing to integrate Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools *

Sue Myrick Sue Myrick (née Wilkins; born August 1, 1941) is an American businesswoman and the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1995 to 2013. She is a member of the Republican Party. She was the first Republican woman to represent North Carol ...

, member of the United States House of Representatives; mayor of Charlotte (1987–1991) * Sarah Parker, Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court (born in Charlotte) *

Robert Pittenger The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

, real estate investor; Republican former State Senator in the North Carolina General Assembly (2002–2008) *

Jennifer Roberts Jennifer Roberts may refer to: * Jennifer Roberts (judge), judge of the High Court of England and Wales * Jennifer Roberts (politician) Jennifer Roberts is an American politician, businesswoman and former diplomat who served as the 58th mayor ...

, politician, community activist, and the 58th Mayor of

Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...

* Toussaint Romain, attorney, public defender, and civil rights figure *

Ruth Samuelson Ruth Culbertson Samuelson (November 4, 1959 – January 23, 2017) was a Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly, representing the 104th district in the North Carolina House of Representatives from 2007 to 2015. From 2000 to 2004 ...

, member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's 104th House district *

John Spratt John McKee Spratt Jr. (born November 1, 1942) is an American politician who was the U.S. representative for from 1983 to 2011. The 5th Congressional District covers all or part of 14 counties in north-central South Carolina. The largest cities a ...

, United States Representative for South Carolina's 5th congressional district * Mike Sprayberry, North Carolina Director of Emergency Management *

Randy Staten Randolph Wilbert Staten, Sr. (January 24, 1944 – May 29, 2020) was an American politician and football player. Staten served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1981 to 1987 and was a Democrat. He was the only African-American to b ...

, Minnesota state representative and football player * Anne Tompkins, served as the United States Attorney for the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina *

Richard Vinroot Richard A. Vinroot (born April 14, 1941) is an American politician and attorney from Charlotte, North Carolina. He served as the 52nd Mayor of Charlotte from 1991 to 1995. Vinroot ran unsuccessfully for Governor of North Carolina in 1996, 2000 and ...

, attorney and mayor of Charlotte (1991–1995)

Journalism and media

* John Bain (1984–2018),

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

game commentator *

Heather Childers Heather Star Childers is an American television news anchor. She was a former anchor of the first hour of '' Fox & Friends First'' for Fox News Channel, and worked for the organization from 2010 until 2020. She currently co-anchors ''American Age ...

, television news anchor * Leigh Diffey, auto racing commentator * William Emerson (1923–2009), journalist; covered the civil rights era as ''Newsweek''s first bureau chief assigned to cover the Southern United States; later editor in chief of ''

The Saturday Evening Post ''The Saturday Evening Post'' is an American magazine, currently published six times a year. It was issued weekly under this title from 1897 until 1963, then every two weeks until 1969. From the 1920s to the 1960s, it was one of the most widely c ...

'' *

Mark Kemp Mark Kemp (born April 10, 1960) is an American music journalist and author. A graduate of East Carolina University, he has served as music editor for ''Rolling Stone'' and vice president of music editorial for MTV Networks. In 1997 he received a ...

, music journalist and author *

Anna Kooiman Anna Brooks Kooiman is an American news anchor and television panelist, currently working for Australia's Network Ten. From 2011 to 2016, she served as anchor and reporter for Fox News based in New York City. Kooiman's last position with Fox New ...

, news anchor and television panelist * Jim Nantz, CBS television sportscaster *

Maureen O'Boyle Maureen Jeralyn O'Boyle (born July 14, 1963) is an American television reporter and news anchor. She was the lead anchor for WBTV News 3 in her hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina and used to anchor the weekly "Stretching Your Dollar" report. O ...

, formerly of ''Current Affair'' and ''Extra''; now newscaster for WBTV *

Joe Posnanski Joe Posnanski (; nicknamed "Poz" and "Joe Po"; born January 8, 1967) is an American sports journalist. A former senior columnist for ''Sports Illustrated'' (where he wrote the blog Curiously Long Posts) and columnist for ''The Kansas City Star'', ...

, sports journalist *

Bill Rosinski Bill Rosinski is an American sportscaster and talk show host, operating primarily out of Charlotte, North Carolina. Rosinski currently works for ESPN Radio as its lead college football and college basketball commentator, as well as for ISP Sports ...

, sportscaster and talk show host * Sandra Mims Rowe, newspaper journalist * Reed Sarratt, journalist * Beatrice Thompson,

broadcast Broadcasting is the distribution of audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves), in a one-to-many model. Broadcasting began wi ...

television and

radio personality A radio personality (American English) or radio presenter (British English) is a person who has an on-air position in radio broadcasting. A radio personality who hosts a radio show is also known as a radio host, and in India and Pakistan as a radi ...

Military

Official NASA portrait Charles Moss Duke Jr

Jerry K. Crump Jerry Kirt Crump (February 18, 1933 – January 10, 1977) was a soldier in the United States Army during the Korean War. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions on September 6 and 7, 1951. Crump was killed in a car accident in 1977. Awa ...

, soldier in the United States Army; received the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor ...

for his actions during the Korean War * Richard T. Devereaux, retired United States Air Force Major General *

Charles Duke Charles Moss Duke Jr. (born October 3, 1935) is an American former astronaut, United States Air Force (USAF) officer and test pilot. As Lunar Module pilot of Apollo 16 in 1972, he became the tenth and youngest person to walk on the Moon, at ag ...

, NASA astronaut, United States Air Force officer and test pilot, 10th person to walk on the Moon * Jack B. Farris, United States Army lieutenant general *

John Gibbon John Gibbon (April 20, 1827 – February 6, 1896) was a career United States Army officer who fought in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Early life Gibbon was born in the Holmesburg section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the four ...

, officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War, also served in the

American Indian Wars The American Indian Wars, also known as the American Frontier Wars, and the Indian Wars, were fought by European governments and colonists in North America, and later by the United States and Canadian governments and American and Canadian settle ...

Buster Glosson Lieutenant General Buster Cleveland Glosson (born March 14, 1942) was the deputy chief of staff for plans and operations at the headquarters of the United States Air Force (USAF) in Washington D.C. He was responsible to the secretary of the Air Fo ...

, former deputy

chief of staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...

for plans and operations at the headquarters for the

U.S. Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signa ...

Washington D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, N ...

* Susan J. Helms,

Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed to ...

-select in the U.S. Air Force and former NASA

astronaut An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member aboard a spacecraft. Although generally ...

* Hunter Marshall III, United States Navy officer during World War II

Musicians

Stephanie Mills Performing in April 2017 at the Detroit Opera House

Ant-Bee Ant-Bee (stage-name for Billy James) is an American experimental musician and writer. In his musical work, he is a psychedelic era revivalist, working with members of The Mothers of Invention; the original members of the Alice Cooper group, and C ...

, musician *

Seth Avett Timothy Seth Avett (born July 30, 1980) is one of the lead singers and founding members of the American folk-rock band The Avett Brothers. Avett sings and plays guitar, drums, and piano for the band based out of Concord, North Carolina. In 2008, ...

, singer and one of the founding members of American folk-rock band The Avett Brothers * Horace Brown, R&B singer * Nappy Brown (1929–2008), R&B and gospel singer *

Phillip Bush Phillip Bush (born January 4, 1961 in Ridgewood, New Jersey) is an American classical pianist, with a career focusing primarily on chamber music and contemporary classical music. Early life Phillip Bush was born to an American father and German ...

, classical pianist *

Tom Constanten Tom Constanten (born March 19, 1944) is an American keyboardist, best known for playing with Grateful Dead from 1968 to 1970, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. Biography Early career Born in Long Branch, N ...

, former keyboard player,

Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. The band is known for its eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, country, jazz, bluegrass, blues, rock and roll, gospel, reggae, world music, a ...

* David L. Cook, Christian singer and comedian; inducted into the 2006 ICGMA Hall of Fame; 2006 Country Gospel Music Entertainer of the Year *

DaBaby Jonathan Lyndale Kirk (born December 22, 1991), known professionally as DaBaby (formerly known as Baby Jesus), is an American rapper. After releasing several mixtapes between 2014 and 2018, he rose to mainstream prominence with his debut albu ...

, rapper, songwriter *

Deniro Farrar Qushawan Farrar (born June 18, 1987), better known by his stage name Deniro Farrar, is an American rapper from Charlotte, North Carolina. He has collaborated with other artists such as Ryan Hemsworth, Shady Blaze, and Flosstradamus. His voice was ...

, rapper *

FireHouse __NOTOC__ A fire station (also called a fire house, fire hall, firemen's hall, or engine house) is a structure or other area for storing firefighting apparatuses such as fire engines and related vehicles, personal protective equipment, fire ho ...

, early 1990s "hair metal band" *

Flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the ...

, alt-rock band * Anthony Hamilton, R&B singer *

Wilbert Harrison Wilbert Huntington Harrison (January 5, 1929 – October 26, 1994) was an American rhythm and blues singer, pianist, guitarist and harmonica player. Biography Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, Harrison had a Billboard #1 record in 1959 with ...

, R&B singer *

Joe Henry Joseph Lee Henry (born December 2, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer. He has released 15 studio albums and produced multiple recordings for other artists, including three Grammy Award-winning albums. Early life H ...

, musician *

Hopesfall Hopesfall is an American post-hardcore band from Charlotte, North Carolina, formed in 1998. They are currently signed to Equal Vision Records. The band dissolved in 2008 after all members, with the exception of singer Jay Forrest, left the ba ...

, hard rock band * Tyrone Jefferson, trombonist *

K-Ci & JoJo K-Ci & JoJo is an American R&B duo, consisting of brothers Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey (born September 2, 1969) and Joel "JoJo" Hailey (born June 10, 1971). Natives of Monroe, North Carolina, they are also the lead singers of the chart-topping R&B ...

(Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey & Joel "JoJo" Hailey) of 1990s R&B group

Jodeci Jodeci ( ) is an American R&B quartet consisting of members DeVanté Swing, Mr. Dalvin, K-Ci, and JoJo. Formed in 1989 in Charlotte, North Carolina, Jodeci's members began their musical careers as two duos of brothers and, after years of l ...

Si Kahn Si Kahn (born April 23, 1944) is an American singer-songwriter, activist, and founder and former executive director of Grassroots Leadership. Biography Early life and education Kahn grew up in State College, Pennsylvania, United States. When ...

, singer-songwriter and activist (resident of Charlotte) * John P. Kee, gospel singer *

Adam Lazzara Adam Burbank Lazzara (born September 22, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He is the lead vocalist of the rock band Taking Back Sunday. Along with singing lead vocals, Lazzara plays guitar and occasionally the harmonica. ...

, lead singer of

Taking Back Sunday Taking Back Sunday is an American rock band from Long Island, New York. The band was formed by guitarist Eddie Reyes and bassist Jesse Lacey in 1999. The band's members currently are Adam Lazzara (lead vocals), John Nolan (lead guitar, key ...

Jon Lindsay Jon Stephen Lindsay (born 4 December 1935) is a Republican former member of the Texas Senate, having represented the 7th District from 1997 to 2007. He was succeeded in 2007 by fellow Republican Dan Patrick, who would later be elected as Li ...

, solo recording artist; former member of

Benji Hughes Benji Hughes is an American musical artist from Charlotte, North Carolina. His first album, '' A Love Extreme'', was released in 2008. ''A Love Extreme'' On July 22, 2008, Benji Hughes released his debut album, entitled '' A Love Extreme'' on Ne ...

and many other bands; record producer; political activist *

Kelsey Lu Kelsey Elizabeth McJunkins (born May 12, 1989), known professionally as Kelsey Lu, is an American singer and cellist based in Los Angeles, California. Early life Kelsey Lu was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, and had a strict Jehovah's Witness ...

, singer and cellist *

Lute A lute ( or ) is any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted. More specifically, the term "lute" can re ...

, rapper *

John Mark McMillan John Mark McMillan (born November 27, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. Career In 2002, McMillan released his debut album ''Hope Anthology, Volume 1''. This independent album was followed by ''The Song Inside: The Sounds of Br ...

, singer-songwriter * Tammy Faye Messner (1942–2007), Christian singer and television personality; former wife of

televangelist Televangelism ( tele- "distance" and "evangelism," meaning " ministry," sometimes called teleministry) is the use of media, specifically radio and television, to communicate Christianity. Televangelists are ministers, whether official or self-pr ...

, and later convicted felon,

Jim Bakker James Orsen Bakker (; born January 2, 1940) is an American televangelist and convicted fraudster. Between 1974 and 1987, Bakker hosted the television program ''The PTL Club'' and its cable television platform, the PTL Satellite Network, with ...

* Stephanie Mills, R&B singer * David Vincent, frontman, bassist, and singer of the death metal band Morbid Angel *

Wednesday 13 Joseph Michael Poole (born August 12, 1976), better known by his stage name Wednesday 13, is an American singer and musician. Apart from his solo career, he was the frontman of the horror punk/ heavy metal band Murderdolls and has also played in ...

, musician *

Willie Weeks Willie Weeks (born August 5, 1947) is an American bass guitarist. He has gained fame performing with famous musicians in a wide variety of genres. He has been one of the most in-demand session musicians throughout his career. Weeks has also gai ...

, bass guitarist, known for work with Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder and George Harrison * Mavi (rapper), musician

Sportspeople

20170718 Dodgers-WhiteSox Corey Seager at short

Alex Wood May 20, 2018 (50121668532) (cropped)

Cedric Alexander Cedric Alexander Johnson (born August 16, 1989) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. Alexander worked for Ring of Honor (ROH) from 2010 until 2016. He started as part of C&C Factory, ...

professional wrestler Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...

signed to

WWE World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...

Jaire Alexander Jaire Zakar Alexander (born February 9, 1997) is an American football cornerback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Louisville, and was selected by the Packers in the first round of t ...

, NFL cornerback * Ty-Shon Alexander, professional basketball player *

Darrell Armstrong Darrell Eugene Armstrong (born June 22, 1968) is a former American professional basketball player, who played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association. He is currently an assistant coach for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, who won the champ ...

, former National Basketball Association (NBA) player and current NBA coach *

Arn Anderson Martin Anthony Lunde (born September 20, 1958), better known by the ring name Arn Anderson, is an American professional wrestling road agent, author, and retired professional wrestler. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a m ...

, professional wrestler *

Jim Beatty James Tully Beatty (born October 28, 1934 in New York, New York) is a former American track and field athlete and North Carolina politician. He is best remembered as the first person to break the four-minute mile barrier on an indoor track, whe ...

, first person to break the four-minute mile barrier on an indoor track *

Ricky Berens Richard "Ricky" Berens (born April 21, 1988) is an American former competition swimmer, two-time Olympic gold medalist, world champion, and current world record-holder. As a member of the U.S. national team, he holds the world record in the 4× ...

, Olympic swimmer and two-time gold medalist *

DeAndre' Bembry DeAndre' Pierre' Bembry (born July 4, 1994) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for Saint Joseph's University. He was n ...

, NBA player *

Tessa Blanchard Tessa Blanchard (born July 26, 1995) is an American professional wrestler. She is best known for her time in Impact Wrestling, where she became the first female wrestler to win the Impact World Championship and is also a former Impact Knockouts ...

, professional wrestler *

Muggsy Bogues Tyrone Curtis "Muggsy" Bogues (born January 9, 1965) is a former American basketball player. The shortest player ever to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Bogues played point guard for four teams during his 14-season caree ...

, former NBA player; played for the

1988–1997 *

Garrett Bradbury Garrett Bradbury (born June 20, 1995) is an American football center for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at NC State and was selected by the Vikings in the first round of the 2019 NFL Dra ...

, National Football League (NFL) offensive lineman for the Minnesota Vikings *

Calvin Brock Calvin Vance Brock (born January 22, 1975) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 2001 to 2007. He was ranked as the world's No.9 heavyweight by BoxRec at the conclusion of 2005. Calvin Brock was trained by Tom Yankello. In 2 ...

, former professional

boxer Boxer most commonly refers to: *Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing *Boxer (dog), a breed of dog Boxer or boxers may also refer to: Animal kingdom * Boxer crab * Boxer shrimp, a small group of decapod crustaceans * Boxer snipe eel ...

; competed at the

2000 Summer Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 (Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), the Millennium Olympic Games or the Games of the New Millennium, was an international multi-sport event held from 1 ...

* William Byron, NASCAR

Cup Series The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, and from 1950 to 1970 it was known as the Grand National Division. In 1971, ...

driver for Hendrick Motorsports * Chris Canty, former NFL defensive end; Charlotte Latin School alumni * Maya Caldwell, WNBA player for the

Atlanta Dream The Atlanta Dream are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded for the 2008 WNBA season. The team is owned by real e ...

Dwight Clark Dwight Edward Clark (January 8, 1957 – June 4, 2018) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver for nine seasons with the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1979 He was a member of San F ...

, NFL wide receiver and two-time Super Bowl champion with San Francisco 49ers * Stu Cole, former Major League Baseball (MLB) player and current MLB coach *

Mo Collins Maureen Ann Collins (born July 7, 1965) is an American actress and comedian who was a member of the ensemble on FOX's sketch comedy series '' Mad TV''. Collins became well known for several characters during her tenure on the show. She was a ...

, NFL lineman for the Oakland Raiders *

Carlos Crawford Carlos Lamonte Crawford (born October 4, 1971) is an American former professional baseball right-handed pitcher, who played in one game for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB) in . Crawford made his Major League debut on Jun ...

, former MLB pitcher *

Dell Curry Wardell Stephen Curry (born June 25, 1964) is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1986 until 2002 and retired as the Charlotte Hornets' all-time leader in points (9,839) ...

, former professional basketball player *

Seth Curry Seth Adham Curry (born August 23, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for one year at Liberty University before transferring to Duke. ...

, NBA player *

Stephen Curry Wardell Stephen Curry II ( ; born March 14, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, ...

, NBA player and 4-time champion with the Golden State Warriors *

Baron Davis Baron Walter Louis Davis (born April 13, 1979) is an American former professional basketball player who is a studio analyst for the ''NBA on TNT''. He was a two-time NBA All-Star, made the All-NBA Third Team in 2004, and twice led the NBA in s ...

, former professional basketball player; played for Charlotte Hornets 1999–2002 * Jordan Davis, NFL defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles * John Donaldson, former MLB second baseman *

Devon Dotson Devon Durrell Dotson (born August 2, 1999) is an American professional basketball player for the Capital City Go-Go of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks. High school career Dotson attended Providence Day Scho ...

, NBA G League basketball player for the Windy City Bulls *

Jake Delhomme Jake Christopher Delhomme (; born January 10, 1975) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL). Delhomme played college football at Louisiana, then known as the University of Southwestern Louisiana ...

, former NFL quarterback for the

Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...

2003–2009 *

Ray Durham Ray Durham (born November 30, 1971) is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. He is a 14-year major league veteran owning a .277 lifetime batting average with 1,249 runs scored, 2,054 hits, 440 doubles, 79 triples, 192 home runs, 875 ...

, MLB second baseman and two-time All-Star selection *

Charlotte Flair Ashley Elizabeth Fliehr (born April 5, 1986) is an American professional wrestler. She is currently signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Charlotte Flair. She is currently inactive. She is a second-generati ...

, professional wrestler, daughter of Ric Flair * David Flair, former professional wrestler, son of Ric Flair *

Reid Flair Richard Reid Fliehr (February 26, 1988 March 29, 2013), better known by his ring name Reid Flair, was an American professional wrestler. He was the younger son of retired professional wrestler Ric Flair, the younger half-brother of wrestler Dav ...

, professional wrestler, son of Ric Flair * Ric Flair, former

, recognized by WWE as a 16-time World Champion *

DeShaun Foster DeShaun Xavier Foster (born January 10, 1980) is a former American football running back, who currently serves as the running backs coach at UCLA. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played colleg ...

, born in Charlotte, former running back for

2002–2007 *

Todd Fuller Todd Douglas Fuller (born July 25, 1974) is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Golden State Warriors with the 11th overall pick of the 1996 NBA draft. He played in five NBA seasons from 1996 to 2001 for the ...

, professional basketball player *

Joe Gibbs Joe Jackson Gibbs (born November 25, 1940) is an American auto racing team owner and former professional football coach. In football, he was head coach for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL) from 1981 to 1992, and a ...

, Hall of Fame football coach and NASCAR championship team owner *

Grace Glenn Grace Fugui Glenn (born April 27, 1998 in Nanchang, China) is an American artistic gymnast. She is currently a member of the UCLA Bruins gymnastics team. Early and personal life Glenn was born in Nanchang, China and was adopted by Neil and Cin ...

, artistic gymnast * Jeff Gordon, former four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion driver, executive for Hendrick Motorsports; resides in Charlotte *

Dwight Howard Dwight David Howard II (born December 8, 1985) is an American professional basketball player for the Taoyuan Leopards of the T1 League. He is an NBA champion, eight-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA Team honoree, five-time All-Defensive Team m ...

, Charlotte Hornets 2017–2018, NBA player *

Trent Guy Trenton Guy (born August 22, 1987) is an American football slotback who is currently a free agent. He played college football at the University of Louisville and attended West Charlotte High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has been a mem ...

, former NFL and Canadian Football League player *

Clayton Heafner Clayton Vance Heafner (July 20, 1914 – December 31, 1960) was an American golfer, and the father of golfer Vance Heafner. Heafner was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. Heafner won seven times on the PGA Tour, played on two Ryder Cup team ...

, former PGA Tour golfer * Larry Hefner, former NFL linebacker *

Tommy Helms Tommy Vann Helms (born May 5, 1941) is an American former professional baseball player and manager. Over a 14-year Major League Baseball career (–), Helms played for four teams, including eight seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, four with the H ...

, MLB player with

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...

and three other teams; managed Reds in parts of two seasons; member of Reds Hall of Fame *

Gerald Henderson Jr. Jerome McKinley "Gerald" Henderson Jr. (born December 9, 1987) is an American former professional basketball player who played eight seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils. Hen ...

, former professional basketball player *

Allen Iverson Allen Ezail Iverson (; born June 7, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "the Answer", he played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) at both the shooting guard and point guard positions. Iver ...

, former NBA player, member of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, resides in Charlotte *

D. J. Humphries Dierrias J. Humphries Jr. (born December 28, 1993) is an American football offensive tackle for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida. Humphries won the 2011 Anthony Muñoz Award, ...

, NFL offensive tackle *

Antawn Jamison Antawn Cortez Jamison (; born June 12, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player who played 16 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He serves as director of pro personnel for the Washington Wizards. Jamison playe ...

, NBA forward and former University of North Carolina basketball star * Bobby Jones, basketball player, four-time NBA All-Star and 1972 Olympian * Daniel Jones, NFL quarterback for New York Giants; attended Charlotte Latin School * Larry Johnson, Charlotte Hornets 1991–1996, former professional basketball player * Ron "The Truth" Killings,

pro wrestler Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...

Hunter Kemper Hunter Craig Kemper (born May 4, 1976) is a triathlete from the United States. He won the silver medal at the 1999 Pan American Games, behind Venezuela's Gilberto González, followed by winning gold four years later at the 2003 Pan American Ga ...

, triathlete, 4-time member of the U.S. Olympic team (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012) * Braxton Key, professional basketball player *

Luke Kuechly Luke August Kuechly (; born April 20, 1991) is an American former professional football middle linebacker who played all eight seasons of his career with the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He is generally recognized as ...

, former linebacker for the

2012–2019 *

Corey LaJoie Corey Daniel LaJoie (born September 25, 1991) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Spire Motorsports. LaJoie is the son of two-time NASCA ...

, NASCAR Cup Series driver *

Kendall Lamm Kendall Lamm (born June 5, 1992) is an American football offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played at Appalachian State Mountaineers football, Appalachian State for four years and was signed by the H ...

, NFL offensive tackle for the Tennessee Titans *

Chris Leak Christopher Patrick Leak (born May 3, 1985) is an American football coach and former gridiron football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Florida, and led the Florida Gators to victory in the 2007 BCS National Champion ...

, former Florida Gators quarterback and offensive

MVP In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a partic ...

2007 BCS National Championship Game The 2007 Tostitos BCS National Championship Game was an American football game played at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on January 8, 2007, and featured the top-ranked Big Ten champion Ohio State Buckeyes against the 2nd- ...

* Dave Lemonds, pitcher for

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...

Nick Leverett Nicholas Leverett (born January 11, 1997) is an American football center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at NC Central and Rice. Personal life and high school Nicholas Leverett was ...

, NFL offensive guard for the

Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South divisio ...

Mohamed Massaquoi Mohamed Jah Massaquoi ( ; born November 24, 1986) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Georgia and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Massaquoi has also been a m ...

, NFL wide receiver for

Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (A ...

* J. B. Mauney, Professional Bull Rider *

Jeff McInnis Jeff Lemans McInnis (born October 22, 1974) is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA), in Greece guard Guard or guards may refer to: Professional occupations * Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault * Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street * Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning * Prison gu ...

Christian McCaffrey Christian Jackson McCaffrey (born June 7, 1996) is an American football running back for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers eighth overa ...

, Running back for

* Mildred Meacham,

All-American Girls Professional Baseball League The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) was a professional women's baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. The AAGPBL is the forerunner of women's professional league sports in the Uni ...

player *

Kennedy Meeks Kennedy Rashod Meeks (born February 5, 1995) is an American professional basketball player who last played for Cholet Basket of the LNB Pro A. He played college basketball for North Carolina. He is a native of Charlotte, North Carolina. High scho ...

, NBA player *

Sam Mills Samuel Davis Mills Jr. (June 3, 1959 – April 18, 2005) was an American football linebacker who played twelve seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers. He also played for three seasons for ...

, linebacker who played twelve seasons in the NFL for the

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...

and

Akil Mitchell Akil Anthony Mitchell (born June 26, 1992) is an American-Panamanian professional basketball player for AEK Athens of the Greek Basket League and the Basketball Champions League. He played college basketball for the University of Virginia. Colle ...

(born 1992), American-Panamanian basketball player for Maccabi Rishon LeZion of the Israeli Premier League *

Tiffany Mitchell Tiffany Mitchell (also Raymond) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Martine McCutcheon from 1995 until 1999. The character was created by the writer, Tony Jordan. She was introduced as a school friend of ...

, WNBA player *

Anthony Morrow Anthony Jarrad Morrow (born September 27, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player who is an executive for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for Georgia Tech. He ...

, NBA player with the Oklahoma City Thunder; Charlotte Latin School alumni *

Alonzo Mourning Alonzo Harding Mourning Jr. (born February 8, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player who has served as vice president of player programs and development for the Miami Heat since June 2009. Mourning played most of his 15-year ...

, former professional basketball player *

Daniel Naroditsky Daniel Naroditsky (born ), also known as Danya, is an American chess grandmaster, author, and commentator. He published his first chess book at age 14. Chess career Born in San Mateo, California, Naroditsky learned chess at age six from ...

, chess grandmaster * Joan Nesbit, former long-distance runner who competed in the

1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta ...

Cam Newton Cameron Jerrell Newton (born May 11, 1989) is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He has played for 11 seasons, primarily with the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Super Cam", he is the NFL ...

, Carolina Panthers quarterback 2011–2019 and 2021–present * Hakeem Nicks, former NFL wide receiver for New York Giants * Dickie Noles, MLB pitcher *

Pettis Norman Pettis Burch Norman is a former professional American football tight end in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and the San Diego Chargers. He played college football at Johnson C. Smith University. Early years Norman was born ...

, NFL tight end for the

Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divis ...

* Ayanga Okpokowuruk, football player *

Julius Peppers Julius Frazier Peppers (born January 18, 1980) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end and outside linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels, ...

, former defensive end for the

2002–2009 and again 2017–2018 * Richard Petty, former seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and record winner of 200 NASCAR races * Robert Parish, former NBA player, played for Charlotte Hornets 1994–1996, member of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame *

Tony Parker William Anthony Parker Jr. (born 17 May 1982) is a French-American former professional basketball player and majority owner of ASVEL Basket in LNB Pro A. Himself the son of a basketball pro, Parker started his career at Paris Basket Racing in ...

, Charlotte Hornets 2018–2019, former professional basketball player, 4x NBA Champion * Roman Phifer, NFL linebacker *

Wali Rainer Wali Rainer (born April 19, 1977) is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia. Rainer also pla ...

, NFL player for

, Jacksonville Jaguars,

Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...

and Houston Texans * Jeff Reed, former NFL

kicker Kicker or The Kicker may refer to: Sports * Placekicker, a position in American and Canadian football * ''Kicker'' (sports magazine), in Germany * Kicker, the German colloquial term for an association football player * Kicker, the word used i ...

for the

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Stee ...

* Cody Rhodes, professional wrestler *

Jerry Richardson Jerome Johnson Richardson Sr. (born July 18, 1936) is an American businessman, former NFL player and former owner in the National Football League (NFL). He established the Carolina Panthers franchise, which he owned for 23 years. Early life and ...

, former owner of NFL's

Jordan Rinaldi Jordan Rinaldi (born September 25, 1987) is an American mixed martial artist. He was the welterweight Complete Devastation champion. Rinaldi competed in featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Background Rinaldi was b ...

UFC The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...

fighter *

John Sadri John Sadri (born September 19, 1956) is a former tennis player Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a ten ...

tennis player Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball cov ...

, Australian Open singles finalist *

Jaden Springer Jaden Tyree Springer (born September 25, 2002) is an American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Tennessee Volunteers. Early life and high s ...

, professional basketball player *

Don Schollander Donald Arthur Schollander (born April 30, 1946) is an American former competition swimmer, five-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in four events. He won a total of five gold medals and one silver medal at the 1964 and 1968 S ...

, six-time Olympic champion swimmer *

Corey Seager Corey Drew Seager (born April 27, 1994), nicknamed "Seags", is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Seager was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round of the 2012 Ma ...

MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

shortstop for the Texas Rangers *

Kyle Seager Kyle Duerr Seager (born November 3, 1987) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played his entire career for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2011 to 2021. He was selected by the Mariners in the ...

, former

third baseman for the Seattle Mariners *

Floyd Simmons Floyd Macon Simmons (April 10, 1923 – April 1, 2008) was an American athlete and actor who competed mainly in the decathlon. He was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. Biography Raised in Charlotte, Simmons was the son of a builder a ...

, two-time

Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece bet ...

bronze medalist in the decathlon *

Jamie Skeen Jamie O'Brien Skeen (born May 2, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for Leuven Bears of the Pro Basketball League. College career Between 2006 and 2008, Skeen played college basketball for Wake Forest. Skeen was declared inelig ...

, basketball player, plays for Maccabi Ashdod B.C. in the Israeli Super League *

Ish Smith Ishmael Larry Smith (born July 5, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Smith holds the record of ...

, NBA player *

Steve Smith Sr. Stevonne Latrall Smith Sr. (born May 12, 1979) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for sixteen seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Carolina Panthers, also playing for the Ba ...

, former NFL wide receiver, played for the

2001–2013 *

Ricky Steamboat Richard Henry Blood Sr. (born February 28, 1953), better known by his ring name Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, is an American retired professional wrestler best known for his work with the American Wrestling Association (AWA), Jim Crockett Promot ...

* Bernard Taylor, former

, compiled 481–8 record as an amateur boxer, qualified for 1980 U.S. Olympic team *

Chad Tracy Chad Austin Tracy (born May 22, 1980) is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2004 to 2010 and again from 2012 to 2013 for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Florida Marlins, a ...

third baseman *

Rayjon Tucker Rayjon Tucker (born September 24, 1997) is an American professional basketball player who last played for Melbourne United of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles and t ...

, NBA player * Dolly Vanderlip,

pitcher * Dave Waymer (1959–1993), NFL safety for

, San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Raiders *

Reggie White Reginald Howard White (December 19, 1961 – December 26, 2004) was an American professional football player who played defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. He played college football for ...

(1961–2004), NFL defensive end; career leader at time of his retirement in sacks *

Steve Wilks Steven Bernard Wilks (born August 8, 1969) is an American football coach and former player who is the interim head coach for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach for the Arizona Ca ...

, football coach, former head coach of the

Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play th ...

in 2018 * Alex Wood,

pitcher * Grant Williams, NBA player for the

Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...

; Providence Day School alum * Patrick Williams, professional basketball player *

Kemba Walker Kemba Hudley Walker (born May 8, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Walker was picked ninth overall by the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2011 NBA draft. After gra ...

, NBA player, played for Charlotte Hornets 2011–2019 * Haywood Workman, NBA

guard Guard or guards may refer to: Professional occupations * Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault * Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street * Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning * Prison gu ...

for

Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The Pacers were first estab ...

Miscellaneous

* Annie Lowrie Alexander (1864–1929), first licensed female physician in the American South *

Chelsea Cooley Chelsea Scott Cooley Altman (born October 30, 1983) is an American actress, singer, model and beauty pageant titleholder who has competed in the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants and who has held the Miss USA 2005 title. As M ...

2005,

Miss USA 2005 Miss USA 2005 was the 54th Miss USA pageant, held in Baltimore, Maryland on April 11, 2005. It was won by Chelsea Cooley of Miss North Carolina USA, North Carolina. Fifty-one state titleholders competed for the title of Miss USA in the Hippodrom ...

Olivia Culpo Olivia Frances Culpo (born May 8, 1992) is an American model, fashion influencer, social media personality, and actress. After winning the Miss Rhode Island USA competition, she went on to be crowned Miss USA, and then Miss Universe in 2012. ...

Miss Rhode Island USA The Miss Rhode Island USA competition is the beauty pageant that selects the representative for the state Rhode Island in the Miss USA pageant. It is currently directed by D&D Productions. Rhode Island made its first placement at Miss USA in ...

, Miss USA, Miss Universe 2012 *

Brooklyn Decker Brooklyn Danielle Decker (born April 12, 1987) is an American model and actress, perhaps best known for her appearances in the ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issue, including the cover of the 2010 issue. In addition to working for Victoria's ...

, model, graduated from Butler High School in Matthews, NC; ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Edition cover model *

Steven Furtick Larry Stevens "Steven" Furtick Jr. (born February 19, 1980) is an American Baptist evangelical Christian pastor, author, and songwriter of Elevation Worship. He is the founder and senior pastor of Elevation Church, based in Charlotte North Ca ...

, pastor * Ryan C. Gordon, software and game porter *

Billy Graham William Franklin Graham Jr. (November 7, 1918 – February 21, 2018) was an American evangelist and an ordained Southern Baptist minister who became well known internationally in the late 1940s. He was a prominent evangelical Christia ...

(1918–2018), evangelist * Richard Hipp, software architect and primary author of SQLite *

Peter Joseph Jugis Peter Joseph Jugis (born March 3, 1957) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as the bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte in North Carolina since 2003. Jugis succeeded Bishop William Curlin as bishop of the di ...

prelate A prelate () is a high-ranking member of the Christian clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin , the past participle of , which means 'carry before', 'be set above or over' or 'pref ...

of the Roman Catholic Church serving as the fourth and current

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

of the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte The Diocese of Charlotte (''Dioecesis Carolinana'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in the Southern United States. It consists of 46 counties in western North Carolina, divided into ten vicariates. ...

Jordan Lloyd Jordan Hailie Schroeder (; born November 21, 1986) is an American reality television participant, and the winner of the 11th season of '' Big Brother''. Lloyd has also participated in reality shows including ''The Amazing Race 16'', '' Big Brot ...

, winner of Season 11 of '' Big Brother''; contestant on Season 16 of ''

The Amazing Race ''The Amazing Race'' is an adventure reality game show franchise in which teams of two people race around the world in competition with other teams. The ''Race'' is split into legs, with teams tasked to deduce clues, navigate themselves in fore ...

'' (from suburban

Matthews Matthews may refer to: People * Matthews (surname) Places * Matthews Island, Antarctica * Matthews Range, Kenya * Mount Matthews, New Zealand United States * Matthews, Georgia * Matthews, Indiana * Matthews, Maryland * Matthews, Missouri * Mat ...

) * Emily Maynard, The Bachelorette, season 8 * John Shelby Spong, retired Bishop of Episcopal Diocese of Newark, author, lecturer, and theologian

References

{{Charlotte, North Carolina *