List of people from Alabama

Listing of famous people born in, or famous for their association with, Alabama.

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A

* Hank Aaron, baseball player(Mobile)
* Ralph Abernathy, civil rights activist (Linden)
* Daniel Alarcón, novelist (Birmingham)
* Mel Allen, legendary sportscaster - NY Yankees 1938-1963 (Birmingham)
* Bobby Allison, race car driver, (Hueytown)
* Donnie Allison, race car driver, (Hueytown)
* Davey Allison, race car driver, (Hueytown)
* Richard Arrington Jr., first black mayor of (Birmingham)

B

* John Badham, film director (Birmingham)
* Mary Badham, actress (Birmingham)
* Tallulah Bankhead, actress (Huntsville)
* Charles Barkley, basketball player (Leeds)
* Mark Barnes, prominent New York attorney (Dadeville)
* Arthur D. Baylor, First Black Chief of Police in Montgomery (Montgomery)
* Paul Bearer, WWE Manager/ wrestling promoter (Mobile)
* Sam A. Beatty, law professor, Ala Sup Ct Justice (Tuscaloosa)
* Amber Benson, actress (Birmingham)
* Bo Bice, American Idol contestant (Huntsville)
* Michael Biehn, actor (Anniston)
* Sanford Bishop, U.S. congressman (Mobile)
* Bibi Black, classical trumpeter (Huntsville)
* Hugo Black, senator, jurist (Harlan)
* Lucas Black, actor (Speake)
* Winton Blount, businessman (Union Springs)
* Neil Bonnett, race car driver (Hueytown)
* Bobby Bowden, Florida State University football coach (Birmingham)
* Rich Boy, rapper (Mobile)
* Frank W. Boykin, United States Congressman (Bladon Springs)
* Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise, (Evergreen)
* Rick Bragg, Pulitizer prize-winning author (Possum Trot)
* David G. Bronner, CEO for Retirement Systems of Alabama (Montgomery) born Cresco, Iowa
* Janice Rogers Brown, Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (Luverne)
* Johnny Mack Brown, actor (Dothan)
* Jimmy Buffett, singer/songwriter (Mobile)
* Oteil Burbridge, bassist
* Edward A. Burkhalter, Dir-Intel Comm,Admiral-US Navy, Ch-Steelcloud (Roanoke)
* Brett Butler, comedian (Montgomery)
* Pat Buttram, actor ("Smiley," Gene Autry's sidekick) (Addison)
* Larry Byrom, Steppenwolf guitarist (Huntsville)
* Mr. Bigg, rap artist (Mobile)

C

* Nell Carter, actress and singer (Birmingham)
* George Washington Carver, scientist and botanist (Tuskegee) born Diamond, Missouri
* Truman Capote, writer (Monroeville) born New Orleans, Louisiana
* Reg E. Cathey, actor, "The Wire", "The Corner", and "Oz" (Huntsville)
* Fred Child, host of American Public Media's Performance Today (Huntsville)
* Mark Childress, writer (Monroeville)
* Stewart Cink, PGA professional golfer (Huntsville)
* Nat King Cole, singer (Montgomery)
* Marva Collins, educator (Monroeville)
* Jeff Cook, country musician (Fort Payne)
* Charles J. Cooper, former Assistant US Attorney General (Birmingham)
* Jerricho Cotchery, football player, New York Jets (Birmingham)
* Courteney Cox, actress (Mountain Brook)
* Rick Crawford, Nascar Craftsman Truck Series driver (Mobile)
* Brodie Croyle, NFL Quarterback (Rainbow City)
* Hosea Chanchez actor (Montgomery)

D

* Angela Davis, activist (Birmingham)
* N. Jan Davis, astronaut (Huntsville) born Cocoa Beach, Florida
* Morris Dees, founder of Southern Poverty Law Center (Montgomery)
* Sam Dees, soul music singer (Birmingham)
* Donna D'Errico, actress (Dothan)
* Diana DeGarmo, American Idol contestant (Birmingham)
* Kim Dickens, actress (Huntsville)
* Chris Dickerson, bodybuilder (born Montgomery)
* Mahala Ashley Dickerson, lawyer (born Montgomery)
* Melinda Dillon, actress (Cullman)
* Deidre Downs, 2005 Miss America (Pelham)
* Benjamin Minge Duggar, botanist; discoverer of tetracycline (Gallion)
* Luther Duncan, 4-H pioneer; educator and administrator (Auburn)

E

* Bobby Eaton, pro wrestler (Huntsville)
* Cleveland Eaton, jazz bassist (Birmingham)
* Dennis Edwards, soul singer (Birmingham)
* Joe F. Edwards, Jr., NASA astronaut (Roanoke and Lineville)
* James Reese Europe, bandleader and composer (Mobile)

F

* Paul Finebaum, columnist, author, radio talk show host (Birmingham) born Memphis, Tennessee
* Howard Finster, folk artist (Valley Head)
* Fannie Flagg, author and actress (Birmingham)
* Louise Fletcher, actress (Birmingham)
* Jim Folsom, Governor (1947-1951) (Cullman)
* Melvin Franklin, soul singer (Montgomery)

G

* A.G. Gaston, African-American businessman (Birmingham)
* Charles Ghigna (Father Goose), poet and children's author (Homewood)
* Kenneth A. Gibson, first black mayor of major eastern city (Newark, New Jersey, from 1970 to 1986) (Enterprise)
* Kenneth R. Giddens, long term director of Voice of America; TV/radio station founder (Pine Apple)
* Harvey Glance, track athlete (Phenix City)
* Bobby Goldsboro, singer (Dothan)
* William C. Gorgas, U. S. Army Surgeon General (Mobile)
* Mike Gottfried, former college football coach, ESPN commentator (Mobile)
* Urbie Green, jazz trombonist (Mobile)
* Kevin Greene, NFL player (Anniston)
* Steve Grissom, race car driver (Gadsden)
* Winston Groom, author of Forrest Gump (Fairhope)
* Lafayette Guild, pioneer in the research of yellow fever (Tuscaloosa)

H

* Sarah Haardt, writer, wife of H. L. Mencken (Montgomery)
* Jon Hand, football player (Sylacauga)
* Mia Hamm, U.S. soccer star (Selma)
* Ralph Hammond, Alabama's Poet Laureate 1992-1995 (Arab)
* Lionel Hampton, jazz musician (Birmingham)
* W. C. Handy, jazz composer (Florence)
* John M. Harbert, billionaire businessman (coal mining)(Mountain Brook)
* Marguerite Harbert, billionaire heiress (Mountain Brook)
* Emmylou Harris, singer (Birmingham)
* William R. Harvey, president of Hampton University (Brewton
* Gustav Hasford, writer, screen-writer (Russellville)
* Erskine Hawkins, jazz composer (Birmingham)
* Howell Heflin, judge-CJ Ala Sup Ct, US Senator (1978-97) (born Poulan, Georgia)
* John S. Hendricks, Founder, Chair & CEO of Discovery Networks (Huntsville)
* Alexis Herman, former Secretary of Labor, (Mobile)
* Jake Hess, gospel quartet singer, (Haleyville)
* Taylor Hicks, "American Idol" winner 2006 (Hoover)
* J. Lister Hill, US Senator (1938-1969) (Montgomery
* Sylvia Hitchcock, Miss USA and Miss Universe 1967 (Tuscaloosa}
* Bill Holbrook, syndicated comic strip artist (Huntsville)
* Mitch Holleman, TV star (Reba) (Auburn, Alabama)
* Lonnie Holley, artist (Birmingham)
* Polly Holliday, actress (Jasper)
* Condredge Holloway, CFL player (Huntsville)
* Hardcore Holly, WWE star, (Mobile)
* Evander Holyfield, boxer, (Atmore)
* Robert Horry, basketball player (Andalusia)
* Frank House, baseball player and legislator (Bessemer)
* Linda Howard, romance writer (Gadsden)
* Freeman A. Hrabowski III, academic, university president (Birmingham)
* William Bradford Huie, journalist, author (Hartselle)
* Alan Hunter, original MTV VeeJay (Birmingham)

J

* Bo Jackson, multi-sport athlete (Bessemer)
* Kate Jackson, actress (Birmingham)
* Sonny James, country singer (Hackleburg)
* Mae C. Jemison, first African American female in space (Decatur)
* Lonnie Johnson, inventor of the Super Soaker (Mobile)
* Dean Jones, actor (Decatur)
* Orlando Jones, actor (Mobile)
* Walter Jones, offensive tackle for the Seattle Seahawks (Aliceville)
* Lee Roy Jordan, Bama All Am & pro football linebacker Dallas Cowboys (Excel)
* Ralph "Shug" Jordan, Auburn University football coach (Selma)
* Tom Joyner, radio personality (Tuskegee)
* J Juliano, singer/songwriter for Little Nashville, Country for Kids (Hoover)

K

* Helen Keller, writer (Tuscumbia)
* Eddie Kendricks, soul singer (Union Springs)
* Jimmy Key, baseball pitcher (Huntsville)
* Caitlín R. Kiernan, writer and paleontologist (Leeds)
* Martin Luther King III, civil rights leader (Montgomery)
* William R. King, Senator, U.S. Vice-President (Cahaba)
* Yolanda King, actress and daughter of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Montgomery)
* Hank Klibanoff, Pulitzer prize-winning author, "Atlanta Journal-Constitution" Managing Editor (Florence)
* Craig Knowles, founder of Alabama Republican Party (Huntsville)

L

* Larry Langford, Mayor of Birmingham
* Adam Lazzara, lead singer of Taking Back Sunday (Sheffield)
* Harper Lee, writer (Pulitzer Prize) (Monroeville)
* Carl Lewis, track and field athlete (Birmingham)
* George Lindsey, actor (Jasper)
* Donald Logan, former chairman of Time Warner (Birmingham)
* Joe Louis, heavy weight champion boxer (Lafayette)
* Joseph Lowery, civil rights leader (Huntsville)
* Rebecca Luker, singer and actress (Helena)
* Shelby Lynne, country singer (Frankville)

M

* Alfred Malone, NFL player, Houston Texans (Frisco City)
* Wallace D Malone Jr, CEO of SouthTrust Bank (Dothan)
* William March, writer, World War I hero (Mobile)
* Harold E. Martin, Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaperman, formerly with the "Montgomery Advertiser"
* Hugh Martin, songwriter (Birmingham)
* James D. Martin, Republican politician
* F. David Mathews, educator (Grove Hill)
* Willie Mays, baseball player (Birmingham)
* Robert R. McCammon, horror writer (Birmingham)
* Thomas McClary, guitarist (Commodores) (Tuskegee)
* Willie McCovey, baseball player (Mobile)
* Bryant H. McGill, poet (Mobile)
* Alexander McGillivray, Creek Chief, Little Tallassee (Montgomery)
* Lachlan McGillivray, Scots-Indian trader, Little Tallassee (Montgomery)
* Joe McInnes, corporate executive, state exec (Wetumpka)
* Frank McIntyre,army general, Chief of the Bureau of Insular affairs (Montgomery)
* James McQueen, first (1714) Alabama Indian trader and Creek Indian leader, Tallassee (Montgomery)
* Don Mincher, baseball player (Huntsville)
* Grover Mitchell, jazz trombonist, Director of the Count Basie Orchestra (Whatley)
* Charles Moore, civil rights photojournalist (Hackleburg)
* Thomas Hinman Moorer, admiral Chairman JCS (Mount Willing)
* Albert Murray, writer (Nokomis)

N

* Jim Nabors, actor (Sylacauga)
* Larry Nelson, PGA golfer (Fort Payne)
* Ozzie Newsome, college football star at the University of Alabama, NFL player and executive (Leighton)
* Jimmy Nolen, guitarist [Roanoke]

O

* Scott Oden, writer (Somerville)
* Spooner Oldham, songwriter and keyboardist (Center Star)
* Stan O'Neal, chairman & CEO of Merrill Lynch (Roanoke)
* Osceola, Seminole Indian leader (Tallassee)
* Randy Owen, country singer (Alabama) (Fort Payne)
* Jesse Owens, track and field athlete (Oakville)
* Terrell Owens, football player Philly Eagles & Dallas Cowboys(Alexander City)

P

* Rosa Parks, civil rights activist (Tuskegee)
* Gail Patrick, Actress Producer of Perry Mason (Birmingham)
* Satchel Paige, baseball player ( Mobile)
* Dan Penn, singer, songwriter & record producer (Vernon)
* Walker Percy, author (Birmingham)
* Chuck Person, NBA player (Brantley)
* Wesley Person, NBA player (Brantley)
* Wilson Pickett, R&B and Soul singer (Prattville)
* Juan Pierre, baseball player, (Mobile)
* Charles Redding Pitt, US & State Attorney, politician (Decatur)
* Paula Poundstone, comedian (Huntsville)
* Tyrone Prothro, University of Alabama Football Player (The Catch) (Heflin, Alabama)
* Curly Putman, Country Songwriter (Princeton)

R

* Howell Raines, former "New York Times" editor (Birmingham)
* Wayne Ray, author/poet (Talladega; Lineville)
* Ray Reach, jazz pianist, vocalist, arranger , composer, music producer, Director of Student Jazz Programs for the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame (Birmingham)
* Gary Redus, baseball player (Decatur)
* Condoleezza Rice, United States Secretary of State (Birmingham)
* Michael Rooker, actor (Jasper)
* Rich Boy, rapper (Mobile)
* Lionel Richie, singer (Tuskegee)
* Bob Riley, Governor of Alabama (Ashland)
* Philip Rivers, college football star at North Carolina State University, NFL star with the San Diego Chargers (Decatur)
* Wayne Rogers, actor (Birmingham)
* Frank Rose, educator, former President of the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa)
* Marie Rudisill, aka "The Fruitcake Lady" (Monroeville), Truman Capote's aunt he grew up with

* Sonia Sanchez, poet (Birmingham)
* David Satcher, surgeon general (Anniston)
* Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, writer (Montgomery)
* Coretta Scott King, civil rights leader (Marion)
* Richard M. Scrushy, founder and former CEO of HealthSouth Corporation (Selma)
* Jay Sebring, Charles Manson murder victim (Birmingham)
* Jeff Sessions, U.S. Senator (Dothan)
* Joe Sewell, baseball player (Titus)
* Luke Sewell, baseball player (Titus)
* Rip Sewell, baseball player (Decatur)
* Glenn Shadix, actor (Bessemer)
* Tommy Shaw, rock musician (Montgomery)
* Richard C. Shelby, U.S. Senator (Birmingham)
* Fred Shuttlesworth, civil rights activist (Birmingham)
* Don Siegelman, former Governor of Alabama (Mobile)
* Percy Sledge, soul singer (Leighton)
* Rickey Smiley, comedian (Birmingham)
* Ella Gaunt Smith, doll manufacturer (Roanoke)
* Leighton W. Smith, Jr., admiral, US Navy (Mobile)
* Ozzie Smith, Baseball player (Mobile)
* Johnny Smith, jazz guitarist (Birmingham)
* Thomas M. Smith, District Attorney (Tuscaloosa)
* Zeke Smith, All American Auburn & pro football player Uniontown
* John Sparkman, US Senator (1946-1979) (Hartselle)
* Mark Spencer, President/CEO of Digium, creator of Asterisk (PBX) (Huntsville)
* Ken Stabler, college football star at the University of Alabama, NFL quarterback with Oakland Raiders (Foley)
* John Stallworth, NFL player (Tuscaloosa)
* Bart Starr, NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Green Bay Packers (Montgomery)
* Charles Steele, CEO and National President, Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) (Tuscaloosa)
* Donald W. Stewart, US Senator (Anniston)
* George W. Stewart, founder, American Gospel Quartet Convention (Tuscaloosa)
* Mike Stewart (novelist), author (Vredenburgh)
* Warren St. John, author, journalist (Birmingham)
* T. S. Stribling, Pulitzer Prize-winning author (Florence) born Clifton, Tennessee
* Hut Stricklin, race car driver (Calera)
* Ruben Studdard, "American Idol" winner 2003 (Birmingham)
* Jimmy Lee Sudduth, artist and blues musician (Fayette)
* Pat Sullivan, NFL quarterback, coach, Heisman Trophy Winner 1971 (Birmingham)
* Sun Ra, musician (Birmingham)
* Don Sutton, baseball player (Clio)
* Ward Swingle, multiple Grammy Award winning vocal jazz arranger and composer (Mobile)

T

* Channing Tatum, actor (born in Cullman)
* Toni Tennille, one-half of duo Captain & Tennille (Montgomery)
* Pat Trammell, All-American University of Alabama football player (Scottsboro). Scottsboro's Trammell Staduim is named after him.
* Fred Thompson, former U.S. senator from Tennessee, actor (Sheffield)
* Tommy Tuberville, current head football coach at Auburn University, (Auburn) born Camden, Arkansas
* Cynthia Tucker, columnist and editor, (Monroeville)
* Chief Tuskaloosa, Creek Indian chief and leader
* Take 6, Grammy award winning jazz vocal group, (Huntsville)

V

*Robert J. Van de Graaff - famous engineer, physicist (Tuscaloosa)
* Virtue, Gospel Singing Group - (Huntsville)

W

* Jimmy Wales of Wikipedia (Huntsville)
*Harry "The Hat" Walker, MBA batting coach (Leeds)
* Margaret Walker, poet, author (Birmingham)
* Ben Wallace, NBA player (White Hall)
* Daniel Wallace, writer (Birmingham)
* George Wallace, politician (Clio)
* Gerald Wallace, NBA athlete (Childersburg)
* Eugene Walter, writer-actor (Mobile)
* Dinah Washington, singer, "Queen of the Blues" (Tuscaloosa)
* Ken Watters, jazz trumpeter (Huntsville)
* William Weatherford, (Red Eagle) Creek leader
* Leroy Wells American Idol contestant (Grand Bay)
* Fred Wesley, jazz and funk musician (Mobile)
* Joseph Wheeler, Confederate & US general (Hillsboro) born in Georgia
* Heather Whitestone, 1995 Miss America (Dothan)
* Billy Williams, baseball player (Mobile)
* Cootie Williams, jazz trumpeter with Duke Ellington and others (Mobile)
* Hank Williams, seminal country musician (Georgiana)
* Paul Williams, soul singer (Birmingham)
* Kathryn Tucker Windham, storyteller & author
* E. O. Wilson, biologist and writer (Birmingham)
* Tobias Wolff, author (Birmingham)
* Tammy Wynette, country singer (Red Bay)