List of people from Mobile, Alabama
From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Notable people, past and present, who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Mobile, Alabama:
Contents
Arts and literature
- Gregory Benford, science fiction author and physicist
- Augusta Jane Evans, author
- Winston Groom, author, best known for Forrest Gump[1]
- Melinda Haynes, author
- Roy Hoffman, author
- Michael Knight, university professor and author
- William March, author and World War I veteran
- Bryant H. McGill, editor and author
- William P. McGivern, author
- Albert Murray, author
- John Travis Nixon, newspaper publisher in Monroe and Crowley, Louisiana; formerly worked as a journalist in Mobile; died in Mobile in 1909[2]
- Michelle Richmond, author
- Geoffrey Sauer, theorist and author
- Eugene Sledge, university professor, author, and World War II veteran
- Stanley R. Tiner, journalist for Mobile Press-Register and The Sun Herald in Biloxi-Gulfport, Mississippi; Tiner and staff won 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Hurricane Katrina coverage
- John Augustus Walker, artist known for his paintings and murals
- Eugene Walter, labeled "Mobile's Renaissance Man" for diverse activities the arts; interred in 1998 in historic Church Street Graveyard by special resolution of the city[3]
Business
- Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc.
- James M. Fail, chairman of Bluebonnet Savings Bank
- Lonnie Johnson, inventor of the Super Soaker
Film and television
- Laverne Cox, actress and producer
- Phil Gordon, actor and dialect coach[4]
- Jason Guy, contestant on third season of Big Brother
- Connie Bea Hope, television personality
- Orlando Jones, comedian and actor
- Danny Lipford, contractor and TV host
- Dan Povenmire, television director, writer, and producer
- James "JT" Thomas Jr., million-dollar winner of Survivor: Tocantins
- Richard Tyson, film actor
Historic
- Joseph Stillwell Cain, Jr., largely credited with the rebirth of Mardi Gras celebrations in Mobile after the Civil War; city celebrates Joe Cain Day on the Sunday before Mardi Gras[5]
- Octavia Walton Le Vert, socialite and writer[6]
- Florence Chandler Maybrick, born into a wealthy Mobile family, her mother remarried after her father's death and became Baroness von Roques; Florence married a British cotton factor, James Maybrick, and they lived at Battlecrease House in Aigburth; she and her husband both were known for their extramarital affairs; Florence was later found guilty of murdering her husband.
- Alva Erskine Smith Vanderbilt, born and raised in Mobile, wife of William K. Vanderbilt and mother of Consuelo Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough; known for building several of the most noted houses of the Gilded Era; later a crusader for the women's suffrage movement and the Equal Rights Amendment.[7]
Military
- Keith L. Craig, Sergeant Major, US Army
- Jeremiah Denton, admiral, United States Navy
- William Crawford Gorgas, physician and 22nd Surgeon General of the United States Army; known for his work in abating the transmission of yellow fever and malaria
- Kathryn P. Hire, captain, United States Naval Reserve, NASA astronaut
- John D. New, United States Marine in World War II, only Mobile native to be awarded the Medal of Honor; Cottage Hill Park was renamed Medal of Honor Park in his honor, and Pixie Street was renamed PFC John D. New Drive
- Sidney Phillips, United States Marine, portrayed by Ashton Holmes in the HBO miniseries The Pacific
- Admiral Raphael Semmes, captain of the CSS Alabama during the American Civil War; resident of Mobile; the Mobile suburb of Semmes is named in his honor[8]
- Eugene Sledge, United States Marine Corps, author of New York Times bestselling book With the Old Breed, portrayed by Joseph Mazzello in the HBO miniseries The Pacific
- Leighton W. Smith, Jr., admiral, U.S. Navy; in 1994, became commander-in-chief of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Allied Forces Southern Europe
Music
- Backwater, a late 1970s jazz fusion band
- The Band Perry, sibling country music trio
- Billy Bang, jazz violinist and composer
- Jimmy Buffett, vocalist, songwriter and entrepreneur[9][10]
- Vice Cooler, lead vocalist and songwriter for XBXRX
- James Reese Europe, conductor and composer
- Urban Clifford "Urbie" Green, professional jazz trombonist
- Jimmy Hall, lead vocalist and harmonica player for Wet Willie
- Will Kimbrough, vocalist, songwriter, musician and producer
- Allison Moorer, Oscar-nominated songwriter
- Bernard Odum, bass player, best known for performing in James Brown's band
- Rich Boy, rap and hip hop artist
- Terrance Quaites, aka TQ, R&B artist
- Ray Sawyer, lead vocalist of Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show
- Beverly Jo Scott, singer and songwriter
- Ward Swingle, jazz vocalist
- Claude and Clifford Trenier, twins, jazz/R&B-style singers during 1940s and 1950s
- Fred Wesley, jazz and funk trombonist
- Cootie Williams, jazz and rhythm and blues trumpeter, performed with Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman
Political
- Bidwell Adam, Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi from 1928 to 1932, born in Mobile in 1894; raised in Pass Christian, Mississippi[11]
- Ann Bedsole, member of Alabama House of Representatives 1979-1983 and Alabama State Senate 1983-1995; candidate for governor 1995 and for mayor of Mobile, 2005
- Jo Bonner, former U.S. Representative from Alabama's 1st congressional district
- Frank Boykin, represented Mobile in Congress for 28 years
- Sanford Bishop, Democratic Party, member of the United States House of Representatives
- Mark E. Clayton, Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate from Tennessee in 2012; born in Mobile
- Mike Dow, four-term mayor of Mobile
- Vivian Davis Figures, Democratic member of the Alabama State Senate
- Alexis Herman, Democratic Party, served as the 23rd U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton
- Ethan Allen Hitchcock, U.S. minister to Russia under President William McKinley, U.S. Secretary of the Interior under President Theodore Roosevelt
- Samuel L. Jones, Democratic Party, elected as in 2005 as Mobile's first African American mayor
- Joseph C. Mitchell, Democrat member of Alabama House of Representatives from District 103
- Bert Nettles, Republican former member of the Alabama House of Representatives from Mobile; subsequently a lawyer in Birmingham
- William Holcombe "Bill" Pryor, Jr., Republican Party, former Attorney General of Alabama; federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- Jeff Sessions, Republican Party, formerly Attorney General of Alabama; United States Senator
- Donald Eugene Siegelman, Democratic Party, only person in Alabama history elected to serve in all four top statewide offices: Secretary of State, Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor and Governor
- Tom Turnipseed, executive director of George Wallace's 1968 presidential campaign who became a liberal activist in South Carolina, born in Mobile
Religious
- Oscar Hugh Lipscomb, first Archbishop of Mobile (Roman Catholic) and its eighth bishop
- Dominic Manucy, third Bishop of Mobile
- Michael Portier, first Bishop of Mobile
- Abram Joseph Ryan, poet, Roman Catholic priest at St. Mary's parish; known as "Poet-priest of the South"
- Thomas Joseph Toolen, sixth Bishop of Mobile
Athletics
Mobile is the birthplace of five members of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Only New York City and Chicago can claim to be the birthplace of more members of the Hall.
- Hank Aaron, member of the Baseball Hall of Fame and 2nd on the all-time home run list;[12] Hank Aaron Stadium and the Hank Aaron Loop in Mobile are named in his honor[13]
- Tommie Aaron, Major League Baseball player[12]
- Bill Adair, Major League Baseball and manager[12]
- Terry Adams, Major League Baseball player
- Willie Anderson, offensive lineman for Cincinnati Bengals[14]
- Frank Bolling, Major League Baseball player[12]
- Scott Bolton, wide receiver, Green Bay Packers
- Robert Brazile, NFL player[15]
- DeMarcus Cousins, NBA player for Sacramento Kings.[16]
- Dameyune Craig, quarterback for Auburn University and Carolina Panthers; assistant coach for Auburn
- Fennis Dembo, forward, played for the NBA world champion Detroit Pistons in 1989[17]
- Nick Fairley, defensive tackle for Detroit Lions
- Cale Gale, NASCAR driver for KHI
- Paul Harris, player for Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Minnesota Vikings
- Margaret Holgerson, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
- Bob Holly, professional wrestler known as "Hardcore Holly"
- Pat Howell, MLB player [18]
- Scott Hunter, NFL player[19]
- Chevis Jackson, NFL defensive back, Atlanta Falcons, alumnus of LSU
- Aron Jóhannsson, American footballer, SV Werder Bremen and United States men's national soccer team
- Cleon Jones, MLB outfielder, New York Mets
- Antonio Lang, Duke and NBA player[20]
- Tamaurice "Tee" Martin, University of Tennessee, NFL and CFL quarterback; led Tennessee to undefeated season (13-0) and 1998 National Championship[21]
- A.J. McCarron, quarterback for Alabama
- Willie McCovey, member of the Baseball Hall of Fame[12]
- Henry Monroe, NFL defensive back, Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles
- Bill Moody, professional wrestling manager known as Percy Pringle and Paul Bearer
- Amos Otis, MLB player.[12]
- Satchel Paige, baseball pitcher, member of the Baseball Hall of Fame; Satchel Paige Drive in Mobile is named in his honor[12][22]
- Jake Peavy, baseball pitcher, winner of Cy Young Award
- Juan Pierre, MLB player
- Donald Reese, NFL player, Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints[23]
- JaMarcus Russell, quarterback for LSU and Oakland Raiders
- Chris Samuels, NFL lineman, Washington Redskins
- Ozzie Smith, member of Baseball Hall of Fame[12]
- Dewarick Spencer, basketball player for European professional teams
- Erick Walder, track-and-field long jumper
- Turner Ward, MLB baseball player
- Billy Williams, member of Baseball Hall of Fame
- Sherman Williams, NFL
- Keith McCants, NFL, defensive lineman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Jason Caffey, Chicago Bulls NBA
- T. J. Yeldon, Jacksonville, Jaguars NFL
Others
- Yolande Betbeze, Miss America 1951
- Michael Donald, lynching victim
- Joseph Paul Franklin, serial killer
- Geoff Ramsey, co-founder of Rooster Teeth
- George Bigelow Rogers, architect
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Stuart, Amanda Mackenzie. Consuelo and Alva Vanderbilt: The Story of a Daughter and a Mother in the Gilded Age. New York: HarperCollins, 2006. ISBN 0-06-621418-1
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Buffett, J: A Pirate Looks at Fifty, page 402. Random House, 1998. ISBN 0-679-43527-1
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ John H. Lang, History of Harrison County, Mississippi Dixie Press, 1935, p. 135
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 Reichler, Joseph L. The Baseball Encyclopedia, New York: Macmillan Publishing, 1979. ISBN 0-02-578970-8
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
