List of people from Mobile, Alabama
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Notable people, past and present, who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Mobile, Alabama:
Contents |
[edit] Arts and literature
- Gregory Benford, science fiction author and physicist.
- Augusta Jane Evans, author.
- Winston Groom, author, best known for his book 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.
- Michelle Richmond, author.
- Geoffrey Sauer, theorist and author.
- Eugene Sledge, university professor, author, and World War II veteran.
- Stanley R. Tiner, former executive editor of the Mobile Press-Register. Now with The Sun Herald in Biloxi-Gulfport, Mississippi, Tiner and his staff won the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in journalism for Hurricane Katrina coverage.
- John Augustus Walker, artist known for his paintings and murals.
- Eugene Walter, labeled "Mobile's Renaissance Man" because of his diverse activities in many areas of the arts. He was interred in 1998 in the historic Church Street Graveyard by special resolution of the city.[2]
[edit] Business
- James M. Fail, chairman of Bluebonnet Savings Bank
[edit] Film and television
- Phil Gordon, actor and dialect coach.[3]
- Jason Guy, contestant on the third season of Big Brother.
- Orlando Jones, comedian and TV actor.
- Mary Lanier, film actress.
- Danny Lipford, contractor and TV host.
- Dan Povenmire, television director, writer, and producer.
- James "JT" Thomas Jr., contestant on and million-dollar winner of Survivor: Tocantins.
- Richard Tyson, film actor.
- Connie Bea Hope, television personality.
[edit] Historic
- Joseph Stillwell Cain, Jr., largely credited with the rebirth of Mardi Gras celebrations in Mobile after the Civil War. Mobile celebrates Joe Cain Day on the Sunday before Mardi Gras.[4]
- 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. She 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 and later a crusader for the women's suffrage movement and the Equal Rights Amendment.[5]
[edit] Military
- Jeremiah Denton, admiral, United States Navy.
- William Crawford Gorgas, physician and 22nd Surgeon General of the United States Army; best 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 and resident of Mobile. The Mobile suburb of Semmes is named in his honor.[6]
- Leighton W. Smith, Jr., Admiral, United States Navy. In 1994, he became the commander-in-chief of United States Naval Forces Europe and Allied Forces Southern Europe.
- 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.
[edit] Music
- The Band Perry, sibling country music trio.
- Billy Bang, jazz violinist and composer.
- Jimmy Buffett, vocalist, songwriter and entrepreneur.[7][8]
- 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.
- Ward Swingle, jazz vocalist.
- Fred Wesley, jazz and funk trombonist.
- Cootie Williams, jazz and rhythm and blues trumpeter, performed with Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman.
- Derek Johnson, country Head A&R for iMG Records/Universal/EMI. Representative for Dave Gibson of the Gibson Miller Band.
[edit] Political
- Jo Bonner, Congressman 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.
- Vivian Davis Figures, Democratic Party, serving her third full term in 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.
- Michael C. Dow, Independent , served from 1989-2005 as Mobile's Mayor.
- William Holcombe "Bill" Pryor, Jr., Republican Party, formerly Attorney General of Alabama, currently a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
- Jeff Sessions, Republican Party, formerly Attorney General of Alabama, currently United States Senator.
- Donald Eugene Siegelman, Democratic Party, only person in the history of Alabama to be elected to serve in all four of the top statewide offices: Secretary of State, Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor and Governor.
[edit] Religious
- Oscar Hugh Lipscomb, first Archbishop of Mobile (Roman Catholic) and its eighth bishop.
- Michael Portier ,first Bishop of Mobile.
- Dominic Manucy, third Bishop of Mobile.
- Abram Joseph Ryan, poet, and a Roman Catholic priest at St. Mary's parish in Mobile. Was known as the "Poet-priest of the South".
- Thomas Joseph Toolen, sixth Bishop of Mobile.
[edit] Sports
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.[9] Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile is named in his honor as is the Hank Aaron Loop in downtown Mobile.[10]
- Tommy Aaron, Major League Baseball player[9].
- Bill Adair, Major League Baseball and manager[9].
- Terry Adams, Major League Baseball player.
- Willie Anderson, offensive lineman for the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals .
- Frank Bolling, Major League Baseball player[9].
- DeMarcus Cousins, NBA player for the Sacramento Kings.
- Cale Gale, NASCAR driver for KHI
- Bob Holly, professional wrestler known as "Hardcore Holly".
- Antonio Lang, former Duke men's basketball and NBA player.
- Tamaurice "Tee" Martin, former University of Tennessee, NFL and CFL quarterback. Led Tennessee to an undefeated season (13-0) and a National Championship in 1998.
- Willie McCovey, member of the Baseball Hall of Fame[9].
- Margaret Holgerson, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player.
- Bill Moody, professional wrestling manager better known as Percy Pringle and Paul Bearer.
- Amos Otis, Major League Baseball player[9].
- Jake Peavy, baseball pitcher, currently with the Chicago White Sox. Achieved National League Triple Crown in 2007 season and was the unanimous winner of the Cy Young Award.
- Satchel Paige, member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Satchel Paige Drive in Mobile is named in his honor.[9] [11]
- Juan Pierre, Major League Baseball player, currently with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
- JaMarcus Russell, QB, Oakland Raiders, LSU Alumni.
- Ozzie Smith, member of the Baseball Hall of Fame[9].
- Erick Walder, American long jumper.
- Billy Williams, Baseball Hall of Fame.
- Turner Ward, former major league baseball player,
- Chris Samuels,NFL lineman, Washington Redskins
- Chevis Jackson, NFL Defensive Back, Atlanta Falcons, LSU Alumni
- Dewarick Spencer, European Basketball Star, Chorale de Roanne Vitus Bologna, Efes Pilsen, Le Mans Sarthe Basket
- Scott Bolton, NFL wide receiver, Green Bay Packers
- Henry Monroe, NFL defensive back, Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles
[edit] Others
- Yolande Betbeze, Miss America 1951
- Michael Donald, lynching victim
- George Bigelow Rogers, architect
[edit] References
- ^ ""Winston Groom"". "Alabamiana, A Guide to Alabama". http://www.al.com/alabamiana/index.ssf?literary.html. Retrieved 2007-10-16.
- ^ ""Eugene Walter"". "The Internet Movie Database". http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0910022/bio. Retrieved 2007-10-16.
- ^ "Phil Gulley obituary". Press-Register. 2010-06-17. Archived from the original on 2010-07-03. http://www.rbj.net/article.asp?aID=181820. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
- ^ ""Joe Cain Articles"". Joe Danborn & Cammie East,Mobile Register, 2001.. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. http://web.archive.org/web/20070929135247/http://cainsmerrywidows.org/articles.html. Retrieved 2007-10-16.
- ^ Stuart, Amanda Mackenzie. Consuelo and Alva Vanderbilt: The Story of a Daughter and a Mother in the Gilded Age. New York: HarperCollins, 2006. ISBN 0066214181
- ^ ""Raphael Semmes"". "Alabama Hall of Fame". http://www.archives.state.al.us/famous/famebama.html. Retrieved 2007-10-16.
- ^ Buffett, J: A Pirate Looks at Fifty,page 402. Random House, 1998. ISBN 0679435271
- ^ ""Jimmy Buffett"". "Alabamiana, A Guide to Alabama". http://www.al.com/alabamiana/index.ssf?music.html. Retrieved 2007-10-16.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Reichler, Joseph L. The Baseball Encyclopedia, New York: Macmillan Publishing, 1979. ISBN 0025789708
- ^ "Baseball Page Bio". thebaseballpage.com. http://www.thebaseballpage.com/players/aaronha01.php. Retrieved 2007-10-16.
- ^ ""Satchel Paige"". "Satchel Paige Biography". http://www.satchelpaige.com/bio2.html. Retrieved 2007-10-16.
