List of people from Grand Forks, North Dakota
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The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Arts and entertainment
- Liz Anderson (1927–2011), country singer; grew up in Grand Forks
- Lynn Anderson (1947–2015), country singer; born in Grand Forks
- Maxwell Anderson, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, author, poet, reporter, lyricist
- Tom Brosseau, singer and songwriter, folk guitarist
- The Original Clark Sisters, close harmony singing group (1940s & 50s)
- Tony Fontane, gospel singer
- Joel Harlow, Academy Award-winning makeup effects artist
- Kam Heskin, actress
- Ezra Kire, guitarist for Choking Victim and Leftöver Crack
- Nicole Linkletter, winner of the 5th Cycle of America's Next Top Model
- Stuart McDonald, former editorial cartoonist, Grand Forks Herald
- Dickie Peterson, founding member of heavy metal rock band Blue Cheer ("Summertime Blues")
- Alan Ritchson, actor, singer, model
- James Rosenquist, artist
- Richard St. Clair, classical composer
- Natalie West, actress, Roseanne
Business
- Ralph Engelstad, Las Vegas casino owner, philanthropist
- Andrew Freeman, invented the block heater; manager of Minnkota Power Cooperative[citation needed]
- Sally J. Smith, president and CEO of Buffalo Wild Wings
Law, politics, and government
- Rick Clayburgh, North Dakota Tax Commissioner
- Ronald Davies, federal judge, ordered the integration of Little Rock Central High School
- James D. Gronna, North Dakota Secretary of State
- Gary Johnson, state congressman for Wisconsin
- Walter Maddock, 15th governor of North Dakota
- Pat Owens, Grand Forks mayor during the 1997 Red River Flood
- Leonard Peltier, American Indian activist; convicted of murder in the deaths of two FBI agents
- Dale V. Sandstrom, justice on the North Dakota Supreme Court
- Arthur G. Sorlie, 14th governor of North Dakota
Literature and journalism
- James M. Edie, philosopher
- Al McIntosh, newspaper editor, columns were featured in The War
- Jennie Shortridge, novelist
- Edward Kramer Thompson, editor of Life
- Era Bell Thompson, editor of Ebony[citation needed]
- George H. Walsh, newspaper editor, publisher, founding role with the University of North Dakota
- Walter Wangerin, Jr., author of religious novels and children's books
Military
- Charles W. Lindberg, Marine, part of the first raising the flag on Iwo Jima
Science
- Mancur Olson, economist, social scientist
Sport
- Brooks Bollinger, quarterback with the NFL's Minnesota Vikings
- T. J. Frier, football player
- Andrew Hampsten, champion cyclist
- Virgil Hill, boxer, Olympic silver medalist (1984)[citation needed]
- Ken Hunt, Major League Baseball outfielder
- Tim Johnson, Major League Baseball player and manager
- Jocelyne Lamoureux, women's ice hockey Olympic gold medalist
- Monique Lamoureux, women's ice hockey Olympic gold medalist
- Roger Maris, right fielder with the New York Yankees, hit record-breaking 61 home runs in 1961
- Doug McDermott, basketball player with the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder
- Tim Olson, baseball player with the Colorado Rockies
- Ryan Potulny, center for the NHL's Edmonton Oilers
- Cliff Purpur, first North Dakota native to become a NHL player
- Andy Schneider, defenseman with the Adler Mannheim