Famous Citizens Throughout the Richmond Region's History
From Founding Fathers to football stars, the Historic Richmond Region has seen its share of famous folks. Here's a sampling of some you might recognize:
• Thomas Jefferson
designed the Virginia State Capitol
• John Marshall
was the longest serving Chief Justice in Supreme Court history.
's first great case, "The Parson's Cause", was at Hanover Courthouse
, he lived and worked at Hanover Tavern
, delivered his "give me liberty or give me death" speech at St. John's Church
and lived at Scotchtown
lived at what is known today as Henricus Historical Park
• Maggie L. Walker
was the first African-American female founder and president of a bank.
• Oliver Hill
was a primary attorney in the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education civil rights case.
• L. Douglas Wilder
was the first African American governor in the U.S.
• Edgar Allan Poe
grew up in Richmond.
• Douglas Southall Freeman
, Pulitzer Prize winner, lived in Richmond.
• Tom Wolfe
, best-selling American author and journalist, was born and raised here.
• Patricia Cornwell
, a former resident, uses the Richmond Region as the setting for many of her novels.
• David Baldacci
, a best-selling novelist, was born and raised in Richmond.
• Arthur Ashe Jr.
, Wimbledon Champion and philanthropist, grew up here and learned to play tennis on Richmond's public tennis courts.
• Lanny Wadkins
, golfer, lived in Richmond.
• Ralph Sampson
, former player for NBA's Houston Rockets, lived here.
• Shawn Barber
, NFL player, attended high school and college in the Richmond Region.
• Willie Lanier
, NFL Hall of Famer, lives here.
• Jimmy Dean
, the sausage king, lived in the Richmond Region.
• Bill "Bojangles" Robinson
, born and discovered in Richmond, invented a new way to tap dance.
• Shirley MacLaine
, actress, lived here.
• Carbon Leaf
, a five-piece band playing Celtic roots rock, is based here.
• D'Angelo, R&B singer
, lives here.
• Matt Lauer
, co-host of NBC's Today Show, was once a local talk show host.
• Elliot Yamin
, American Idol finalist, grew up in Richmond.
Learn About Our Storied History
Fall in love with the Richmond Region's fun, exciting museums and attractions. Learn about the larger-than-life people who have made this area great. Start planning your trip now!