Biographical Records

Notable People from Kentucky

1,902 notable figures born in Kentucky, showing page 2 of 39, ranked by historical prominence.

James Best
James Best
American actor, musician, artist (1926-2015)
1926 – 2015
video game actorfilm screenwriterautobiographer
Naomi Judd
Naomi Judd
American singer and actress (1946–2022)
1946 – 2022
motivational speakerfilm actorsinger-songwriter
John T. Scopes
John T. Scopes
American schoolteacher (1900–1970)
1900 – 1970
geologistteacher
Wendell Ford
Wendell Ford
American politician (1924–2015)
1924 – 2015
politician
Robert Anderson
Robert Anderson
Union Army general (1805–1871)
1805 – 1871
military officermajor general
Michael Herr
American war correspondent, screenwriter (1940-2016)
1940 – 2016
opinion journalistnovelistfilm producer
John Pope
John Pope
Union United States Army general (1822–1892)
1822 – 1892
military officermajor general
Martha Layne Collins
Martha Layne Collins
American businesswoman and politician (1936–2025)
1936 – 2025
academic administratorpoliticianteacher
John Bell Hood
John Bell Hood
Confederate general (1831–1879)
1831 – 1879
military personnel
Stith Thompson
American folklorist (1885-1976)
1885 – 1976
anthropologistwriter
Vonda N. McIntyre
Vonda N. McIntyre
American science fiction writer (1948-2019)
1948 – 2019
science fiction writernovelistwriter
Simon Bolivar Buckner
Simon Bolivar Buckner
Confederate Army general (1823-1914)
1823 – 1914
journalistmilitary personnel
Alfred Francis Russell
Alfred Francis Russell
President of Liberia (1817-1884)
1817 – 1884
politician
Ralph Beard
Ralph Beard
American basketball player (1927–2007)
1927 – 2007
basketball player
Jim Bunning
Jim Bunning
American baseball player and politician (1931–2017)
1931 – 2017
baseball playerinvestment companypolitician
Billy Gilbert
Billy Gilbert
American comedian and actor (1894–1971)
1894 – 1971
film actorvoice actorfilm director
Frederick William Franz
Frederick William Franz
American Watch Tower Society president (1893–1992)
1893 – 1992
preacher
Terry Bisson
Terry Bisson
American science fiction and fantasy author (1942–2024)
1942 – 2024
science fiction writerfantasy authornovelist
Tony Snow
Tony Snow
American White House Press Secretary (1955-2008)
1955 – 2008
radio personalitytelevision presenterjournalist
David Rice Atchison
David Rice Atchison
United States Senator from Missouri (1807–1886)
1807 – 1886
military officerpoliticianlawyer
Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr.
Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr.
American lieutenant general during World War II (1886–1945)
1886 – 1945
soldiermilitary personnel
Nathaniel Cartmell
Nathaniel Cartmell
American athlete (1883-1967)
1883 – 1967
athletics competitorbasketball coachbasketball player
Allen Tate
American poet, essayist and social commentator (1899–1979)
1899 – 1979
criticliterary criticuniversity teacher
Boots Randolph
Boots Randolph
American musician (1927–2007)
1927 – 2007
saxophonistmusician
Stephen F. Cohen
American historian (1938-2020)
1938 – 2020
Russian studies scholaruniversity teacherjournalist
Adrian Smith
Adrian Smith
American basketball player
1936 – 2026
basketball playerbanker
John J. Crittenden
John J. Crittenden
U.S. Attorney General and politician from Kentucky (1787-1863)
1787 – 1863
juristgovernorpolitician
William T. Anderson
William T. Anderson
American guerrilla fighter (1839–1864)
1839 – 1864
partisanmilitary personnelgangster
Willis Augustus Lee
Willis Augustus Lee
admiral (1888-1945)
1888 – 1945
sport shooteraircraft pilotmilitary officer
Marvin Hart
Marvin Hart
American boxer (1876–1931)
1876 – 1931
boxer
Happy Chandler
Happy Chandler
American politician, Governor of Kentucky, Baseball Commissioner (1898-1991)
1898 – 1991
baseball playerbasketball coachpolitician
Countee Cullen
Countee Cullen
American author (1903–1946)
1903 – 1946
novelistchildren's writerpoet
Robert Monroe
American founder of The Monroe Institute (1915–1995)
1915 – 1995
businesspersonwriter
Tommy Kirk
Tommy Kirk
American actor (1941–2021)
1941 – 2021
television actoractor
Mia Zapata
American singer (1965–1993)
1965 – 1993
singer
Thomas Corwin
Thomas Corwin
American politician (1794-1865)
1794 – 1865
finance ministerambassadordiplomat
John Buford
John Buford
Union Army General (1826-1863)
1826 – 1863
military officer
Virginia Pearson
Virginia Pearson
American stage and film actress (1886-1958)
1886 – 1958
silent film actorfilm actorstage actor
Irvin S. Cobb
Irvin S. Cobb
American writer (1876-1944)
1876 – 1944
humoristshort story writerfilm actor
Cleanth Brooks
American literary critic and academic (1906–1994)
1906 – 1994
philologistliterary historianliterary critic
Paul Fannin
Paul Fannin
Republican governor of and U.S. Senator from Arizona (1907–2002)
1907 – 2002
politicianbusinessperson
Stanley G. Weinbaum
Stanley G. Weinbaum
American writer (1902-1935)
1902 – 1935
science fiction writernovelistwriter
Elizabeth Hardwick
American writer and literary critic (1916–2007)
1916 – 2007
essayistnovelistliterary critic
Billy Vaughn
Billy Vaughn
American singer, multi-instrumentalist, orchestra leader, and A&R man for Dot Records (1919-1991)
1919 – 1991
music executivemulti-instrumentalistbandleader
Merle Travis
Merle Travis
American country/Western singer-songwriter and musician
1917 – 1983
guitaristsongwritermusician
Milton George Henschel
Milton George Henschel
American Watch Tower Society president (1920–2003)
1920 – 2003
preacher
Abraham Flexner
Abraham Flexner
American educator
1866 – 1959
biographerpedagoguephysician
Simon Flexner
Simon Flexner
American scientist (1863-1946)
1863 – 1946
non-fiction writerbacteriologistmicrobiologist
Garrett Morgan
Garrett Morgan
American inventor (1877–1963)
1877 – 1963
inventorbusinessperson
John Sherman Cooper
John Sherman Cooper
American politician, jurist, and diplomat (1901–1991)
1901 – 1991
American football playerdiplomatjurist
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