This is a list of prominent people who were born in, lived in, or are otherwise closely associated with the United States Virgin Islands (which are composed of the islands of St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas). This list does not include people from the British Virgin Islands. The list covers notable individuals who have garnered international recognition in artistic, cultural, economic, historical, notorious, and political arenas.

Actors, filmmakers, and models

Lisa Canning (born 1966), television actress from St. Thomas. Omari K. Chancellor, actor born and raised in St. Croix. Lilibet Foster, filmmaker raised in St. Thomas. Kelsey Grammer (born 1955), actor, born in St. Thomas. Janelle James (born 1979), actor, born in St. Thomas. Hannah Jeter (born 1990), Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue model; born and raised on St. Thomas. Janeisha John (b. 1988), model from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Jasmin St. Claire (born 1970), adult film actress, born in St. Croix.

Artists La Vaughn Belle (born 1974), artist from St. Thomas. Peter Bentzon (1783-1850), silversmith from St. Croix. Urania P. Cummings (1899-1978), artist born in St. Thomas. Austin Hansen (1910-1996), photographer born in St. Thomas. Christine Jowers, dancer and dance critic raised in St. Thomas. Fraser Kershaw, philanthropist, film artist from St. Croix. Fritz Melbye (1826–1869), marine painter; born in Denmark, lived and painted in the Danish West Indies. Ademola Olugebefola (b. 1941), multidisciplinary artist from St. Thomas. Camille Pissarro (1830–1903), artist, French Impressionist painter from St. Thomas.

Athletes A

Anne Abernathy (born 1953), luge and archery athlete from the U.S. Virgin Islands.

B Raja Bell (born 1976), former professional basketball player born in St. Croix. Tombi Bell (born 1979), former professional basketball player born in St. Croix. Aliyah Boston (born 2001), professional basketball player, born in St. Thomas. Livingstone Bramble (1960–2025), former professional boxing champion; born on St. Kitts & Nevis, raised on St. Croix. Jerry Browne (born 1966), professional baseball player from St. Croix.

C

Jasmine Campbell (born 1991), alpine skier representing the Virgin Islands, born in St. John. John Campbell (skier) (born 1962), alpine skier competing for the U.S. Virgin Islands. Joe Christopher (1935–2023), first baseball player born in the territory to play in Major League Baseball. Horace Clarke (1940–2020), professional baseball player, born in Frederiksted, St. Croix. Callix Crabbe (born 1983), Major League Baseball Player born in St. Thomas. Midre Cummings (born 1971), professional baseball player, born in Christiansted.

D

Nicholas D'Amour (b. 2001), Olympic archer from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tim Duncan (born 1976), former professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs, born in St. Croix.

G

Emile Griffith (1938–2013), professional boxing champion, born in Solberg.

H

Elrod Hendricks (1940–2005), professional baseball player and coach, born in Charlotte Amalie. Peter Holmberg (born 1960), Olympic sailor; as of 2016, the first member of the USVI Olympic Team to win an Olympic medal.

J

John Jackson (born 1989), former Olympic boxer from the Virgin Islands, convicted on various charges. Julian Jackson (born 1960), former professional boxing champion, born in St. Thomas. Julius Jackson (born 1987), professional boxer, born in St. Thomas. LaVerne Jones-Ferrette (born 1981), professional sprinter and Olympian from the Virgin Islands.

N

Milt Newton (born 1965), former professional basketball player; administrator for multiple NBA teams, born in St. Thomas. P

Calvin Pickering (born 1976), professional baseball player born in St. Thomas. Elmo Plaskett (1938-1998), baseball player from the US Virgin Islands.

S

"Sugar" Ray Seales (born 1952), the only American boxer to win gold in the 1972 Summer Olympics, born in St. Croix.

T Valmy Thomas (1925-2010), first man from the Virgin Islands to play in the Major Leagues, from St. Croix.

Educators

Pamela Balash-Webber (1953-2020), diving instructor and ocean conservationist from St. Thomas. Olasee Davis, educator born in St. Thomas and working in St. Croix. Delta Dorsch (1915 - 2011), was an educator and preserver of cultural history of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Safiya George, sixth president of the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI). David Hall, president emeritus of UVI. Doris Jadan (1925 - 2004), environmentalist teacher, author and journalist from St. John. Orville E. Kean (1938 - 2025), mathematician and educator who served as president of the University of the Virgin Islands. Camille McKayle (born 1964), mathematician and Provost of the UVI. Alonzo G. Morón (1909 - 1971), educator and first Black president of Hampton Institute, born in St. Thomas. Jelani Nelson (b. 1984), American professor from St. Thomas. LaVerne E. Ragster (b. 1951), marine biologist and former president of the UVI. Malik Sekou (b. 1964), professor at the UVI. Erika J. Waters, former professor at UVI, founder of the Caribbean Writer literary journal. Edith L. Williams (1887-1987), educator and suffragist in St. Thomas.

Entrepreneurs Sosthenes Behn (1882–1957), founder of the Puerto Rico Telephone Company and ITT Corporation, born in the Virgin Islands. (131 - 1902), engineer migrated in Peru, a pioneer of the submarine navigation. Stede Bonnet (1688 - 1718), buccaneer, active in the Virgin Islands. Edith Bornn (1922-2010) first woman to have a private law practice in St. Thomas. Annie de Chabert (1908 - 1976), businesswoman and civic activist in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Ella Gifft (1882-1964), suffragist and entrepreneur in St. Thomas. Jean Hamlin (died 1696), buccaneer active in the Virgin Islands. Casper Holstein (1877-1944), numbers racketeer and philanthropist born in Christiansted. William Kidd (c. 1645 – 1701), buccaneer, active in the Virgin Islands. Henry L. Kimelman (1921 - 2009), entrepreneur in the Virgin Islands and former ambassador. William Leidesdorff, (1810–1848), entrepreneur, born in St. Croix. Laurance Rockefeller (1910 -2004), wealthy heir who purchased two-thirds of St. John island for tourism and ecological preservation. Tempest Rogers (1672 or 1675–1704), buccaneer, active in the Virgin Islands. Bartholomew Sharp, (c. 1650–1702), buccaneer, active in the Virgin Islands.

Historians Arnold R. Highfield (1940 - 2019), historian and professor known for his historical writing on the U.S. Virgin Islands. Agnes King (1919 - 2003), historic preservationist and gardener from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Turkiya Lowe (b. 1977), historian and public history scholar who worked in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Arturo Alfonso Schomburg (1874–1938), historian, writer, activist, namesake of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture; born in Puerto Rico to a mother from St. Croix, attended school on St. Thomas.

Medical professionals

Ianthe Blyden (1899–1984), president of the Virgin Island Nurses' Association. Donna Christensen (b. 1945), physician and politician from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Cora LeEthel Christian, first native woman from the U.S. Virgin Islands to earn a medical degree. Sascha James-Conterelli, nurse-midwife from St. Croix. Catherine Alicia Georges (b. 1944), registered nurse, professor, and nonprofit executive Marcella Nunez-Smith, physician and scientist originally from the Virgin Islands. Albert Heinrich Riise (1810–1882), often referred to as A. H. Riise, was a Danish pharmacist and Rum manufacturer from St. Thomas in the Danish West Indies. Myrah Keating Smith (1908–1994), the only health provider on St. John for two decades.

Musicians and dancers Alton Adams (1889–1987), musician, first black bandmaster in the United States Navy. Bennie Benjamin (1907–1989), composer, born in Christiansted, St. Croix. De Apostle, reggae musician born in St. Croix. Delyno Brown (born 1981), reggae artist from St. Thomas. Denis Charles (1933 - 1998), jazz drummer from St. Croix. Ismay Duvivier (1903 - 2004), dancer, entertainer and later a nurse; born in St. Croix. Charles Emanuel (1891-1979), educator, musician, composer, and community activist Vanessa Daou (born 1967), international singer-songwriter, dancer, writer, poet, grew up in the Virgin Islands. Norma Krasinski, singer and actress from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Jon Lucien (1942–2007), vocalist and musician; born on the island of Tortola and raised on Saint Thomas. Sylvester McIntosh (1934 - 2017), singer and bandleader from St. Croix. Midnite (band), roots reggae band from St. Croix. Rich Nice, rapper from St. John. Rock City, musical duo also known as R. City, from the Virgin Islands. Reuben Rogers (b. 1974), jazz musician from the Virgin Islands. Rashawn Ross, (born 1979), trumpeter, arranger, session musician and a member of the Dave Matthews Band. Born in St Thomas. Theron Thomas (born 1982), member of musical duo Rock City

Political leaders A

Archie Alexander (1888–1958), mathematician, engineer, former Governor of the Virgin Islands.

B

Samuel Baptiste (b. 1963), politician from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Judah P. Benjamin (1811–1884), first Jewish U.S. Senator; Secretary of State, Confederate States of America, born in St. Croix. Lorraine Berry (1949-2010), legislator from St. Thomas. Edward Wilmot Blyden (1832–1912), Liberian educator, writer, diplomat, and politician born in St. Thomas. Angel Bolques Jr., politician from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Bertha C. Boschulte (1906 - 2004), educator, women's rights activist and politician from St. Thomas. Julio Brady (1942 - 2015), judge and politician from the US Virgin Islands. Mario Brooks (b. 1971), police commissioner from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Albert Bryan Jr. (b. 1968), ninth governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

C Frank Rudolph Crosswaith (1892–1965), socialist and labor leader born in the Virgin Islands. Ansetta de Chabert (1908-1976), businesswoman and civic activist. Ralph de Magne de Chabert (1890-1955), civic leader, educator, editor, and administrator, born in Frederiksted, St. Croix.

D

Eric E. Dawson (1937 - 2017), former U.S. Virgin Islands senator. Ron De Lugo (1930–2020), St. Croix politician and former candidate for governor. Francis J. D'Eramo (1959 - 2009), judge from the U.S. Virgin islands. Soraya Diase Coffelt (b. 1958), lawyer judge and former candidate for governor of the Virgin Islands. Lawrence William Cramer (1897 - 1978), first civilian lieutenant governor for the U.S. Virgin Islands. Adlah Donastorg Jr. (b. 1961), legislator and gubernatorial candidate from the Virgin Islands.

E

Melvin H. Evans (1917 - 1984), first elected governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

F

J'Ada Finch-Sheen, lawyer and attorney who served as the Attorney General of the US Virgin Islands. Ray Fonseca (politician) (b. 1959), legislator from the Virgin Islands. Gregory Francis (b. 1951), American politician, born in St. Croix. Novelle Francis, Jr, politician from the US Virgin Islands. Rothschild Francis (1891–1963), activist, civil rights leader, councilman and newspaper editor from the Virgin Islands. Victor O. Frazer (b. 1943), lawyer and politician from the Virgin Islands.

G

Denise George (b. 1959), served as the attorney general for the U.S. Virgin Islands. Kenneth Gittens, politician from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Moses Gottlieb, from St. Croix, led an uprising on July 3, 1848 which forced the Danish government to abolish slavery. Clifford Graham, former member of the Virgin Islands legislature. Octavius Cato Granady (1885-1928), African American lawyer and politician, and Afro-Caribbean civil rights activist

H

Alexander Hamilton (1755–1804), first United States Secretary of the Treasury, an American "founding father", economist, and political philosopher; born in Nevis, raised on St. Croix.