This is a list of prominent people who were born in the state of Rhode Island or who spent significant periods of their lives in the state.
Academia
James Burrill Angell (1829–1916) – educator, academic administrator, and diplomat Glen Bowersock (born 1936) – scholar of the ancient world and the history of ancient Greece, Rome, and the Near East
Robert Carothers (born 1942) – president of the University of Rhode Island Ronald Champagne (born 1942) – president of Elmira College, Merrimack College, and Shimer College Sarah Doyle (1830–1922) – educator and reformer Paula Fredriksen (born 1951) – historian and scholar of religious studies Henry Giroux (born 1943) – radical educator and cultural critic Neil Lanctot (born 1966) – historian Francis Leo Lawrence (1937–2013) – educator, scholar of French literature, and university administrator Edward T. Lewis (also known as Ted Lewis) (born 1936) – president of St. Mary's College of Maryland, president of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, writer, and poet Helen Adelia Rowe Metcalf (1830–1895) – founder and director of the Rhode Island School of Design Barry Mills (born 1950) – fourteenth president of Bowdoin College Salvatore D. Morgera (born 1946) – Professor of Electrical Engineering at University of South Florida Wilfred Harold Munro (1849–1934) – historian Richard Vangermeersch (born 1940) – economist, Emeritus Professor of Accounting at the University of Rhode Island Minton Warren (1850–1907) – classical scholar
Activism, civil rights, and philanthropy
Susan Hammond Barney (1834–1922) – social activist Josephine Byrd – civil rights activist in Woonsocket, RI Zechariah Chafee (1885–1957) – judicial philosopher, civil rights advocate Elizabeth Buffum Chace (1806–1899) – activist in the anti-slavery, women's-rights, and prison-reform movements of the mid-to-late 19th century Ann Keefe (1952–2015) – social activist and nun Richard Holcomb (born 1976) – human rights advocate, street outreach worker, HIV prevention counselor, and co-founder of Project Weber/Renew Cornelia Bryce Pinchot (1881–1960) – Newport native who became a conservationist, Progressive politician, women's rights activist, and First Lady of Pennsylvania Mary Reilly (born 1930) – teacher, leader, advocate for girls and women living in poverty Abby Aldrich Rockefeller (1874–1948) – philanthropist Marvin Ronning (1961–2022) – education and environmental advocate; senior administrator at the Rhode Island Free Clinic Juanita Sánchez (died 1992) – social worker and social activist Robert Ellis Smith (1940–2018) – publisher and consumer activist, Privacy Journal; civil rights journalist in Alabama Dorcas James Spencer (1841–1933) – social activist and writer Marjorie van Vliet (1923–1990) – teacher and aviator
Rye Barcott (born 1978)- social entrepreneur and CEO of With Honor
Art, literature, and design
Jacob M. Appel (born 1973) – novelist John Noble Barlow (1861–1917) – painter Lee Bontecou (1931–2022) – sculptor and printmaker Mary H. Gray Clarke (1835–1892) – author, correspondent, and poet George M. Cohan (1878–1942) – playwright, composer, and vaudeville performer Paul Di Filippo (born 1954) – science fiction author and critic Denise Duhamel (born 1961) – poet Judith Dupré – author C. M. Eddy Jr. (1896–1967) – author Jeanpaul Ferro (born 1967) – poet, short fiction author, novelist F. Burge Griswold (1826–1900) – author John Hawkes (1925–1998) – novelist Greta Hodgkinson (born 1973) – ballet dancer Ann Hood (born 1956) – novelist and short story writer Raymond Mathewson Hood (1881–1934) – architect Galway Kinnell (1927–2014) – poet Eleanor Kirk (1831–1908) – author, publisher Christopher La Farge (1897–1956) – novelist and poet Jhumpa Lahiri (born 1967) – Pulitzer Prize-author H. P. Lovecraft (1890–1937) – author Maxwell Mays (1918–2009) – painter David Macaulay (born 1946) – author Cormac McCarthy (1933–2023) – novelist Don McGregor (born 1945) – comic book writer Edwin O'Connor (1918–1968) – novelist S.J. Perelman (1904–1979) – humorist, critic Peter Pezzelli (born 1959) – author David Plante (born 1940) – novelist George Schuyler (1895–1977) – author Bert Shurtleff (1897–1967) – author Gilbert Stuart (1755–1828) – painter Philemon Sturges (1929–2005) – architect and children's author Cynthia Taggart (1801–1849) – poet Thomas Alexander Tefft (1826–1859) – architect Chrysanthemum Tran – poet Trav S.D. (born 1965) – author, playwright, arts journalist Don Winslow (born 1953) – author
Athletics
A–G
Lou Abbruzzi (1917–1982) – football player Pat Abbruzzi (1932–1998) – football player Noel Acciari (born 1991) – ice hockey player Gary Albright (1963–2000) – wrestler Bill Almon (born 1952) – baseball player Deon Anderson (born 1983) – football player Billy Andrade (born 1964) – golfer Demetrius Andrade (born 1988) – boxer Earl Audet (1921–2002) – football player Rocco Baldelli (born 1981) – baseball player, manager Marvin Barnes (1952–2014) – basketball player Elizabeth Beisel (born 1992) – Olympic swimmer (2008, 2012) Jeff Beliveau (born 1987) – baseball player Curt Bennett (born 1948) – ice hockey player Harvey Bennett (born 1952) – ice hockey player John Bennett (born 1950) – ice hockey player Bryan Berard (born 1977) – ice hockey player Will Blackmon (born 1984) – football player Brian Boucher (born 1977) – ice hockey player Paul Briggs (1920–2011) – football player Ellison "Tarzan" Brown (1913–1975) – two-time Boston Marathon champion and U.S. Olympian Brian Burke (born 1955) – ice hockey executive Ernie Calverley (1924–2003) – basketball player Dave Capuano (born 1968) – ice hockey player Jack Capuano (born 1966) – ice hockey player, head coach Keith Carney (born 1970) – ice hockey player and U.S. Olympian (1998) Marissa Castelli (born 1990) – Olympic pairs figure skater (2014) Tom Cavanagh (1982–2011) – hockey player Malcolm Chance (1875–1955) – Hall of Fame tennis player Mike Cloud (born 1975) – football player Fred Corey (1855–1912) – baseball player Miguel Cotto (born 1980) – boxer Jill Craybas (born 1974) – tennis player Sara DeCosta (born 1977) – Olympic ice hockey champion and silver medalist (1998, 2002) Al Del Greco (born 1962) – football player, radio personality Ernie DiGregorio (born 1951) – basketball player Clark Donatelli (born 1967) – ice hockey player and U.S. Olympian (1988, 1992) Allen Doyle (born 1948) – golfer Pat Duff (1875–1925) – baseball player David Duke Jr. (born 1999) – basketball player Anthony Durante (1967–2003) – professional wrestler Joe Exter (born 1978) – ice hockey player Brad Faxon (born 1961) – golfer Claire Waters Ferguson (1936–2024) – ice skating executive Melissa Fiorentino (born 1977) – boxer Steve Furness (1950–2000) – football player, coach Tom Garrick (born 1966) – basketball player Rob Gaudreau (born 1970) – ice hockey player Dave Gavitt (1937–2011) – basketball coach Billy Gonsalves (1908–1977) – soccer player Lou Gorman (1929–2011) – baseball executive Paul Guay (born 1963) – ice hockey player
H–Z
Gabby Hartnett (1900–1972) – baseball player Joe Hassett (born 1955) – basketball player Tom Healey (1853–1891) – baseball player Anne Hird (born 1959) – pioneering marathon runner P. H. Horgan III (born 1960) – golfer Tony Horton (born 1958) – physical fitness expert Robert Howard (1975–2004) – 1996 and 2000 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team John Hynes (born 1975) – ice hockey head coach Matt Hyson (born 1970) – wrestler Chris Iannetta (born 1983) – baseball player Drew Inzer (born 1979) – football player Jeff Jillson (born 1980) – ice hockey player Steven King (born 1969) – ice hockey player Tyler Kolek (born 2001) – basketball player Paul Konerko (born 1976) – baseball player Clem Labine (1926–2007) – baseball player Nap Lajoie (1874–1959) – Hall of Fame baseball player Clara LaMore (1926–2021) – International Swimming Hall of Fame inductee Lou Lamoriello (born 1942) – ice hockey executive Rick Lancellotti (born 1956) – baseball player John LaRose (1951–2021) – baseball player Brian Lawton (born 1965) – hockey player Ricky Ledo (born 1992) – basketball player Ed Lee (born 1961) – ice hockey player David Littman (born 1967) – ice hockey player Davey Lopes (born 1945) – baseball player and coach Peter Manfredo (born 1980) – boxer Joe Mazzulla (born 1988) – basketball coach Ken McDonald (born 1970) – basketball player, coach John Mellekas (1933–2015) – football player Tom Mellor (born 1950) – hockey player and U.S. Olympian (1972) Ray Monaco (1918–2002) – football player Chet Nichols Jr. (1931–1995) – baseball player Bill Osmanski (1915–1996) – College Football Hall of Fame inductee Chuck Palumbo (born 1971) – wrestler Don Panciera (1927–2012) – football player Michael Parkhurst (born 1984) – soccer player, U.S. Olympian, and Rhode Island FC co-founder Les Pawson (1905–1992) – two-time Boston Marathon winner Kwity Paye (born 1998) – football player Vinny Paz (born 1962) – boxer, five-time world champion Gerry Philbin (born 1941) – football player David Quinn (born 1966) – ice hockey player Joe Reed (born 1948) – football player Aileen Riggin (1906–2002) – swimmer Bill Sandeman (born 1942) – football player Mathieu Schneider (born 1969) – professional ice hockey player Bobby Sewall (born 1988) – football player Bert Shurtleff (1897–1967) – football player Jamie Silva (born 1984) – football player Jim Siwy (born 1958) – baseball player A. J. Smith (born 1949) – football executive Hank Soar (1914–2001) – football player Joe Soares – rugby player Sean Soriano (born 1989) – mixed martial artist Andre Soukhamthath (born 1988) – mixed martial artist Mike Stefanik (1958–2019) – NASCAR driver Bill Summers (1895–1966) – Major League Baseball umpire Cole Swider (born 1999) – basketball player Chris Terreri (born 1964) – NHL goalie, two Stanley Cups and U.S. Olympian (1988) Mark Van Eeghen (born 1952) – NFL Pro Bowl running back Dan Wheeler (born 1977) – baseball player Cody Wild (born 1987) – ice hockey player Mason Williams (born 1991) – baseball player Ron Wilson (born 1955) – ice hockey player, head coach Jeff Xavier (born 1985) – basketball player
Business
Zachariah Allen (1795–1882) – textile manufacturer, scientist, lawyer, writer, inventor and civil leader Everett M. "Busy" Arnold (1899–1974) – comic book publisher F. Nelson Blount (1918–1967) – industrialist and railroad enthusiast, founder of the Blount Seafood Corporation and Steamtown, USA John Brown (1736–1803) – merchant and slave-trader, original owner of the John Brown House, co-founder of the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations (Brown University) Moses Brown (1738–1836) – co-founder of the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations (Brown University) Nicholas Brown Jr. (1769–1841) – businessman and philanthropist for whom Brown University is named Robert Crandall (born 1935) – former president and chairman of American Airlines Glenn Creamer (born 1962) – senior managing director of Providence Equity Partners Marcel Desaulniers (born 1945) – chef and director emeritus of the Culinary Institute of America Wylie Dufresne (born 1970) – celebrity chef, owner of wd~50 restaurant in Manhattan Ann Smith Franklin (1696–1763) – publisher Darius Goff (1809–1891) – Pawtucket textile mill owner Catherine Littlefield Greene (1755–1814) – patriot of the American Revolutionary War Daniel Harple (born 1959) – entrepreneur, investor, inventor Brad Jacobs (born 1956) – chairman and chief executive officer of XPO Logistics Laura Lang – former chief executive officer of Time Inc. Aaron Lopez (1731–1782) – slave merchant and philanthropist, wealthiest person in Newport Edward J. McElroy (born 1941) – labor union executive James McNerney (born 1949) – business executive