This is a list of people who were born in, lived in, or are closely associated with the city of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Academia Graham Tillett Allison Jr., political scientist and professor at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University Katharine Cramer Angell, one of two named founders of The Culinary Institute of AmericaWildstein, Eric. (September 27, 2017). Who is Katharine Cramer Angell?. Gaston Gazette. Retrieved October 30, 2020. James W. Crawford III, president, Texas Southern University Sonya Curry, educator Christopher Ellison, sociologist specializing in the sociology of religion Chris Folk, served in the office of School Community Relations for the Charlotte Mecklenburg County Schools during desegregation Martha Louise Morrow Foxx, pioneering educator for the blindMartha Louise Morrow Foxx. Retrieved October 30, 2020. Edith Henderson, landscape architectEdith Harrison Henderson | The Cultural Landscape Foundation. Retrieved October 30, 2020. John Kuykendall, served as 15th president of Davidson CollegeJohn Kuykendall. townofdavidson.org. Retrieved October 30, 2020. Paul Marion, university administrator and academic George C. Williams, evolutionary biologist Anne D. Yoder, biologist, researcher, and professor

Art and literature

Romare Bearden (1911–1988), artist and writer Brian Blanchfield, poet and essayist Jason V. Brock, filmmaker, musician, artist, and author Don Brown, author and attorney W. J. Cash, writer and journalist Silas Farley, ballet dancer, choreographer and educator Ian Flynn, comic book writer Brent Funderburk, artist Jeffrey Gitomer, business book author Harry Golden, author Hank Hanegraaff, author, radio talk-show host, former advocate of evangelical Christianity (until 2017 with his conversion to Eastern Orthodox faith) Cheris F. Hodges, author Travis Jeppesen, author Ben Long, artist, most known for his fresco work and drawings Carson McCullers, author Jenny Offill, novelist Diane Oliver (1943–1966), Black feminist writer Kathy Reichs, anthropologist and author Stephanie S. Tolan, children's book author Mel Tomlinson, ballet and modern dancer Justin Tornow, dancer and choreographer Mary Oates Spratt Van Landingham, writer, historian, and clubwoman

Business

Cy Bahakel, former North Carolina state senator and media magnate, instrumental in bringing the Charlotte Hornets franchise to Charlotte Irwin Belk, businessman and politician, executive with Belk department stores Jim Crockett Jr., former professional wrestling promoter Richard Darman, businessman and government official who served in senior positions during the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush Elisabeth DeMarse, businesswoman, former chairman and CEO of TheStreet James Buchanan Duke, industrialist, founder of The Duke Endowment and Duke University Jay Faison, entrepreneur and a conservative philanthropist, founder of the ClearPath Foundation Jack Fulk (1932–2011), founder of fast-food chain Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits Earl Patterson Hall, real estate developer and businessman who founded Carowinds Robert L. Johnson, co-founder of BET, former majority owner of then Charlotte Bobcats, first black American billionaire Michael Jordan, former professional Hall of Fame basketball player, principal owner and chairman of the Charlotte Hornets Herman Lay, involved in potato chip manufacturing with his eponymous brand of Lay's potato chips Leon Levine, founder of Family Dollar; billionaire, businessman and philanthropist Michael Marsicano, president and CEO of the Foundation for the Carolinas, one of the largest philanthropic community foundations in the country in terms of assets Hugh McColl, former chairman and CEO of Bank of America Bruton Smith, billionaire; founder and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. and founder of Sonic Automotive Clemmie Spangler, businessman, former president of the 16-campus University of North Carolina system, 1986–1997; was No. 117 on Forbes list of 400 richest Americans David S. Taylor, business executive; chairman, president, and CEO of Procter & Gamble Robert Yates, former owner of NASCAR Cup Series team Yates Racing

Entertainment

Tyler Barnhardt, actor, best known for Underground, 13 Reasons Why Melendy Britt, actress Ben Browder, actor, Farscape and Stargate SG-1 Nick Cannon, television host, rapper, actor, comedian, attended Quail Hollow Middle School Ayesha Curry, actress, celebrity cook, author Mark Freiburger, filmmaker Rohit Gupta, film director, producer Ali Hillis, actress Lauren Holt, actress, comedian, singer, and cast member of Saturday Night Live Brian Huskey, actor, comedian, and writer Billy James, musician, producer, and writer Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, actor, former professional wrestler, attended Montclaire Elementary School Sharon Lawrence, actress, known for NYPD Blue Chyler Leigh, actress Ross McElwee, documentary filmmaker; professor at Harvard University Kenice Mobley, comedian Eva Noblezada, actress, singer QCP, chef, author Jim Rash, actor in NBC/Yahoo's Community Britt Robertson, actress Gloria Saunders, actress Randolph Scott, actor, 1940s and '50s film star Jessica Stroup, actress, best known for portraying Erin Silver on 90210 Berlinda Tolbert, actress on CBS sitcom The Jeffersons Skeet Ulrich, actor, Jericho; graduate of Northwest Cabarrus High School Earl Wentz, actor, pianist, composer, and musical director, known for his creation of the American Composer Series in 2000 Maurice Williams, songwriter and performer of Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs, famous for "Stay"

Government and law

Alma Adams, member of the United States House of Representatives, 2015-present; member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, 1994–2014 Armistead Burwell, associate justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, 1892–1894 Rebecca Carney, Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly Daniel G. Clodfelter, attorney and politician, Democratic mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina Charlie Smith Dannelly, educator and politician, Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly Walter E. Dellinger III, professor and solicitor Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr., mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina 1935–1941 Anthony Foxx, 17th United States Secretary of Transportation, and mayor of Charlotte (2009–2013) Jim Gulley, member of the North Carolina General AssemblyJames Gulley Obituary - Charlotte, NC. Dignity Memorial. Retrieved July 3, 2020. Richard Hudson, United States representative for North Carolina's 8th congressional district Jeff Jackson, 52nd attorney general of North Carolina; former United States representative for North Carolina's 14th congressional district and North Carolina state senator for the 37th district Cheslie Kryst, lawyer; Miss North Carolina USA 2019 and Miss USA 2019 Pat McCrory, 74th governor of North Carolina; longest-serving mayor in Charlotte's history (1995–2009) James McDuffie, North Carolina state senator James B. McMillan, federal judge who ruled in favor of school busing to integrate Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools Cameron A. Morrison, governor of North Carolina Sara Virginia Ecker Watts Morrison, First Lady of North Carolina Angelia Lawrance Morrison Harris, First Lady of North Carolina Mick Mulvaney, former United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland and White House Chief of Staff in the first Trump administration, attended Charlotte Catholic High School Sue Myrick, member of the United States House of Representatives; mayor of Charlotte (1987–1991) Sarah Parker, chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court (born in Charlotte) Robert Pittenger, real estate investor; Republican former state senator in the North Carolina General Assembly (2002–2008) Jennifer Roberts, politician, community activist, and 58th mayor of Charlotte Toussaint Romain, attorney, public defender, and civil rights figure Ruth Samuelson, member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's 104th House district John Spratt, United States representative for South Carolina's 5th congressional district Mike Sprayberry, North Carolina director of Emergency ManagementMorrill, Jim. (May 3, 2020). Floods, hurricanes and now a pandemic: Meet Mike Sprayberry, leader in the eye of N.C. storms. Greensboro News & Record. Retrieved May 15, 2021. Randy Staten, Minnesota state representative and football player Anne Tompkins, served as the United States attorney for the United States District Court for the Western District of North CarolinaMorrill, J. (2019). Ex-prosecutor Anne Tompkins flips sides in defending man at center of NC bribery case. The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved July 3, 2020. Richard Vinroot, attorney and mayor of Charlotte (1991–1995) RaShon Young, member of the Florida House of Representatives

Journalism and media

John Bain (1984–2018), British game commentator Heather Childers, television news anchorThéoden, Janes. (October 10, 2017). You’d have to wake up pretty early to compete with Fox News’ Heather Childers. The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved October 19, 2020. Leigh Diffey, auto racing commentator William Emerson (1923–2009), journalist; covered the civil rights era as Newsweeks first bureau chief assigned to cover the Southern United States; later editor in chief of The Saturday Evening PostApplebome, Peter. "William A. Emerson Jr., Editor in Chief of Saturday Evening Post, Dies at 86", The New York Times, August 26, 2009. Retrieved August 30, 2009. Sandy Grady (1928–2015), sports journalist Mark Kemp, music journalist and author Anna Kooiman, news anchor and television panelist Jim Nantz, CBS television sportscaster Maureen O'Boyle, formerly of Current Affair and Extra; now newscaster for WBTV Brad Panovich (born 1972), chief meteorologist for WCNC-TV Joe Posnanski, sports journalist Bill Rosinski, sportscaster and talk show hostBill Rosinski - Compass Media Networks. Retrieved October 19, 2020. Sandra Mims Rowe, newspaper journalist Reed Sarratt, journalist Beatrice Thompson, broadcast television and radio personalityHow Did Beatrice Thompson Become Charlotte’s First African-American Female TV News Anchor?. newsgeneration.com. Retrieved October 19, 2020.

Military and aviation

Jerry K. Crump, soldier in the United States Army; received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Korean WarJerry Crump - Recipient - Hall of Valor. Retrieved Aug 2, 2020. Richard T. Devereaux, retired United States Air Force Major GeneralPolaris, 1978. Charles Duke, NASA astronaut, United States Air Force officer and test pilot, 10th person to walk on the Moon Jack B. Farris, United States Army lieutenant generalHenderson, Bruce. (Dec 22, 2019). The Army general who led the invasion of Grenada has died.Task & Purpose. Retrieved July 3, 2020. John Gibbon, officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War, also served in the American Indian WarsJohn Gibbon | American Battlefield Trust. Retrieved Aug 2, 2020. Buster Glosson, former deputy chief of staff for plans and operations at the headquarters for the U.S. Air Force in Washington D.C. Susan Helms, brigadier general-select in the U.S. Air Force and former NASA astronaut Hunter Marshall III, United States Navy officer during World War II

Musicians

Ant-Bee, musician Seth Avett, singer and one of the founding members of American folk-rock band The Avett Brothers Horace Brown, R&B singer Nappy Brown (1929–2008), R&B and gospel singer Phillip Bush, classical pianist Tom Constanten, former keyboard player, Grateful Dead DaBaby, rapper, songwriter Deniro Farrar, rapper FireHouse, early 1990s "hair metal band" Flagship, alt-rock band Anthony Hamilton, R&B singer Wilbert Harrison, R&B singer Joe Henry, musician Hopesfall, hard rock band Tyrone Jefferson, trombonist K-Ci & JoJo (Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey & Joel "JoJo" Hailey) of 1990s R&B group JodeciSi Kahn, singer-songwriter and activist (resident of Charlotte) John P. Kee, gospel singer Adam Lazzara, lead singer of Taking Back Sunday