The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Cairo, Illinois. For a similar list organized alphabetically by last name, see the category page People from Cairo, Illinois.
Academics
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Union army nurse in the US Civil War; professor of Women's Diseases at the Boston University; later became a doctor Author and professor of creative writing at the University of Alabama Born in Cairo
Business
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Banker, steamboat captain, owner of the Riverlore mansion, and businessman Lived in and started several businesses in Cairo Riverboat captain, railroad executive, founder of the Hotel del Coronado Started his own shipping business in Cairo
Media
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Stage, film, and television actor; first African-American actor to be hired for a contract role on a soap opera (The Brighter Day, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Sahara) Born in Cairo Actor, singer, musician, and composer; Tony Award-nominated for Broadway performance as George Washington in Hamilton Graduated from Cairo High School in 1993
Military
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Rear admiral in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps (NOAA Corps); second director of the NOAA Corps Born in Cairo Member of Gas Motor Unit No. 1, Women's Overseas Hospitals; died at American military hospital in Bordeaux, France, during World War I Born in Cairo
Music
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Inventor of the EchoSonic, a guitar amplifier with a built-in tape echo, and the Filter'Tron pickup, the first humbucker guitar pickup (used extensively on Gretsch guitars) Owner of Plan-It-X Records; musician in Ghost Mice Smith, Aaron Lake. "Trying to Revitalize a Dying Small Town", TIME, February 15, 2010. Musician, poet and painter Born in Cairo Record producer and recording executive Born in Cairo Blues musician (harmonica) Grew up in Cairo Blues musician Grew up in Cairo Blues vocalist Born in CairoHarris, Sheldon (1994). Blues Who's Who (rev. ed.). New York: Da Capo Press. p. 591. .
Politics
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference US congressman for Illinois's 1st congressional district (1983–1993) Born in Cairo (aka Chuck Koen) Civil rights activist; founded the Black Liberators US congressman for Illinois's 25th congressional district (1908–1913) Two-term mayor of Cairo; died in Cairo US congressman for Illinois's 19th congressional district (1877–1889) Lived in Cairo Illinois state senator for Illinois 17th district (1993–2018) Born in Cairo
Religion
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Protestant missionary to the Philippines; kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf Born in Cairo
Sports
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies Born in Cairo Pitcher for the Washington Senators Born and died in Cairo Pitcher for seven Major League Baseball teams Born in Cairo Infielder for the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox Born in Cairo Small forward for the Los Angeles Clippers and Washington Wizards, as well as four European teams Born in Cairo Diving gold medalist at 1924 Summer Olympics Born in Cairo College basketball coach for Oral Roberts University Raised in Cairo; graduated from and coached at Cairo High School "Trickey returns 'home' to ORU for hoop revival", The Southeast Missourian, July 17, 1987.
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