List of people from Arkansas

Individuals on this list are either native-born Arkansans or emigrants who have chosen Arkansas as their permanent home.

Actors/Actresses

• Adams, Joey Lauren, (1971- ), actress
• Alexander, Katherine, (1898-1981), actress
• Anderson, Bronco Billy, (1880-1971), vaudeville actor
• Bentley, Wes, (1978- ), actor
• Gerard, Gil, (1943- ), actor
• Goff, Norris , Abner of Lum and Abner
• Harper, Tess , (1950- ), actress
• Ladd, Alan, (1913-1964), actor
• Lauck, Chester, (1902-1980), Lum of Lum and Abner
• Nemec, Corin, (1971- ), actor
• Newbern, George, (1964- ), actor
• Powell, Dick, (1904-1963), actor
• Steenburgen, Mary, (1953- ), actress
• Tai, Kobe, (1972- ), porn actress
• Turner, Karri, (1966- ), actress
• Thornton, Billy Bob, (1955- ), actor

Artists

• Braden, John, (1949-2004), writer, producer, director
• Berry, Danielle Bunten, (1949-1998), video game designer
• Dudley, Carl Ward, (1910-1973), filmmaker and producer
• Fisher, George, (1923-2003), political cartoonist
• Green, David Gordon, (1975- ), filmmaker
• Jones, E. Fay, (1921-2004), architect and designer
• Thomason, Harry, (1940- ), television producer
• Washburn, Edward, (1831-1860), painter of 'The Arkansas Traveler'

Athletics

• Akins, Chris, (1976- ), professional athlete (football)
  
• Bearden, Gene, (1920-2004), professional athlete (baseball)
  
• Brock, Lou, (1939- ), professional athlete (baseball)
  
• Broyles, Frank, (1924- ), football coach
  
• Bryant, Paul 'Bear', (1913-1983), football coach
  
• Burrell, Pat, (1976- ), professional athlete (baseball)
  
• Carr, Bill, (1909-1966), Olympian
  
• Daly, John, (1966- ), professional athlete (golf)
  
• Davidson, Bill, (1935-1999), football coach
  
• Dean, Dizzy, (1910-1974), professional athlete (baseball)
  
• Greene, Charles, (1944- ), Olympian
  
• Harrison, E.J. 'Dutch', (1910- ), professional athlete (golf)
  
• Hines, Jim, (1946- ), amateur athlete, track and field
  
• Holmes, Priest, (1973- ), professional athlete (football)
  
• Hunter, Torii, (1975- ), professional athlete (baseball)
  
• Hutson, Don, (1913-1997), professional athlete (football)
  
• Jones, Jerry, (1942- ), Dallas Cowboys owner
  
• Kell, George, (1922- ), professional athlete (baseball)
  
• Liston, Sonny, (1932-1970), professional athlete (boxing), World Heavyweight Champion
  
• Martin, Mark, (1956- ), championship NASCAR driver
  
• McReynolds, Kevin , (1959- ), professional athlete (baseball)
  
• Moncrief, Sidney , (1957- ), professional athlete (basketball)
  
• Nutt, Houston, (1957- ), football coach
  
• Pippen, Scottie, (1965- ), professional athlete (basketball)
  
• Robinson, Brooks, (1937- ), professional athlete (baseball)
  
• Smith, Rod, (1970- ), professional athlete (football)
  
• Switzer, Barry, (1937- ), football coach
  
• Thornton, Charley, (1937-2004), sports figure
  
• Vaughan, Arky, (1912-1952), professional athlete (baseball)
  

Authors

• Adler, Margot, journalist and correspondent
• Brown, Dee, (1908-2002), author, historian
• Brown, Helen Gurley, (1922- ), author, editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine
• Nancy A. Collins, author
• Grisham, John, (1955- ), novelist
• Grossman, Dave, author
• Hamilton, Laurell K., (1963- ), horror/fantasy author
• Mathis, Deborah, (????- ), journalist and author
• Simon, Charlie May, (1897-1977), children's author
• Starr, John Robert, (1927-2000), journalist
• Woodward, C. Vann - (1908-1999), historian

Business Leaders

• Dillard, William T., (1914-2002), head of Dillard's Department Stores
• Tyson, Don , (xx-xx), Tyson Foods Poultry processing
• Walton, Jim, son of Sam Walton, owner of Arvest Bank
• Walton, Sam, (1918-1992), founder of Wal-Mart Inc.
• Wilson, Kemmons, (1913-2003), Holiday Inn hotel founder

Celebrities

• Amarillo Slim, (1928- ), professional poker player
• Besser, Matt, (1967- ), comedian
• Clinton, Chelsea, (1980- ), Presidential daughter
• Eudy, Sid, (1960- ), professional wrestler
• Gracen, Elizabeth Ward, (1960- ), Miss America, actress
• Hicks, Bill, (1961-1994), comedian
• Fred Smith
• Stephens, Steve, radio and television host

Legal Leaders

• Jones, Scipio Africanus, (1863-1943), African-American attorney

Military Figures

• Alexander, John Hanks, (1864-1894), pioneering African-American naval officer
  
• Beall, William N.R., (1825-1883), Confederate Brigadier General
  
• Bolling, Raynal, (1877-1918), first high-ranking U.S. Army casualty in WWI
  
• Borland, Solon, (1808-1864), Confederate Brigadier General
  
• Cabell, William L., (1827-1911), Confederate Brigadier General
  
• Churchill, Thomas J., (1824-1905), Confederate Major General
  
• Clark, Wesley, (1944- ), US Army General, NATO Commander
  
• Cleburne, Patrick, (1828-1864), Confederate Major General
  
• Conway, James, ( - ), US Marine Corps Lieutenant General
  
• Darby, William Orlando, (1911-1945), first commander of the US Army Rangers
  
• Dockery, Thomas P., (1833-1898), Confederate Brigadier General
  
• Eberle, Edward Walter, (1864-1929), U.S. Navy Chief of Naval Operations
  
• Fagan James F., (1827-1893), Confederate Major General
  
• Govan, Daniel C., (1829-1911), Confederate Brigadier General
  
• Hathcock, Carlos, (1942-1999), Marine Sniper
  
• Hawthorn, Alexander T., (1825-1899), Confederate Brigadier General
  
• Hindman, Thomas, (1828-1868), US Congressman and Confederate Major General
  
• Holbrook, Lucius Roy, (1875-1952), US Major General
  
• Izard, George, (1776-1828), US Army General, War of 1812
• Kindley, Field E., (1896-1920), World War I flying ace
• MacArthur, Douglas, (1880-1964), US General of the Army, MOH recipient
  
• McCright, Ewell Ross, (1907-1990), US Air Force Captain, World War II, Prisoner of War and Legion of Merit recipient
  
• McNair, Evander, (1820-1902), Confederate Brigadier General
  
• McRae, Dandridge, (1829-1899), Confederate Brigadier General
  
• Pike, Albert, (1809-1891), Confederate General, Freemason
  
• Thach, John, (1905-1981), US Navy Admiral, World War 2 flying ace
  
• Roane, John S., (1817-1867), Brigadier General
  
• Rust, Albert, (1818-1870), Confederate Brigadier General
  
• Tappan, James C., (1825-1906), Confederate Brigadier General
  
• Tinker, Frank Glasgow, (1909-1939), Spanish-Civil War volunteer fighter pilot
  
• Wassell, Corydon M., U.S. Navy physician and medical missionary
  
• Yell, Archibald, (1797-1847), Brigadier General, killed at the Battle of Buena Vista during the Mexican-American War

Musicians

• Caldwell, Sarah, (1924- ), opera conductor and director, violinist
  
• Campbell, Glen, (1936- ), country singer, songwriter, and actor
  
• Cash, Johnny, (1932-2003), country singer and songwriter
  
• DeMent, Iris, (1961- ), country/folk singer and songwriter
  
• Dickinson, Jim, (1941- ), musician and producer
  
• Driftwood, Jimmy, (1907-1998), folk musician/songwriter, wrote The Battle of New Orleans
• Faulkner, Sanford, (1806-1874), wrote fiddle tune 'Arkansas Traveler'
• Green, Al, (1946- ), singer
• Hammer, Charles Christian, (1953-2004), classical guitarist
• Hawkins, Ronnie, (1935-), rock musician
• Hendricks, Barbara, (1948- ), opera singer
• Holyfield, Wayland, (1942- ), songwriter
• Jordan, Louis, (1908-1975), jazz musician and bandleader
• Lawrence, Tracy, (1968- ), country musician
• Lee, Amy, (1981- ), rock musician
• Lockwood, Robert Jr., (1915- ), blues musician
• Montana, Patsy, (1914-1996), country musician
• Moody, Ben, (1980- ), rock musician
• Moorman, Charlotte, (1933-1991), cellist, performance artist
• Nancarrow, Conlon, (1912-1997), composer
  
• Oslin, K.T., (1941- ), country musician
  
• Paris, Twila, (1958- ), gospel musician
  
• Porter, Art Jr., (1961-1996), jazz saxaphonist
  
• Porter, Art Sr., (1934-1993), jazz pianist
  
• Raye, Collin, (1960- ), country musician
  
• Sanders, Pharoah, (1940- ), jazz saxaphonist
  
• Still, William Grant, (1895-1978), composer
  
• Taylor, Johnnie, (1938-2000), vocalist
  
• Warfield, William, (1920-2002), vocalist
  
• Williamson, Sonny Boy, (abt 1908-1965), Blues musician

Poets

• Angelou, Maya, (1928- ), author, poet
  
• Fletcher, John Gould, (1886-1950), poet

Political Figures

• Borland, Solon, (1808-1864), US Senator
  
• Caraway, Hattie, (1878-1951), first woman US Senator
  
• Clinton, Bill, (1946- ), President of the United States
  
• Conway, Henry W., (1793-1827), Territorial Delegate
  
• Foster, Vince, (1945-1993), Presidential aide
  
• Fulbright, J. William, (1905-1995), US Senator
  
• Hammerschmidt, John Paul, (1922- ), US Representative
  
• Heiskell, John, (1872-1972), US Senator and newspaper publisher
  
• Johnson, Jim, Arkansas Supreme Court Justice, segregationist leader
  
• Johnson, Robert W., (1814-1879), US and CS Senator
  
• Faubus, Orval, (1910-1994), Governor of Arkansas
  
• Garland, Augustus H., (1832-1899), U.S. Attorney General
  
• Lincoln, Blanche, (1960- ), current US Senator
• McClellan, John L., (1896-1977), Chairman Senate Appropriations Committee
  
• Mills, Wilbur, (1909-1992), Chairman of House Ways and Means Committee
  
• Murphy, Isaac, (1799-1882), Governor of Arkansas
  
• Pryor, Mark, (1963- ), current US Senator
  
• Robinson, Joseph T., (1872-1937), Senate Majority Leader and Vice Presidential candidate
  
• Rockefeller, Winthrop, (1912-1973), Governor of Arkansas
  
• Ross, Mike, (1961- ), current U.S. Representative
  
• Sessions, William S., (1930- ), FBI Director
• Sevier, Ambrose H., (1801-1848), US Senator, Father of Arkansas Statehood
  
• Shackelford, Lottie, Democratic National Committee Vice Chair
  
• Snyder, John W., (1895-1985), U.S. Treasury Secretary
  
• Snyder, Vic, (1947- ), current US Representative
  
• Witt, James Lee, (1944- ), FEMA Director

see also: List of Arkansas Governors, U.S. Congressional Delegations from Arkansas

Social Figures

• Bates, Daisy, (1914-1999), civil rights leader
• Cleaver, Eldridge, (1935-1998), activist
• Elders, Joycelyn, (1933- ), US Surgeon General
• Hill, Robert L., (1892-?), black leader at Elaine Race Riot
• Terry, Adolphine Fletcher, (1882-1976), social activist
• Thaden, Louise, (1905-1979), aviation pioneer
• Washburn, Cephas, (1793-1860), Indian missionary

Other Arkansans

• Black, James, (1800-1872), inventor of the 'Bowie' knife
• Covey, Richard O. 'Dick', (1946- ), astronaut
• Davis, Danny K., (1941- ), U.S. Representative from Illinois
• Dirkhising, Jesse, (1986-1999), crime victim
• Guinn, Kenny, (1936- ), Governor of Nevada
• Keohane, Nan, President of Duke University
• Lloyd, Marilyn, (1929- ), U.S. Representative from Tennessee
• Miller, Gary, (1948- ), U.S. Representative from California
• Parazynski, Scott E., (1961- ), astronaut
• Rutherford, J.T., (1921- ), U.S. Representative from Texas
• Sandlin, Max, (1952- ), U.S. Representative from Texas
• Watkins, Wes, (1938- ), U.S. Representative from Oklahoma

Related topics

• List of people by U.S. state