Famous Mississippians

Famous People Born in Mississippi

See our top list of the most famous people from Mississippi. We’ve chosen people like athletes, actors, civil rights activists, scientists and people from other walks of life that have come from the “The Magnolia State”.

Red Barber sportscaster, Columbus
Lance Bass singer, Laurel
Theodore Bilbo public official, Poplarville
Jimmy Buffett singer, songwriter, Pascagoula
Craig Claiborne columnist, restaurant critic, Sunflower
Bo Diddley guitarist, McCombs
Charles Evers civil rights leader, Decatur
Medgar Evers civil rights leader, Decatur
Brett Farve football, Kiln
William Cuthbert Faulkner author, New Albany
Shelby Foote historian, Greenville
Richard Ford author, Jackson
Barry Hannah author, Clinton
Elizabeth Lee Hazen inventor,
Beth Henley playwright, actress, Jackson
Jim Henson puppeteer, Greenville
Faith Hill singer, Jackson
James Earl Jones entertainer, Arkabutla
Simbi Khali actress, Jackson
B. B. King guitarist, Itta Bena
Willie Morris writer, Jackson
Brandy Norwood singer,actress, McComb
Walter Payton football player, Columbia
Elvis Presley singer, actor, Tupelo
Charley Pride country singer, Sledge
Leontyne Price soprano, Laurel
William Raspberry columnist, Oklaona
Jerry Rice football player, Starkville
LeAnn Rimes country music, Jackson
William Grant Still composer, Woodville
Conway Twitty country music, Friars Point
Sela Ward actress, Meridian
Muddy Waters singer, guitarist, Rolling Fork
Eudora Welty author, Jackson
Tennessee Williams playwright, Columbus
Oprah Winfrey talk-show host, Kosciusko
Richard Wright author, Natchez
Tammy Wynette country music star, Tupelo