The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Columbus, Georgia.
| This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2014) |
More information Name, Image ...
Name |
Image |
Birth |
Death |
Known for |
Association |
Reference |
Bo Bartlett |
|
Dec 29, 1955 |
|
Realist painter |
Born in Columbus |
[1] |
Ricky Bartlett |
|
Sep 27, 1972 |
|
Actor, radio and television personality |
Born in Columbus |
|
Megan Blake |
|
|
|
Miss Georgia 1983 |
Born in Columbus |
|
Bob the Drag Queen (Caldwell Tidicue) |
|
June 22, 1986 |
|
Drag queen and comedian, won season 8 of RuPaul's Drag Race |
Born in Columbus, studied theater at Columbus State University |
- |
Wayne Brady |
|
Jun 2, 1972 |
|
Actor, singer, comedian, and television personality |
Born in Columbus |
|
Davian Chester |
|
May 27, 1993 |
|
Political cartoonist |
Born in Columbus |
[2] |
Juliette Compton |
|
May 3, 1899 |
Mar 19, 1989 |
Actress |
Born in Columbus |
|
Donna D'Errico |
|
Mar 30, 1968 |
|
Actress and model; Playmate of the Month (September, 1995); Donna Marco on Baywatch (1996 to 1998) |
Graduate of Pacelli High School in Columbus (1986) |
[3] |
Marina Savashynskaya Dunbar |
|
Jul 17, 1992 |
|
Painter |
Lived in Columbus |
|
Justina Huff |
|
Sep 8, 1893 |
Jun 29, 1977 |
Silent film actress (The Diamond Crown, Tess of the d'Urbervilles) |
Born in Columbus |
[4] |
Louise Huff |
|
Nov 14, 1895 |
Aug 22, 1973 |
Silent film actress (Great Expectations, Mile-A-Minute Kendall, Disraeli) |
Born in Columbus |
[5] |
Nunnally Johnson |
|
Dec 5, 1897 |
Mar 25, 1977 |
Academy Award-nominated filmmaker (The Grapes of Wrath, The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit) |
Born in Columbus, graduated from Columbus High School (1915) |
[6] |
Sherrilyn Kenyon |
|
Dec 11, 1965 |
|
#1 New York Times and international bestselling author (Dark-Hunters, League, Chronicles of Nick, Lords of Avalon series) |
Born in Columbus, attended Key Elementary School |
|
Carson McCullers |
|
Feb 19, 1917 |
Sep 29, 1967 |
Writer (The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, The Member of the Wedding, and The Ballad of the Sad Café) |
Born in Columbus |
[7] |
Robert Parrish |
|
Jan 4, 1916 |
Dec 4, 1995 |
Academy Award- winning editor for Body and Soul (1947), directed Casino Royale (1967) |
Born in Columbus |
[8] |
George Foster Peabody |
|
Jul 27, 1852 |
Mar 4, 1938 |
Banker and philanthropist; namesake of the Peabody Award |
Born in Columbus |
[9] |
James Rachels |
|
May 30, 1941 |
Sep 5, 2003 |
Philosopher, focusing on ethics and animal rights |
Born in Columbus |
[10] |
Amy Sherald |
|
Aug 30, 1973 |
|
Best known for her portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama |
Born in Columbus |
|
Mary Ann Williams |
|
Aug 10, 1821 |
Apr 15, 1874 |
First to propose an annual holiday to decorate soldiers graves (Memorial Day) |
Lived in Columbus |
- |
Close
More information Name, Image ...
Name |
Image |
Birth |
Death |
Known for |
Association |
Reference |
Robert M. Barr |
|
1918 |
1988 |
Conductor of the Jordan High School Band in Columbus (1946–1963) |
Lived in Columbus; chorus director in Fort Benning |
[11] |
Jean Carn |
|
Mar 15, 1947 |
|
Singer; vocalist credited with a five octave vocal range |
Born in Columbus |
|
Robert Cray |
|
Aug 1, 1953 |
|
Five-time Grammy Award-winning blues guitarist and singer |
Born in Columbus |
|
Justin Guarini |
|
Oct 28, 1978 |
|
Singer, songwriter, and actor; runner-up on American Idol season 1 (2002) |
Born in Columbus |
[12] |
Jake Hess |
|
Dec 24, 1927 |
Jan 4, 2004 |
Grammy Award-winning southern gospel singer |
Lived in Columbus |
[13] |
Dmitri Matheny |
|
Dec 25, 1965 |
|
Jazz flugelhornist, composer, educator, producer and recording artist |
Grew up in Columbus |
[14] |
Marilyn McCoo |
|
Sep 30, 1943 |
|
Pop singer |
Lived in Columbus for seven years |
[15] |
Curley Money |
|
Mar 20, 1925 |
Dec 23, 2003 |
Rockabilly musician and songwriter |
Lived in Columbus |
[16] |
Bebo Norman |
|
May 29, 1973 |
|
Contemporary Christian musician |
Lives in Columbus |
[17] |
Ma Rainey |
|
Apr 26, 1886 |
Dec 22, 1939 |
Among the earliest known professional blues singers; billed as The Mother of the Blues |
Born in Columbus |
[18] |
Herrman S. Saroni |
|
Feb 1824 |
Dec 29, 1900 |
Author, composer and inventor credited with starting the Columbus Symphony Orchestra |
Lived in Columbus |
[19] |
Keni Thomas |
|
|
|
Country music singer and United States Army Ranger |
Lives in Columbus |
[20] |
Rozonda Thomas (a.k.a. Chilli) |
|
Feb 27, 1971 |
|
Singer-songwriter, actress and television personality; founding member of girl group TLC |
Lives in Columbus |
[citation needed] |
Danny Whitten |
|
May 8, 1943 |
Nov 18, 1972 |
Musician and songwriter, known for his work with Neil Young's band Crazy Horse |
Born in Columbus |
[21] |
Blind Tom Wiggins |
|
May 25, 1849 |
Jun 14, 1908 |
African-American musical prodigy on the piano |
Owned as a slave in Columbus |
[22] |
Tim Wilson |
|
Aug 5, 1961 |
Feb 26, 2014 |
Stand-up comedian and country music artist |
Born and died in Columbus |
[23] |
Close
More information Name, Image ...
Close
More information Name, Image ...
Close
More information Name, Image ...
Name |
Image |
Birth |
Death |
Known for |
Association |
Reference |
Bubba Copeland |
|
May 27, 1974 |
Nov 3, 2023 |
Mayor of Smiths Station, Alabama (2016–2023) |
Born in Columbus |
|
Newt Gingrich |
|
Jun 17, 1943 |
|
58th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives |
Graduated from Baker High School in Columbus (1961) |
[30] |
Petra Kelly |
|
Nov 29, 1947 |
Oct 1, 1992 |
Founder of German Green Party |
Graduated from Baker High School in Columbus (1966) |
[31] |
Mirabeau B. Lamar |
|
Aug 16, 1798 |
Dec 19, 1859 |
2nd President of the Republic of Texas |
Lived in Columbus and founded the Columbus Enquirer newspaper |
[32] |
Ted J. Land |
|
Aug 22, 1936 |
Mar 31, 2018 |
Member of the Georgia State Senate 1979–1991 |
Represented Marion, Talbot, and portions of Muscogee counties |
|
Bobby G. Peters |
|
Feb 21, 1949 |
|
Mayor of Columbus, Georgia 1995–2002 |
Lived in Columbus, graduated from Hardaway High School (1967); also a Superior Court judge |
[33] |
Close
Baseball
More information Name, Image ...
Name |
Image |
Birth |
Death |
Known for |
Association |
Reference |
Reggie Abercrombie |
|
Jul 15, 1981 |
|
Center fielder for Florida Marlins and Houston Astros |
Born in Columbus |
[34] |
Glenn Davis |
|
Mar 28, 1961 |
|
Two-time All-Star first baseman for the Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles, and Hanshin Tigers |
Lives in Columbus; Columbus City Council member |
[35] |
Tim Hudson |
|
Jul 14, 1975 |
|
Four-time All-Star pitcher for the Oakland Athletics, Atlanta Braves, and San Francisco Giants |
Born in Columbus |
[36] |
Garey Ingram |
|
Jul 25, 1970 |
|
Second baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers |
Born in Columbus |
[37] |
Edwin Jackson |
|
Sep 9, 1983 |
|
All-Star pitcher for MLB teams; World Series champion (2011) |
Attended Shaw High School in Columbus |
[38] |
Brian Mallette |
|
Jan 19, 1975 |
|
Relief pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers and Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes |
Attended Columbus State University |
[39] |
Tony Pierce |
|
Jan 29, 1946 |
Jan 31, 2013 |
Pitcher for the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics |
Lived and died in Columbus; Attended Jordan High School in Columbus |
[40] |
Colby Rasmus |
|
Aug 11, 1986 |
|
Center fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays |
Born in Columbus |
[41] |
Cory Rasmus |
|
Nov 6, 1987 |
|
Pitcher for the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim |
Born in Columbus |
[42] |
Steven Register |
|
May 16, 1983 |
|
Relief pitcher for the Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies |
Born in Columbus |
[43] |
Frank Thomas |
|
May 27, 1968 |
|
2014 Hall of Fame Inductee – Five-time All-Star first baseman for the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, and Toronto Blue Jays; Two-time AL MVP (1993, 1994) |
Born in Columbus |
[44] |
Close
Basketball
More information Name, Image ...
Close
Bodybuilding
More information Name, Image ...
Close
More information Name, Image ...
Name |
Image |
Birth |
Death |
Known for |
Association |
Reference |
Derrius Brooks |
|
May 29, 1988 |
|
Defensive back for multiple teams |
Born in Columbus |
[46] |
Brentson Buckner |
|
Sep 30, 1971 |
|
Defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers, and Carolina Panthers |
Born in Columbus, graduated from G.W. Carver High School |
[47] |
Isaiah Crowell |
|
Jan 8, 1993 |
|
Running back for the Cleveland Browns |
Born in Columbus, graduated from G.W. Carver High School |
|
Rod Hood |
|
Oct 3, 1981 |
|
Cornerback for six NFL teams |
Born in Columbus, graduated from G.W. Carver High School |
[48] |
Chris Hubbard |
|
Apr 23, 1991 |
|
Offensive guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers |
Born in Columbus; graduated from G.W. Carver High School |
|
Chuck Hurston |
|
Nov 9, 1942 |
Nov 3, 2015 |
Defensive end for the Super Bowl IV champion Kansas City Chiefs |
Born in Columbus |
|
Jarvis Jones |
|
Oct 13, 1989 |
|
Outside linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers |
Graduated from G.W. Carver High School in Columbus |
|
Mark LeGree |
|
Jul 8, 1989 |
|
Safety for seven NFL teams |
Attended Pacelli High School in Columbus |
|
Kelcie McCray |
|
Sep 21, 1988 |
|
Free safety for the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Kansas City Chiefs |
Born in Columbus |
|
Dell McGee |
|
Sep 7, 1973 |
|
Run game coordinator & running backs coach for the Georgia Bulldogs |
Born in Columbus |
|
DeQuan Menzie |
|
Jan 11, 1990 |
|
Cornerback for the Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, and Carolina Panthers |
Born in Columbus, graduated from G.W. Carver High School |
[49] |
Nate Odomes |
|
Aug 25, 1965 |
|
Cornerback for the Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, and Atlanta Falcons; 2× Pro Bowl (1992, 1993) |
Born in Columbus, graduated from G.W. Carver High School |
[50] |
Rayshun Reed |
|
Apr 10, 1981 |
|
Defensive back for the San Francisco 49ers |
Born in Columbus |
|
Steve Reese |
|
Jan 7, 1952 |
|
Linebacker for the New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Born in Columbus |
|
Otis Sistrunk |
|
Sep 18, 1946 |
|
Defensive end for the Oakland Raiders; Pro Bowl |
Born in Columbus |
[51] |
Mack Strong |
|
Sep 11, 1971 |
|
Fullback for the Seattle Seahawks; 2× Pro Bowl (2005, 2006) |
Attended Brookstone School in Columbus |
[52] |
Cleo Walker |
|
Feb 7, 1948 |
|
Linebacker for the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons |
Born in Columbus |
[53] |
Close
Soccer
More information Name, Image ...
Close
Wrestling
More information Name, Image ...
Close
Bellware, Daniel (Fall 2016). "Those Huff Girls". Muscogiana. Columbus State University.
Bellware, Daniel (Fall 2016). "Those Huff Girls". Muscogiana. Columbus State University.
Parrish, Robert (1976). Growing Up in Hollywood. Harcourt Brace Jovanivich. p. 3. ISBN 0-15-137473-2.
"Alma Thomas". National Museum of women in the Arts. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
"Robert M. Barr". High School Band Directors National Association. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
"Jake Hess". Southern Gospel History. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
"Ma Rainey". Notable Names Data Base. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
Bellware, Daniel (April 2003). "The Last Battle. Period. Really". Civil War Times Illustrated. 42: 48–56.
"Tim Hudson". Notable Names Data Base. Retrieved 26 March 2013.