List of Malians
Academics and Writers
Academics
Scholars of [Sankore Madrasah]
Scholars wrote their own books as part of a socioeconomic model. Students were charged with copying these books and any other books they could get their hands on. Today there are over 700,000 manuscripts in Timbuktu with many dating back to West Africa's Golden Age.Writers
- Ahmad Baba al Massufi
- Abdoulaye Ascofaré
- Ibrahima Aya
- Amadou Hampâté Bâ
- Adame Ba Konaré
- Massa Makan Diabaté
- Souéloum Diagho
- Aïda Mady Diallo
- Alpha Mandé Diarra
- Doumbi Fakoly
- Aoua Kéita
- Moussa Konaté
- Yambo Ouologuem
- Oumou Armand Diarra
- Bernadette Sanou Dao
- Aminata Traoré
- Falaba Issa Traoré
- Mady Ibrahim Kante
Entertainers and artists
Film directors
- Abdoulaye Ascofaré
- Souleymane Cissé
- Adama Drabo
- Assane Kouyaté
- Cheick Oumar Sissoko
- Falaba Issa Traoré
- Sidy Fassara Diabaté
[Griot]s
Musicians
- Khaira Arby
- Issa Bagayogo
- Afel Bocoum
- Fanta Damba
- Toumani Diabaté
- Yaya Diallo
- Tiken Jah Fakoly
- Mory Kanté
- Salif Keita
- Mamani Keïta
- Habib Koité
- Drissa Kone
- Kandia Kouyaté
- Maimuna
- Moussa Kouyate
- Amadou et Mariam
- Fanta Sacko
- Oumou Sangaré
- Ko Kan Ko Sata
- Djeneba Seck
- Baba Sissoko
- Jali Nyama Suso
- Tinariwen
- Djelimady Tounkara
- Ali Farka Touré
- Vieux Farka Touré
- Boubacar Traoré
- Lobi Traoré
- Rokia Traoré
- Aya Nakamura
- Mady Kouyate
- Soriba Kouyate
Photographers
Puppeteers
Artists
Military figures
Religious figures
- Julien Mory Sidibé - Catholic bishop
- Sidi Yahya - Mosque/Madrassah named for him
Rulers (pre-modern)
Partial list of mansas of the Mali Empire
- Sundiata Keita
- Wali Keita
- Ouati Keita
- Khalifa Keita
- Abu Bakr
- Sakura
- Gao
- Mohammed ibn Gao
- Abubakari II
- Kankan Musa I
- Maghan
- Suleyman
- Kassa
- Mari Diata II
- Musa II
- Magha II
- Sandaki
- Mahmud
Bambara Empire
Massina Empire
Various kingdoms
- Sulayman Bal
- Babemba Traoré-Kénédougou
Modern politicians
- Ahmed Mohamed ag Hamani
- Soumaïla Cissé
- Moussa Sinko Coulibaly
- Mamadou Dembelé - former Prime Minister
- Yoro Diakité - former Prime Minister
- Sidibé Aminata Diallo
- Daba Diawara
- Moustapha Dicko
- Tiébilé Dramé
- Fatou Haidara
- Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta
- Modibo Keïta
- Alpha Oumar Konaré
- Garan Fabou Kouyate
- Aoua Kéita
- Choguel Kokalla Maïga - Patriotic Movement for Renewal
- Ousmane Issoufi Maïga
- Moctar Ouane
- Ahmed Diane Semega
- Mandé Sidibé
- Sidibe Korian Sidibe
- Cheick Oumar Sissoko
- Soumana Sacko - former Prime Minister
- Abdoulaye Sékou Sow - former Prime Minister
- Hamed Diane Séméga - politician and businessman
- Ousmane Sy
- Mountaga Tall
- Ascofare Oulematou Tamboura
- Amadou Toumani Touré
- Younoussi Touré - former Prime Minister
- Dioncounda Traoré - Party President of the Alliance for Democracy in Mali
- Moussa Traoré
- Aminata Traoré
- Yeah Samake
Scientists
- Cheick Modibo Diarra - astrophysicist
- Nassif Ghoussoub - mathematician
Sportspeople
Basketball players
Footballers
- Sedonoude Abouta
- Mamadou Bagayoko
- Adama Coulibaly
- Moussa Coulibaly - footballer
- Soumaila Coulibaly
- Cheick Oumar Dabo
- Mamadou Diallo - footballer
- Souleymane Diamoutene
- Mahamadou Diarra
- Fousseni Diawara
- Mintou Doucoure
- Frédéric Kanouté
- Jimmy Kebe
- Salif Keita - footballer
- Seydou Keita - footballer
- Djibril Konaté
- Amadou Konte
- Tenema N'Diaye
- Mamady Sidibe
- Rafan Sidibé
- Mohamed Sissoko
- Adama Tamboura
- Fousseni Tangara
- Jean Tigana
- Alhassane Touré
- Alioune Touré
- Abdou Traoré
- Alou Traoré
- Djimi Traoré
- Dramane Traoré
Olympic athletes
Other
- Sira Diop, educator, feminist, trade unionist
- Halima Cissé, mother who gave birth to the only nonuplets known to have survived birth