List of people from North Carolina

Academia

• Graham Allison, political scientist and professor at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University
• Dorothy Hansine Andersen, pathologist and pediatrician, first physician to identify cystic fibrosis as a disease
• Joseph Penn Breedlove, Duke University librarian 1898–1946
• Fred Brooks, computer architect, software engineer, and computer scientist
• Carrie Lougee Broughton, librarian and first woman State Librarian
• John Chavis, African American educator and theologian
• Anna J. Cooper, prominent African American scholar, author, sociologist, and educator
• Elson Floyd, 10th president of Washington State University, former president of University of Missouri System and of Western Michigan University
• Phillip Griffiths, mathematician, known for work in the field of geometry
• Jay U. Gunter, pathologist and amateur astronomer
• John Kuykendall, served as 15th president of Davidson College
• Daniel McFadden, economist, winner of 2000 Nobel Prize in economics
• Elizabeth A. McMahan, professor, entomologist, psychologist, cartoonist, writer, traveler
• Kary Mullis, biochemist, inventor of polymerase chain reaction technique
• James E. Shepard, pharmacist, civil servant and educator, founder of what became North Carolina Central University
• Thomas Sowell, economist, social critic, political commentator, and author
• Martin Wohl, transportation economist and professor
• Anne D. Yoder, biologist, researcher, and professor in the Department of Biology at Duke University

Artists

• Charles Alston, painter, illustrator, muralist, and sculptor
• Murphy Anderson, comics artist
• Ernie Barnes, Neo-Mannerist artist and former professional football player
• James Barnhill, sculptor
• Romare Bearden, artist
• John T. Biggers, painter and muralist
• Elizabeth Bradford, painter
• Selma Burke, sculptor and ceramicist
• Amanda Crowe, woodcarver
• Minnie Evans, folk artist
• Herb Jackson, painter, given North Carolina Award by governor in 1999
• John Littleton, glass artist with collaborative partner Kate Vogel, based in
• Beverly McIver, contemporary artist, mostly known for self-portraits
• Kenneth Noland, painter
• Mabel Pugh, painter
• Isaiah Rice, photographer
• Bob Timberlake, realist artist, known for watercolor paintings and home furnishings
• Kate Vogel, glass artist with collaborative partner John Littleton, based in

Business

• Louis Bacon, hedge fund manager, trader and founder of Moore Capital Management
• Maria Beasley, entrepreneur and inventor
• Caleb Bradham, inventor of Pepsi-Cola
• James Edgar Broyhill, industrialist, founder of Broyhill Furniture Industries, Inc.
• Charles Albert Cannon, textile executive, president of Cannon Mills
• Benjamin Newton Duke, tobacco and electric power industrialist, co-founder of Duke Energy
• James Buchanan Duke, tobacco and electric power industrialist, founder of American Tobacco Company, co-founder of Duke Energy
• Richard Jordan Gatling, inventor of the Gatling gun
• James Goodnight, software developer, CEO of SAS Institute
• William B. Harrison Jr., former CEO of JPMorgan Chase
• E. Lee Hennessee, pioneer hedge fund manager
• Chris Hughes, co-founder of Facebook
• Richard Jenrette, co-founder of investment bank Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette
• Ralph Ketner, founder of Food Lion
• Kelly King, chairman and CEO of BB&T
• Herman Lay, businessman, founder of Lay's potato chips
• Debra L. Lee, CEO of BET
• Leon Levine, businessman and philanthropist, founder of Family Dollar
• Ann Livermore, former executive vice president at Hewlett-Packard
• Vince McMahon, chairman of World Wrestling Entertainment
• Dalton L. McMichael, textile executive
• John Merrick, businessman, founder of North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company
• Ricky Moore, chef and restaurant owner
• James Owens, former chairman and CEO of Caterpillar Inc.
• Ronald Perelman, businessman, investor, CEO of MacAndrews & Forbes
• John Henry Phelan, oil producer and philanthropist
• R. J. Reynolds, founder of R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
• Julian Robertson, hedge fund manager
• Charles Clinton Spaulding, served as president of NC Mutual Life Insurance Company
• Stanley Tanger, founder of Tanger Factory Outlet Centers
• David S. Taylor, chairman and CEO of Procter & Gamble

Entertainers

• Sidney Blackmer, actor
• Randy Boone, actor and singer
• Alicia Bridges, singer-songwriter
• Doug Brochu, actor
• Ben Browder, actor
• Cliff Cash, stand-up comedian
• Jim David, stand-up comedian, actor
• Cecil B. DeMille, film director and producer
• Tom DiCillo, film director
• Jimmy Donaldson, better known online as MrBeast; YouTuber, entrepreneur, and philanthropist
• Jennifer Ehle, actress
• Mike Evans, actor
• Fortune Feimster, comedian, actor
• Ian Flynn, comic book writer
• Penny Fuller, actress
• Mark Freiburger, filmmaker
• Zach Galifianakis, comedian, actor, writer
• Gallagher, comedian
• Ava Gardner, actress
• Cindy Garner, actress and model
• Kathryn Grayson, actress and singer
• Paul Green, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, author of The Lost Colony
• Hayes Grier, internet personality
• Nash Grier, internet personality
• Pam Grier, actress
• Rhoda Griffis, actress
• Andy Griffith, actor, singer, director
• George Grizzard, Emmy- and Tony-winning actor
• Julianna Guill, actress
• Jester Hairston, actor
• Michael C. Hall, actor
• Murray Hamilton, actor
• Shirley Hemphill, stand-up comedian, actress
• Jackee Harry, actress
• Molly Haskell, film critic
• Ed Hinton, actor
• Edwin Hodge, actor
• Gill Holland, film producer
• Skip Hollandsworth, screenwriter
• Laurel Holloman, actress
• Brian Huskey, actor, comedian
• Earle Hyman, actor
• Anne Jeffreys, actress
• Burgess Jenkins, actor
• Ken Jeong, comedian, actor
• Star Jones, television personality
• Darwin Joston, actor
• Allyn King, actress
• Tim Kirkman, film director
• Sharon Lawrence, actress
• Beth Leavel, actress
• Chyler Leigh, actress
• Barbara Loden, actor and film director

• James McEachin, actor
• Rhett McLaughlin, entertainer, best known for You Tube show Good Mythical Morning, raised in North Carolina
• Jane McNeill, actress
• Robert Duncan McNeill, actor, director
• Eddie Mills, actor
• Rogelio Mills, television personality, author, and recording artist
• Julianne Moore, actress
• Anita Morris, actress
• Anna Mercedes Morris, stuntwoman
• Laura Moss, actress
• Frankie Muniz, actor, best known as the star of the popular television series Malcolm in the Middle, spent childhood in North Carolina
• Mike Muscat, actor
• Link Neal, entertainer, best known for You Tube show Good Mythical Morning
• John Haymes Newton, actor
• Lee Norris, actor
• J.T. Petty, video game maker
• Jaime Pressly, actress, model
• Emily Proctor, actress
• Jim Rash, actor, comedian
• Peyton Reed, film and television director
• Jon Reep, stand-up comedian
• Nina Repeta, actress
• Tequan Richmond, actor
• Britt Robertson, actress
• Marcy Rylan, actress
• Soupy Sales, comedian
• Christoph Sanders, actor
• Hunter Schafer, actress
• Paul Schneider, actor
• Judith Scott, actress
• Nick Searcy, actor
• Amy Sedaris, actress and comedian, spent childhood in NC, best known as the star of the television series Strangers with Candy
• David Sedaris, author and essayist, spent childhood in NC
• Matthew Settle, actor
• J. B. Smoove, actor
• Arthur Smith, musician, composer, radio and television producer
• Josef Sommer, character actor, appeared in movies such as X-Men: The Last Stand, The Sum of All Fears, and Patch Adams
• Margo Stilley, actress
• Jessica Stroup, actress
• Berlinda Tolbert, film and television actress
• Skeet Ulrich, actor
• Liz Vassey, actress
• Reginald VelJohnson, actor
• Briana Venskus, actress
• Ben Vereen, actor, entertainer
• Jill Wagner, actress, model
• Gregory Walcott, actor
• James Harvey Ward, actor
• Lachlan Watson, actor
• Kevin Williamson, screenwriter
• Mary Elizabeth Winstead, actress
• Evan Rachel Wood, actress
• Bellamy Young, actress

Government, military, and public figures

• Alma Adams, U.S. congresswoman 2014–present
• John Ashe, brigadier general during the American Revolutionary War, in charge of North Carolina militia and state troops from 1776 to 1779
• Andrew James Bates, former White House Senior Deputy Press Secretary under Joe Biden
• William Blount, first North Carolina signatory of United States Constitution; played a role in the creation of the State of Tennessee
• Erskine Bowles, White House Chief of Staff under Bill Clinton, president of University of North Carolina system
• William G. Boykin, Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence under George W. Bush, retired lieutenant general for U.S. Army
• Braxton Bragg, general in Confederate States Army; led Confederate Army of Tennessee in battles of Perryville, Stones River, Chickamauga, and Third Battle of Chattanooga against Union General Ulysses Grant
• Jim Broyhill, former Republican U.S. representative and Senator from North Carolina; son of furniture magnate J. E. Broyhill
• Ted Budd, United States senator
• James Burnley, U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President Ronald Reagan
• Robert Byrd, U.S. senator from West Virginia; longest-serving senator in American history
• Lee Carter, elected delegate for 50th House district of Virginia and retired U.S. Marine veteran as IT specialist
• Richard Caswell, served as the first and fifth governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1776 to 1780 and from 1785 to 1787
• Julius L. Chambers, civil rights attorney who successfully argued 1971 Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education school busing case before U.S. Supreme Court
• Levi Coffin, abolitionist and educator known as "president" of the Underground Railroad; credited with helping over 2,000 slaves escape to freedom before Civil War
• Roy Cooper, 75th governor of North Carolina
• Jerry K. Crump, U.S. Army soldier; Medal of Honor recipient
• Josephus Daniels, U.S. Secretary of the Navy 1913–1921 under President Woodrow Wilson; journalist and founder of Raleigh News and Observer newspaper
• William Dodd, U.S. ambassador to Nazi-Germany 1933–1938 under Franklin Roosevelt
• Elizabeth Dole, U.S. senator and Secretary of Transportation under President Ronald Reagan; wife to former Republican Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole
• Sam Ervin, four-term U.S. senator and chairman of Senate Watergate Investigation Committee; began legislative process which led to resignation of President Richard Nixon
• Virginia Foxx, U.S. congresswoman 2005–present; graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Charles A. Gabriel, U.S. Air Force general, 11th chief of staff of U.S. Air Force
• Nick Galifianakis, U.S. congressman from North Carolina 1967–1973
• Richard Jordan Gatling, physician and inventor of Gatling gun
• John Gibbon, Union Army general in American Civil War and colonel in the American Indian Wars
• The Greensboro Four, male African-American students at North Carolina A&T State University who in 1960 started first civil rights sit-in; led to restaurants being desegregated throughout Southern U.S.
• John H. Hager, lieutenant governor of Virginia
• William D. Halyburton Jr., United States Navy hospital corpsman; posthumously awarded Medal of Honor
• Jesse Helms, retired five-term senator from North Carolina and national spokesman for right-wing causes
• James Pinckney Henderson, lawyer, politician, soldier, and first governor of Texas
• Robert Hoke, major general in Confederate States Army, director of North Carolina Railroad
• William Woods Holden, prominent Southern Unionist, served as 38th and 40th governor of North Carolina
• James Holshouser, 68th governor of North Carolina
• Jim Hunt, governor of North Carolina for a record four terms; opposed Jesse Helms in 1984 Senate race

• Andrew Jackson, 7th president of the United States, 1829–1837
• Lawrence Joel, United States Army soldier; Medal of Honor recipient
• Andrew Johnson, 17th president of the United States, 1865–1869
• Henry Johnson, United States Army soldier in World War I; posthumously awarded Medal of Honor
• Joseph Lane, United States Army general and member of U.S. Senate from Oregon
• William Lenoir, patriot, served in the Battle of Kings Mountain and several other skirmishes during the American Revolution; first president of the board of trustees of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Dolley Madison, wife of President James Madison
• Linda McMahon, Administrator of the Small Business Administration under President Donald Trump
• Solomon Meredith, Union Army general, one of the commanders of the Iron Brigade of the Army of the Potomac
• Bartholomew F. Moore, North Carolina attorney general and legislator
• Mick Mulvaney, South Carolina congressman, director of Office of Management and Budget under President Donald Trump
• Hardy Murfree, lieutenant colonel from North Carolina during the American Revolutionary War
• Charles P. Murray Jr., United States Army officer; Medal of Honor recipient during World War II
• Walter Hines Page, U.S. ambassador to Britain during First World War
• William Dorsey Pender, major general, one of youngest generals in Confederate States Army, mortally wounded at Battle of Gettysburg
• James K. Polk, 11th president of the United States, 1845–1849
• Eliza Jane Pratt, U.S. congresswoman 1946–1947
• Stephen Dodson Ramseur, major general in Confederate States Army; mortally wounded at the Battle of Cedar Creek Virginia
• William Cary Renfrow, 3rd governor of Oklahoma Territory, 1893–1897
• Hiram Revels, first African-American member of United States Senate
• Jennifer Roberts, served as the [Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte, North Carolina|58th] mayor of Charlotte
• Terry Sanford, served as the 65th Governor of North Carolina from 1961 to 1965, and as a U.S. senator from 1986 to 1993
• W. Kerr Scott, served as the 62nd governor of North Carolina from 1949 until 1953, and was a U.S. senator from 1954 until 1958
• Hugh Shelton, retired U.S. Army general, chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff 1997–2001
• Edward Snowden, NSA contractor who leaked top-secret documents regarding worldwide spying program
• Richard Dobbs Spaight Sr, second NC signatory of U.S. Constitution and eighth governor of North Carolina
• Edgar V. Starnes, served in the North Carolina General Assembly
• Blake Wayne Van Leer, commander and captain in the U.S. Navy, led SeaBee program and lead the nuclear research and power unit at McMurdo Station during Operation Deep Freeze
• Don Vaughan, former member of the North Carolina State Senate who pushed for Susie's Law in 2010
• Robert F. Williams, civil rights activist who advocated using black armed guards to defend African-American neighborhoods from white supremacist groups
• John Ancrum Winslow, officer in the United States Navy during the Mexican–American War and American Civil War

Journalism and media

• Mary Ann Akers, political gossip columnist
• David Brinkley, television newscaster, host of ABC-TV's This Week with David Brinkley 1981–96; co-anchor of the Huntley-Brinkley Report nightly newscast on NBC-TV 1956–70
• Sharon Dahlonega Raiford Bush, née Sharon Crews, American television's first African-American female weather anchor of prime-time news
• Howard Cosell, television sports journalist, star of ABC's Monday Night Football, commentator for many fights of Muhammad Ali
• Josephus Daniels, founder of Raleigh News and Observer newspaper; U.S. Secretary of the Navy 1913–1921 under President Woodrow Wilson
• David Gergen, journalist; editor-at-large for U.S. News & World Report; director of Center for Public Leadership at John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard; senior political analyst at CNN
• Al Hunt, journalist, managing editor for Bloomberg News, panelist on CNN's Capital Gang news program
• Carl Kassel, radio personality for NPR and journalist
• Anna Kooiman, anchor and reporter for Fox News; co-host of Fox & Friends
• Charles Kuralt, journalist and CBS television personality
• Jennifer Loven, journalist and White House correspondent for Associated Press
• Edward R. Murrow, CBS News journalist and pioneer of television
• Jim Nantz, sportscaster
• Walter Hines Page, journalist and publisher
• Morgan Radford, news reporter for NBC News and MSNBC
• Charlie Rose, interviewer and journalist; host of PBS television talk show and CBS This Morning
• Vermont C. Royster, editor-in-chief of The Wall Street Journal 1957–1970; winner of two Pulitzer Prizes
• Stuart Scott, television sportscaster, anchor of ESPN's SportsCenter; graduated from University of North Carolina
• André Leon Talley, professional fashion journalist and former editor-at-large of Vogue
• Wilbert Tatum, editor, publisher, chairman and chief executive officer of ''New York Amsterdam''

Musicians

• Ryan Adams, singer-songwriter
• Clay Aiken, pop singer
• Doug Aldrich, guitarist
• Tim Alexander, drummer for Primus
• Gerald Alston, of R&B group Gerald Alston & The Manhattans
• Tori Amos, singer
• Sunshine Anderson, R&B and soul singer-songwriter
• Seth Avett, singer-songwriter, artist
• Scott Avett, singer-songwriter, artist
• Nicholas William Bailey, film and television composer, singer-songwriter
• Bessie Banks, singer
• Warren Barfield, Christian musician
• Fantasia Barrino, singer, American Idol Season 3 winner
• Riley Baugus, old-time Appalachian musician
• B.o.B, rapper and record producer
• Margie Bowes, country music singer
• Alicia Bridges, disco singer
• Chuck Brown, “godfather of go-go”
• Nappy Brown, R&B singer
• Shirley Caesar, singer
• Jason Michael Carroll, singer
• Spencer Chamberlain, singer-songwriter
• Travis Cherry, music producer
• Eric Church, country singer-songwriter
• George Clinton, funk musician
• John Coltrane, jazz musician
• J. Cole, rapper
• Luke Combs, country music singer
• Cordae, rapper
• Elizabeth Cotten, folk and blues singer-songwriter
• Bucky Covington, singer
• DaBaby, rapper
• Charlie Daniels, singer-songwriter
• Chris Daughtry, singer
• Tommy DeCarlo, singer for Boston
• Patrick Douthit, hip-hop producer
• Jermaine Dupri, rap artist and record producer
• Fred Durst, frontman for Limp Bizkit; grew up and graduated high school in NC
• Mitch Easter, singer-songwriter, producer, frontman for Let's Active
• Donna Fargo, singer-songwriter
• Tal Farlow, jazz guitarist
• Roberta Flack, Grammy-winning singer
• Ben Folds, singer-songwriter
• Audley Freed guitarist, songwriter
• Nnenna Freelon, six-time Grammy-nominated jazz singer
• Blind Boy Fuller, blues guitarist and singer
• Alfreda Gerald, opera singer and classical soloist
• Don Gibson, country singer-songwriter, Country Music Hall of Fame
• Rhiannon Giddens, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, co-founder of the Carolina Chocolate Drops
• Etta Baker, Piedmont blues guitarist
• Betty Davis, funk singer

• Anthony Hamilton, soul artist
• George Hamilton IV, country singer
• Wilbert Harrison, singer, pianist
• Warren Haynes, Southern rock and blues singer, guitarist for Gov't Mule and The Allman Brothers Band
• Jimmy Herring, guitarist for Widespread Panic
• Byron Hill, country songwriter
• Michael Houser, guitarist, founding member of Widespread Panic
• Maria Howell, singer
• Stonewall Jackson, country singer and musician
• Caleb Johnson, singer and American Idol Season 13 winner
• Randy Jones, singer of Village People
• "K-Ci" and "JoJo" Hailey, R&B duo of R&B group Jodeci
• Noa Kalos, electronic musician
• Hal Kemp, bandleader, composer, arranger with two number one songs
• Cheyenne Kimball, singer-songwriter, guitarist, mandolinist
• Ben E. King, singer-songwriter
• Jim Lauderdale, bluegrass and country singer-songwriter
• Dennis Lee, singer-songwriter
• Del McCoury, bluegrass musician
• Scotty McCreery, country singer and American Idol Season 10 winner
• Tift Merritt, singer-songwriter, musician
• Ronnie Milsap, country singer-songwriter
• Dave Moody, Dove Award-winning producer, songwriter, filmmaker
• Thelonious Monk, jazz composer, pianist
• The-Dream, real name Terius Nash, R&B singer, writer, producer
• Oliver, singer
• Petey Pablo, rap artist
• Maceo Parker, songwriter, musician
• Kellie Pickler, singer, American Idol contestant
• Joseph Poole, rock musician
• Neil Pope, gospel singer
• Edward Wiley Ray, music executive, songwriter
• Del Reeves, country singer-songwriter
• Ola Belle Reed, bluegrass/old-time musician
• Calvin Richardson, R&B singer-songwriter
• Max Roach, jazz drummer
• Porter Robinson, electronic dance musician
• Earl Scruggs, bluegrass banjo player
• William Self, organist and choirmaster
• Woody Shaw, trumpeter, DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame
• Nina Simone, singer, Grammy Award Hall of Fame
• Arthur Smith, composer, entertainer, producer
• Chloe Smith, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist for Rising Appalachia
• Leah Song, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, frontwoman for Rising Appalachia
• Peter Stroud, guitarist, rock musician; co-founder of 65amps
• Supastition, hip-hop artist
• James Taylor, singer-songwriter in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• TiaCorine, rapper
• Randy Travis, singer in Country Music Hall of Fame
• Loudon Wainwright III, songwriter, folk singer, humorist
• Doc Watson, folk guitarist
• Link Wray, guitarist, rock musician, songwriter
• George Younce, gospel singer
• Percy Heath, jazz bassist, Modern Jazz Quartet
• Clyde McPhatter, soul/R&B singer
• Phonte, rapper/singer
• Rapsody, rapper
• Caroline Shaw, composer, Pulitzer Prize winner
• Billy Taylor, jazz pianist, educator
• Charlie Poole, old-time musician, leader of the North Carolina Ramblers

Sportspeople

• Dustin Ackley, second baseman and outfielder for New York Yankees
• Sam Adams, professional golfer who played on PGA Tour
• Sam Aiken, wide receiver; Buffalo Bills ; New England Patriots
• Walt Aikens, cornerback and free safety for Miami Dolphins
• Dwayne Allen, tight end for Indianapolis Colts
• Johnny Allen, MLB pitcher, All-Star and World Series champion with the New York Yankees
• Kadeem Allen, basketball player in the NBA and currently for Hapoel Haifa in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Keenan Allen, wide receiver for San Diego Chargers
• Jaire Alexander, NFL cornerback for the Green Bay Packers
• James Anderson, linebacker for Carolina Panthers
• Stephone Anthony, linebacker for New Orleans Saints
• Luke Appling, Baseball Hall of Fame shortstop for the Chicago White Sox
• Chris Archer, pitcher for Tampa Bay Rays
• Darrell Armstrong, NBA point guard, assistant coach for Dallas Mavericks
• Shawn Armstrong, relief pitcher for Cleveland Indians
• J. J. Arrington, pro football player
• Kathleen Baker, Olympic gold and silver medalist swimmer
• Brooks Baldwin, MLB infielder
• Scott Bankhead, former MLB pitcher
• Billy Ray Barnes, NFL player 1957–66 for Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, and Minnesota Vikings; 3-time Pro Bowl
• Brian Barnes, MLB pitcher for Montreal Expos, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers
• Darrius Barnes, Major League Soccer player
• Rick Barnes, college basketball coach
• Bryan Battle, UFC fighter
• Jim Beatty, track and field athlete, first person to break 4-minute barrier on an indoor track
• Bobby Bell, Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker and defensive end for Kansas City Chiefs
• Walt Bellamy, basketball player, NBA Hall of Fame
• Ricky Berens, two-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming
• Heather Bergsma, Olympic speed skater, earned a bronze medal
• Brenton Bersin, wide receiver for Carolina Panthers
• Henry Bibby, basketball player for 3-time national champion UCLA, NBA player, college and pro coach
• Eddie Biedenbach, basketball player for NBA's Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, and for North Carolina State University, NC Sports Hall of Fame
• Ryan Blaney, NASCAR driver
• Arthur Bluethenthal, college football player and World War I pilot
• Jared Boll, NHL player
• Stephen Bowen, defensive end for New York Jets
• Jim Boyd, Olympic gold medalist boxer at light heavyweight at the 1956 Summer Olympics
• Garrett Bradbury, center for the Minnesota Vikings
• Hal Bradley, football player for NFL's Washington Redskins and Chicago Cardinals
• Louis Breeden, defensive back with Cincinnati Bengals
• Kidd Brewer, college football coach and athletics administrator
• Andre Brown, fullback for Washington Redskins
• Dyami Brown, football player
• Jason Brown, center for St. Louis Rams
• Logan Brown, NHL player
• Ted Brown, former NFL running back, member of the College Football Hall of Fame
• Derek Brunson, UFC fighter
• Madison Bumgarner, MLB pitcher, 3-time World Series champion, 2014 World Series MVP
• Smoky Burgess, Major League Baseball player, 9-time All-Star
• Juston Burris, NFL safety
• Paul Burris, MLB catcher
• Josh Bush, free safety for Denver Broncos
• Crezdon Butler, cornerback for Pittsburgh Steelers
• Dremiel Byers, Greco-Roman wrestler, World Champion and member of two Olympic teams
• William Byron, NASCAR driver

• Brian Canter, professional bull rider on Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series tour
• Chris Canty, defensive lineman for the New York Giants
• Bruce Carter, linebacker for Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Carter Capps, relief pitcher for Miami Marlins, born in Kinston
• Joey Cheek, Olympic gold medalist speed skater
• Lonnie Chisenhall, utility player for Cleveland Indians
• Dwight Clark, two-time All-Pro wide receiver for San Francisco 49ers; led 49ers to first Super Bowl appearance with a last-minute touchdown catch in 1982 NFC Championship Game
• Jim Cleamons, former NBA guard, Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New York Knicks; assistant coach for Lakers
• Tony Cloninger, MLB pitcher
• Tarik Cohen, NFL running back and return specialist
• Jonathan Cooper, guard for NFL's Arizona Cardinals
• Terrance Copper, wide receiver for Kansas City Chiefs
• Charlie Cozart, MLB pitcher for the Boston Braves
• Wade Crane, professional pool player
• Sam Cronin, former Major League Soccer player
• Alvin Crowder, former MLB pitcher, 2× AL wins leader
• Alge Crumpler, tight end for New England Patriots, selected four times for Pro Bowl
• Chris Culliver, cornerback for San Francisco 49ers
• Kenwin Cummings, former NFL linebacker for New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys
• Aaron Curry, linebacker for Seattle Seahawks
• Seth Curry, player for Dallas Mavericks
• Stephen Curry, player for 4-time NBA champion Golden State Warriors, 2-time NBA MVP
• Jack Curtis, MLB pitcher
• Antico Dalton, former NFL player
• Brad Daugherty, All-America basketball player for UNC-Chapel Hill and NBA player for the Cleveland Cavaliers; television commentator for Raycom Media
• Russell Davis, former NFL defensive tackle
• Walter Davis, basketball player for UNC-Chapel Hill and NBA's Phoenix Suns; 6-time NBA All-Star
• Lindsay Deal, MLB outfielder for the Brooklyn Dodgers
• Landon Dickerson, NFL offensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles
• James L. Dickey III, basketball player for Hapoel Haifa of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Rob Dillingham, NBA player
• Austin Dillon, NASCAR driver
• Mike Dillon, former NASCAR driver
• Ty Dillon, NASCAR driver
• Matt Dodge, former punter for New York Giants
• Ryan Dull, relief pitcher for Oakland Athletics
• Ray Durham, MLB second baseman
• Kony Ealy, defensive end for Carolina Panthers
• Dale Earnhardt Jr., championship-winning NASCAR driver and protégé of his father, Dale Earnhardt Sr.
• Dale Earnhardt Sr., renowned NASCAR driver nicknamed "The Intimidator" for aggressive driving style; winner of 76 NASCAR races, 7-time Cup Series champion
• Brad Edwards, safety for Washington Redskins, made two interceptions in Super Bowl XXVI
• Carl Eller, former NFL defensive end; member of Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Dannell Ellerbe, linebacker for New Orleans Saints
• Greg Ellis, former NFL defensive end, 2007 Pro Bowl selection and NFL Comeback Player of the Year
• Ethan Evans, NFL punter
• Vince Evans, 1977 Rose Bowl MVP for University of Southern California, quarterback for NFL's Los Angeles Raiders and Chicago Bears
• Rick Ferrell, Baseball Hall of Fame catcher for Boston Red Sox Washington Senators and St Louis Browns
• Perry Fewell, coach for Washington Redskins
• Cortland Finnegan, cornerback for Carolina Panthers
• Spencer Fisher, UFC fighter
• Charlotte Flair, professional wrestler
• Reid Flair, professional wrestler
• Ric Flair, professional wrestler
• Raymond Floyd, professional golfer, member of the World Golf Hall of Fame
• Phil Ford, retired point guard for Kansas City Kings, New Jersey Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and Houston Rockets, won '78–'79 NBA Rookie of the Year Award; NBA coach
• David Fox, Olympic gold medalist swimmer in the men's 4x100 m freestyle at the 1996 Summer Olympics
• Roman Gabriel, All-America quarterback for NC State; played for NFL's Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles, named league's MVP in 1969
• Omar Gaither, linebacker for Philadelphia Eagles
• Julian Gamble, basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Harry Gant, former NASCAR driver
• David Garrard, East Carolina University football player, quarterback for Jacksonville Jaguars
• Kenny Gattison, NBA player, coach for Atlanta Hawks
• Alvin Gentry, head coach for Phoenix Suns
• Joe Gibbs, Hall of Fame head coach for NFL's Washington Redskins and owner of Joe Gibbs Racing; won Super Bowl in 1982, 1987, and 1991; won the NASCAR Cup Series Championship in 2000, 2002, 2005 and 2015
• Marcus Gilchrist, cornerback for San Diego Chargers
• Harry Giles, NBA player for the Sacramento Kings
• Mark Grace, baseball player, Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star and Gold Glove Award-winning first baseman; MLB record for hits and doubles in decade of 1990s, broadcaster, coach
• Jimmy Graham, tight end for New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, and Green Bay Packers
• Robert Griswold, swimmer
• Todd Gurley, former NFL running back, 3-time Pro Bowl selection and 2-time First-team All-Pro

• Bill Haas, professional golfer
• Dino Hackett, former NFL linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks
• Joey Hackett, former NFL tight end
• Chris Hairston, offensive tackle for Buffalo Bills
• P. J. Hairston, player for Charlotte Hornets
• Jimmie Hall, MLB outfielder
• Omarion Hampton, NFL running back
• Chris Hanburger, NFL linebacker for the Washington Redskins, member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Josh Hamilton, outfielder for Texas Rangers
• Dee Hardison, former NFL defensive lineman, primarily for Buffalo Bills and New York Giants
• Jeff Hardy, professional wrestler, entertainer
• Justin Hardy, wide receiver for Atlanta Falcons
• Matt Hardy, professional wrestler, entertainer
• Javon Hargrave, NFL defensive tackle
• Montrezl Harrell, power forward for Houston Rockets
• C. J. Harris, basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Matt Harrison, pitcher for Philadelphia Phillies
• Kendra Harrison, Olympic hurdler and world record holder in the 100 m outdoor hurdles
• Bryan Harvey, MLB pitcher, two-time All-Star and AL saves leader in 1991
• Chris Hatcher, pitcher for Los Angeles Dodgers
• Quanera Hayes, American track and field sprinter, specializing in 400 metres
• William Hayes, defensive end for Tennessee Titans
• Brendan Haywood, center for Cleveland Cavaliers
• Andy Headen, linebacker for New York Giants 1983–1988
• Madison Hedgecock, fullback for St. Louis Rams and New York Giants; selected All-Pro in 2008
• Gregory Helms, professional wrestler, entertainer
• Tommy Helms, former Major League Baseball infielder, member of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame
• Daniel Hemric, NASCAR driver
• B. J. Hill, defensive end for the New York Giants
• Ryan Hill, long-distance runner
• Dave Henderson, basketball player, 1991 Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP
• Sterling Hitchcock, former MLB pitcher for New York Yankees and San Diego Padres
• Megan Hodge, indoor volleyball player
• Greg Holland, relief pitcher for Colorado Rockies
• DeVonte Holloman, former linebacker for Dallas Cowboys
• Torry Holt, NC State and St. Louis Rams wide receiver ; seven-time NFL Pro Bowl
• Brad Hoover, football player for Carolina Panthers, attended Western Carolina University
• Joe Horn, wide receiver, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints
• Josh Howard, small forward and shooting guard for Utah Jazz
• Sam Howell, quarterback for Washington Commanders
• Jason Hunter, defensive end for Oakland Raiders
• Catfish Hunter, Major League Baseball pitcher, starting for Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees in five World Series championships during 1970s; Baseball Hall of Fame
• Othello Hunter, basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• D. J. Humphries, NFL offensive tackle
• Brandon Ingram, NBA for the Los Angeles Lakers
• Mark Ingram Sr., NFL wide receiver, primarily with New York Giants
• Melvin Ingram, NFL linebacker, three-time Pro Bowl selection
• John Isner, professional tennis player
• Bobby Jackson, NBA player and assistant coach of Sacramento Kings
• Antawn Jamison, NBA power forward and two-time All-Star
• Dale Jarrett, long-time NASCAR driver and winner of 1999 NASCAR Championship
• Glenn Jarrett, former NASCAR driver
• Ned Jarrett, former NASCAR driver; two-time NASCAR champion
• Haywood Jeffires, former NFL wide receiver, three-time Pro Bowl selection
• Austin Johnson, fullback for New Orleans Saints
• Brad Johnson, former NFL quarterback, won Super Bowl XXXVII with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• James Johnson, Greco-Roman wrestler, multiple time Greco-Roman wrestling U.S. World Team member and U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman coach
• Junior Johnson, moonshiner who eluded capture by outrunning law enforcement on mountain roads; early superstar of NASCAR; subject of 1965 Esquire magazine article by Tom Wolfe
• Marc Johnson, professional skateboarder
• Paul Johnson, college football coach, member of the College Football Hall of Fame
• Bobby Jones, member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
• Daniel Jones, NFL quarterback for the New York Giants
• Sam Jones, Hall of Fame basketball player for Boston Celtics
• Michael Jordan, basketball player, University of North Carolina, winner of six NBA championships with Chicago Bulls, 1984 and 1992 Olympics gold medalist, member of Pro Basketball Hall of Fame, NBA executive
• Sonny Jurgensen, Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback for Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles; later served as commentator for Redskins radio
• Darius Kilgo, nose tackle for Denver Broncos
• Clyde King, MLB pitcher, coach, manager, general manager, and front office executive
• Jennifer King, NFL offensive assistant
• Donnie Kirkpatrick, college football coach
• Stuart Krohn, professional rugby union player

• Corey LaJoie, NASCAR driver
• Max Lanier, former MLB pitcher
• Mike LaValliere, former MLB catcher who played with Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates
• Dexter Lawrence, nose tackle for the New York Giants
• Vonta Leach, fullback for Baltimore Ravens
• Chris Leak, quarterback, led Florida Gators to 2006 BCS national championship
• Meadowlark Lemon, basketball player for Harlem Globetrotters; nicknamed the "Clown Prince"
• Buck Leonard, Baseball Hall of Fame, first baseman Homestead Grays
• Sugar Ray Leonard, championship boxer, 1976 Olympic gold medalist, world welterweight champion
• Jake Leschyshyn, NHL player
• Joe Lewis, one of the fathers of full contact karate and kickboxing in the United States
• Caroline Lind, two-time Olympic gold medalist rower
• Camille Little, WNBA player
• Greg Little, wide receiver for Cleveland Browns
• Zack Littell, relief pitcher for the Minnesota Twins
• Sean Locklear, offensive tackle for Seattle Seahawks
• Davis Love III, professional golfer, attended UNC-Chapel Hill
• Rhett Lowder, MLB pitcher
• Calvin Lowry, football player, Penn State and NFL's Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos
• John Lucas II, former NBA player, assistant coach for Houston Rockets
• Michael Macchiavello, freestyle and folkstyle wrestler, NCAA wrestling champion at NC State
• Kevin Mack, former NFL fullback, two-time Pro Bowl selection
• Bob Mann, wide receiver for Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers; first African-American player for both teams; Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1988
• Bruce Matthews, former NFL offensive lineman, 7-time First-team All-Pro, 14-time Pro Bowl selection, member of Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Pete Maravich, Hall of Fame NBA player, graduated from Needham B. Broughton High School
• Ricardo Marsh, basketball player, 2007 top scorer in the Israel Basketball Premier League
• Kareem Martin, outside linebacker for the New York Giants
• Mohamed Massaquoi, wide receiver for Cleveland Browns
• J. B. Mauney, professional bull rider on Built Ford Tough Series
• Cameron Maybin, outfielder for New York Yankees
• Drake Maye, NFL quarterback
• Luke Maye, professional basketball player
• Eric Maynor, point guard for Oklahoma City Thunder
• Bob McAdoo, Hall of Fame basketball player for UNC-Chapel Hill and NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers; led UNC to 1971 NCAA Final Four
• Chris McCain, linebacker for Miami Dolphins
• Bob McCreary, NFL offensive tackle
• "Quickdraw" Rick McGraw, professional wrestler
• Bones McKinney, NBA player and college coach
• Sara McMann, Olympic silver medalist in women's freestyle wrestling, three-time World medalist
• Kathy McMillan, Olympic long jumper, member of National Track and Field Hall of Fame
• Nate McMillan, retired guard for Seattle SuperSonics; head coach for Portland Trail Blazers
• Lee Meadows, former MLB pitcher, NL wins leader and World Series champion
• John Meeks, basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Chasity Melvin, professional basketball player, WNBA All-Star
• Whit Merrifield, second baseman and left fielder for the Kansas City Royals
• David Merritt, NFL linebacker, defensive backs coach for New York Giants
• Jason Miller, mixed martial arts fighter
• Kevin Millwood, pitcher for Seattle Mariners
• Akil Mitchell, American-Panamanian basketball player for Maccabi Rishon LeZion of the Israeli Premier League
• Bryan Mitchell, pitcher for New York Yankees
• Brian Moehler, starting pitcher for Houston Astros
• Scottie Montgomery, NFL wide receiver, coach for Pittsburgh Steelers
• Shannon Moore, professional wrestler, entertainer
• Sio Moore, NFL linebacker
• Joe Morris, running back for New York Giants and Cleveland Browns
• Anthony Morrow, basketball player for Oklahoma City Thunder
• Malik Mustapha, NFL safety
• Wil Myers, MLB outfielder for Tampa Bay Rays, San Diego Padres
• Jerry Narron, baseball catcher and coach, and manager of Texas Rangers and Cincinnati Reds
• Fred "Curly" Neal, guard for Harlem Globetrotters
• John Hunter Nemechek, NASCAR driver
• Hakeem Nicks, NFL wide receiver, Super Bowl XLVI champion with New York Giants
• Dickie Noles, MLB pitcher, 1980 World Series champion

• Johnny Oates, professional baseball player, coach, and manager
• Dave Odom, men's college basketball coach
• Amber O'Neal, professional wrestler
• Red O'Quinn, professional football player
• Matt Osborne, professional wrestler
• Willie Parker, running back for Pittsburgh Steelers
• Benny Parsons, former NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion
• Chris Paul, All-Star point guard for Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, won NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 2006
• Logan Pause, Major League Soccer player and member of USMNT
• Julius Peppers, All-America football player and basketball player for UNC-Chapel Hill; only athlete in history to have played in both NCAA Final Four and NFL Super Bowl; 4× First-team All-Pro and 9× Pro Bowl selection
• Gaylord Perry, MLB pitcher in Baseball Hall of Fame; first to win Cy Young Award in both American and National Leagues
• Greg Peterson, defensive tackle, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, All-American at North Carolina Central University
• Lee Petty, stock car driver, pioneer of NASCAR and three-time NASCAR champion in the 1950s; father of Richard Petty
• Richard Petty, stock car driver, holder of NASCAR record for all-time victories at 200, 7-time Cup Series champion; son of Lee Petty
• Brandon Phillips, second baseman for Atlanta Braves, two-time All-Star and won the Gold Glove Award three times
• Bradley Pinion, punter for San Francisco 49ers
• Eddie Pope, former Major League Soccer player, member of the USMNT, member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame
• J. T. Poston, professional golfer
• Drake Powell, NBA player
• Landon Powell, catcher and first baseman for Oakland A's
• Mike Quick, wide receiver with Philadelphia Eagles
• Shea Ralph, former professional basketball player and college head coach
• Shavlik Randolph, NBA player
• Juvonte Reddic, basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Kevin Reddick, linebacker for Carolina Panthers
• Jeff Reed, placekicker for Pittsburgh Steelers
• Mary Reynolds, player in All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
• Denzel Rice, cornerback for Philadelphia Eagles
• Jerry Richardson, NFL player for Baltimore Colts and owner of Carolina Panthers
• Jordan Rinaldi, UFC fighter
• Sylvester "Junkyard Dog" Ritter, professional wrestler and college football player
• Brian Roberts, MLB second baseman, primarily with Baltimore Orioles
• Lee Rouson, running back for New York Giants and Cleveland Browns
• John Sadri, professional tennis player
• Kelvin Sampson, head basketball coach for University of Houston
• Charlie Sanders, Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end for Detroit Lions
• Scott Satterfield, college football coach
• Corey Seager, MLB shortstop, 2020 World Series MVP with the Los Angeles Dodgers
• Kyle Seager, third baseman for Seattle Mariners
• Richie Shaffer, infielder for Tampa Bay Rays
• Tyler Shatley, guard for Jacksonville Jaguars
• Kelvin Sampson, head basketball coach for University of Houston
• Mike Shildt, manager for the St. Louis Cardinals
• Razor Shines, first baseman for Montreal Expos
• Floyd Simmons, two-time Olympic bronze medalist in the decathlon
• Webb Simpson, professional golfer on the PGA Tour, winner of 2012 U.S. Open and 2018 Players Championship
• Enos Slaughter, right fielder and Baseball Hall of Famer for St. Louis Cardinals and New York Yankees
• Terrmel Sledge, former MLB outfielder and current outfielder for Yokohama BayStars
• Ben Smith, National Hockey League player; first player born in North Carolina to have name engraved in Stanley Cup
• D. J. Smith, linebacker for Green Bay Packers
• Dennis Smith Jr., NBA player for New York Knicks
• Ish Smith, point guard for Oklahoma City Thunder, Detroit Pistons
• Brandon Spikes, linebacker for New England Patriots
• Jerry Stackhouse, All-America basketball player for UNC-Chapel Hill and Atlanta Hawks, NBA's 1996 All-Rookie team
• Richie Steamboat, former professional wrestler
• Dwight Stephenson, former NFL center, member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Melvin Stewart, two-time Olympic gold medalist, International Swimming Hall of Fame, SwimSwam co-founder
• Hal Stowe, former pitcher for New York Yankees
• Braun Strowman, professional wrestler, strongman, entertainer
• Ryan Succop, NFL placekicker for Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Brett Swain, wide receiver for San Francisco 49ers
• J. R. Sweezy, offensive guard for Seattle Seahawks
• John Swofford, commissioner of ACC, former athletic director of UNC-Chapel Hill

• Ray Tanner, former college baseball head coach, athletic director at University of South Carolina
• Brandon Tate, wide receiver for New England Patriots, holds NCAA career record for most combined return yards
• Brenda Taylor, Olympic hurdler
• Ryan Taylor, tight end for Green Bay Packers
• Johnny Temple, former MLB player and coach, 6× MLB All-Star
• Tab Thacker, NCAA wrestling champion, three-time NCAA All-American, and actor
• Cam Thomas, nose tackle for San Diego Chargers
• Herb Thomas, NASCAR's first multi-time Cup Champion
• David Thompson, NC State basketball player, led team to 1974 NCAA championship over UCLA, four-time NBA All-Star, member of Basketball Hall of Fame
• Wells Thompson, former Major League Soccer player
• Leigh Torrence, cornerback for New Orleans Saints
• Chad Tracy, MLB third baseman
• Kyle Troup, professional ten-pin bowler
• R-Truth, professional wrestler and rapper
• P. J. Tucker, player for Phoenix Suns and 2008 Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP
• Norv Turner, NFL head coach for San Diego Chargers, Washington Redskins, Oakland Raiders
• Brian Vickers, NASCAR driver
• Fred Vinson, NBA player, assistant coach for New Orleans Hornets
• Rube Walker, former MLB player and manager, two-time World Series Champion with the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers
• John Wall, NBA player, 5× NBA All-Star
• Bob Warlick, NBA player
• Ernie Warlick, AFL tight end for the Buffalo Bills, 4× AFL All-Star and 2× AFL champion
• Adam Warren, relief pitcher for New York Yankees
• Greg Warren, long snapper for Pittsburgh Steelers
• T. J. Warren, small forward for Phoenix Suns
• Stephanie Watts, WNBA player
• Carson Wentz, NFL quarterback
• Alex White, pitcher for Cleveland Indians and Colorado Rockies
• Johnny White, NFL running back for Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers
• Rex White, former NASCAR Grand National Series champion
• Tyler White, first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers
• Zamir White, NFL running back, CFP national champion at Georgia
• Josh Whitesell, former MLB first baseman
• Hassan Whiteside, power forward and center for Sacramento Kings
• Chris Wilcox, power forward/center for Boston Celtics
• Hoyt Wilhelm, Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher, Baltimore Orioles Chicago White Sox
• Damien Wilkins, small forward and shooting guard for Detroit Pistons
• Steve Wilks, NFL coach
• Brian Williams, former NFL cornerback
• Buck Williams, NBA player for New Jersey Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, and New York Knicks, assistant coach for Trail Blazers; won 1982 NBA Rookie of the Year Award
• C. J. Williams, basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Jesse Williams, track and field high jumper, 2011 World Champion
• Mario Williams, NC State football player, first ACC player selected No. 1 overall in NFL draft; 3× First-team All-Pro defensive end and 4× Pro Bowl selection
• Maxie Williams, NFL offensive lineman
• Perry Williams, former cornerback for New York Giants
• Roy Williams, UNC-Chapel Hill men's basketball coach 2003–2021; led UNC-Chapel Hill to 2005, 2009, and 2017 NCAA basketball national championships
• Zion Williamson, NBA player for New Orleans Pelicans
• Adrian Wilson, All-Pro NFL safety, member of Arizona Cardinals Ring of Honor
• C. J. Wilson, defensive end for Green Bay Packers
• Payton Wilson, NFL linebacker, 2023 Butkus Award winner
• Alex Wood, pitcher for Los Angeles Dodgers
• Haywoode Workman, former NBA player and referee
• James Worthy, basketball player for UNC-Chapel Hill, Most Valuable Player of 1982 NCAA basketball championship game, winner of three NBA titles with Los Angeles Lakers, broadcaster
• Anthony Wright, former NFL quarterback
• Debbie Yow, former Athletic Director of Saint Louis, Maryland, and NC State
• Kay Yow, women's college basketball coach, member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
• Tom Zachary, former MLB pitcher
• Ryan Zimmerman, All-Star third baseman for Washington Nationals

Writers

• Jason V. Brock, author, artist, editor, filmmaker
• Don Brown, author, attorney, former naval officer
• Betsy Byars, children's author
• Wiley Cash, novelist
• Fred Chappell, author and North Carolina Poet Laureate 1997–2002
• Jennie Thornley Clarke, educator, writer, and anthologist
• Ellis Credle, author of books for children and young adults, including Down Down the Mountain
• Sarah Dessen, writer of novels for young adults
• Thomas Dixon Jr., author of The Clansman
• Fanny Murdaugh Downing, first resident novelist of Mecklenburg County
• Pamela Duncan, novelist whose books often focus on working-class Southerners
• John Ehle, author
• Charles Frazier, author of best-selling novel Cold Mountain
• Kaye Gibbons, author of novels Ellen Foster and A Virtuous Woman
• Jim Grimsley, novelist and playwright
• O. Henry, prolific short story writer whose works include The Ransom of Red Chief and The Gift of the Magi
• Jan Karon, novelist
• Margaret Maron, award-winning author of mystery novels
• Armistead Maupin, writer known for his Tales of the City series of novels based in San Francisco
• Sharyn McCrumb, writer whose books celebrate the history and folklore of Appalachia
• Tom Robbins, author of best-selling novels including Even Cowgirls Get The Blues
• Emily McGary Selinger, writer, poet
• Theodore Taylor, author of more than 50 books for young adults including The Cay
• Timothy Tyson, historian at Duke University and author of the best-selling book Blood Done Sign My Name
• Sarah J. C. Whittlesey, author, poet, hymnwriter
• Thomas Wolfe, author of classic novels such as Look Homeward, Angel and ''You Can't Go Home Again''

Aviation and aerospace

• Sam Beddingfield, test pilot and NASA employee
• Curtis Brown, former NASA astronaut and United States Air Force colonel
• Myrtle Cagle, pilot and flight test instructor, one of the Mercury 13 female astronauts group
• Charles Duke, Apollo 16 astronaut; tenth and youngest person to walk on moon
• Willie H. Fuller, combat fighter pilot and combat flight instructor with the 332d Expeditionary Operations Group 99th Pursuit Squadron, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen or "Red Tails"
• Viola Gentry, aviator, set the first non-refueling endurance record for women
• Caleb V. Haynes, USAF major general, air pioneer
• Susan Helms, USAF lieutenant general and NASA astronaut
• William S. McArthur, United States Army colonel, test pilot, and NASA astronaut
• George Preddy, USAF fighter ace
• Edward F. Rector, USAF fighter ace, member of the Flying Tigers
• Ida Van Smith, pilot and flight instructor
• William E. Thornton, NASA astronaut
• Earl P. Yates, rear admiral in the United States Navy and United States Naval Aviator

Religious leaders

• Ernest Angley, Christian evangelist and pastor of Grace Cathedral
• William J. Barber II, minister and activist
• Leonard Bolick, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and served as the bishop of the North Carolina Evangelical Lutheran Synod from 1997 to 2015
• Casey Cole, American Franciscan friar, Catholic priest, writer, and blogger
• Billy Graham, Christian evangelist and unofficial religious advisor to U.S. Presidents from Dwight D. Eisenhower to Bill Clinton
• Franklin Graham, Christian evangelist and missionary
• Anne Graham Lotz, Christian evangelist and daughter of Billy Graham
• James A. Forbes, minister
• Paul Henkel, itinerant evangelist for the Lutheran Church
• John P. Kee, gospel singer and pastor
• Owen L. W. Smith, minister and diplomat of the United States
• Ben Witherington III, New Testament scholar

Miscellaneous

• Louis H. Asbury, architect, many works listed on U.S. National Register of Historic Places
• John David Roy Atchison, assistant US attorney and children's sports coach, committed suicide in prison after being charged with soliciting sex from a 5-year-old girl
• Penelope Barker, activist in the American Revolution, helped organize the boycott of British goods in 1774 known as the Edenton Tea Party
• Norma Bonniwell, architect
• Daniel Boone, explorer, lived in the Yadkin River valley of western North Carolina for many years
• Fred Brooks, software engineer and computer scientist
• Eliza Bryant, humanitarian
• Judy Clarke, criminal defense attorney in many high-profile cases
• John Cocke, computer scientist
• Chelsea Cooley, Miss USA 2005
• Virginia Dare, first person of English heritage born in the New World, in the Roanoke Colony, "The Lost Colony"
• Jennifer Pharr Davis, set record for quickest Appalachian Trail hike in 2011
• Nia Franklin, Miss America 2019
• Connie Guion, female physician, influential in developing health care systems
• Martha Hunt, Model
• Adam Leroy Lane, convicted murderer and serial killer
• Jordan Lloyd, reality television participant, winner of Big Brother 11
• Leonard McBury, explorer of Tennessee
• Dan McGalliard, inventor and innovator
• Gideon Morris, trans-Appalachian pioneer and founder of Morristown, Tennessee
• Benjamin Chavis Muhammad, civil rights leader
• Erica Payne, public policy expert, commentator, author and strategist
• Elwood L. Perry, fishing lure inventor
• Conrad Reed, found a large gold nugget while fishing, triggering the first gold rush in the United States
• Rachel Reilly, reality television participant, winner of Big Brother 13
• Dawud Salahuddin, Muslim terrorist
• Afeni Shakur, former Black Panther, philanthropist, and mother of Tupac Shakur
• David A. Smith, computer scientist, specializing in interactive 3D

North Carolina residents later in life, raised elsewhere

• Harry Anderson, actor best known as Judge Harry Stone from the television series Night Court, 1984–1992
• Maya Angelou, poet, historian, author, actress, playwright, producer, director, and professor at Wake Forest University
• Joseph Bathanti, poet, writer, professor; North Carolina Poet Laureate
• Frances Bavier, actress, the Andy Griffith Show
• Marshall Brain, technology expert and internet personality at HowStuffWorks.com
• Chang and Eng Bunker, the original Siamese twins who performed for audiences in Asia, Europe, and North America before settling in the mountains of North Carolina and marrying two local sisters
• Orson Scott Card, lecturer and author of the award-winning science fiction book Ender's Game
• John Carroll, journalist and newspaper editor for the Los Angeles Times and The Baltimore Sun
• Eva Clayton, U.S. congresswoman from North Carolina 1992–2003; she graduated from Johnson C. Smith University and North Carolina Central University
• Allison Hedge Coke, American Book Award-winning author of Blood Run and other novels
• John Edwards, former U.S. senator and 2004 Democratic vice-presidential nominee
• Renee Ellmers, U.S. congresswoman from North Carolina 2011–2017
• Ric Flair, most decorated professional wrestling champion of all time
• Robert Wilkie, Defense Department leader and national security assistant to the president
• John Hope Franklin, historian and professor of African-American history at Duke University; also a civil-rights activist in the 1950s and 1960s
• Harry Golden, Jewish-American humorist, writer and publisher of the Carolina Israelite; author, Only in America
• T. Adelaide Goodno, president, North Carolina Woman's Christian Temperance Union
• Alex Grant, Scottish-born American poet, instructor
• Bob Havens, musician who played trombone for the Lawrence Welk orchestra, 1960–1983, born in Quincy, Illinois
• Joseph Hewes, signatory of the Declaration of Independence for North Carolina and first U.S. Secretary of the Navy
• Samantha Holvey, Miss North Carolina USA 2006
• Si Kahn, singer-songwriter and activist, supporting numerous civil-rights and environmental causes with his music
• Mike Krzyzewski, long-time men's basketball coach for Duke University, garnering four NCAA basketball national championships
• Linda Lavin, actress on TV sitcom Alice, lived in Wilmington in retirement, donated toward a local youth theater project
• Harvey Littleton, glass artist, founder of American Studio Glass movement

• Wilmer Mizell, Major League Baseball pitcher and NC congressman
• Sue Myrick, mayor of Charlotte 1987–1991; U.S. congresswoman from North Carolina 1995–2013
• Michael Peterson, novelist and convicted murderer; currently serving a life sentence for the 2003 murder of his wife
• Tom Regan, philosopher and animal rights activist at North Carolina State University
• Kathy Reichs, forensic anthropologist at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; also the author of best-selling mystery novels featuring the character Temperance Brennan
• Tony Rice, musician
• Eric Rudolph, anti-abortion terrorist currently serving five life sentences for the bombing at the 1996 Summer Olympics which killed one person and injured 111 others; eluded capture for 5 years
• Randolph Scott, film actor 1928–1962; his most enduring image is that of the tall-in-the-saddle Western hero; of his more than 100 film appearances, more than 60 were in Westerns
• Dean Smith, retired men's basketball coach for the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; member of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame; earned 879 wins and two national championships in his career
• Lee Smith, author and instructor at North Carolina State University, winner of the O. Henry award for short-story writing
• Nicholas Sparks, author of romance novels; born in Omaha, Nebraska and grew up in California
• Edward Teach, pirate known as Blackbeard, who kept his hide-out in the harbor of Ocracoke Island on North Carolina's Outer Banks
• John Tesh, musician and television personality, best known as the host of the television series Entertainment Tonight 1986–1996
• George Washington Vanderbilt II, billionaire who created the Biltmore Estate in the North Carolina mountains, the largest privately owned mansion in the Western Hemisphere and North Carolina's top tourist attraction
• Blake R. Van Leer, president of Georgia Tech, inventor and civil rights advocate
• Daniel Wallace, author of the best-selling novel Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions
• Hugh Williamson, physician; third NC signatory of the Constitution
• Kristi Yamaguchi, figure skater and member of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, former North Carolina resident
• Brittany York, Miss North Carolina USA 2011

Spent time or studied in North Carolina

• Mark Alarie, former college basketball player for Duke University, played for the NBA's Denver Nuggets and Washington Bullets
• Grayson Allen, former college basketball player for Duke University, current NBA player
• Sandra Bullock, movie actress; attended East Carolina University
• Nick Cannon, actor, comedian, television personality; graduated from Quail Hollow Middle School
• Perry Como, popular crooner and host of the Perry Como Show, part-time resident of the NC mountains
• Dan Cortese, MTV host, graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill
• Joey Dorsey, NBA basketball player for the Sacramento Kings and alumnus of Laurinburg Institute
• Lawrence Ferlinghetti, poet and owner-operator of the City Lights Bookstore famous for promoting the works of beatnik writers and poets; attended UNC Chapel Hill
• Mia Hamm, former soccer player for UNC-Chapel Hill, two-time Olympic gold medalist, twice named FIFA's World Player of the Year
• Grant Hill, former NBA player, graduated from Duke University
• Kyrie Irving, attended Duke University, NBA player
• Jesse Jackson, politician, preacher, civil rights activist, graduated from North Carolina A&T State University
• Marion Jones, former basketball player for UNC-Chapel Hill and Olympic runner, winner of three gold medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics
• Christian Laettner, played college basketball for Duke University, former NBA Player
• David Lynch, film director and artist best known for directing the film Blue Velvet and the television series Twin Peaks, spent part of his childhood in NC
• Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, terrorist known for masterminding the 9/11 attacks, attended Chowan College and obtained a degree from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
• Richard Nixon, 37th president of the United States, graduated from the Duke University School of Law in 1937
• Arnold Palmer, professional golfer and four-time winner of The Masters Tournament, attended Wake Forest University
• Mary-Louise Parker, film and television actress; graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts; star of the film Fried Green Tomatoes and the television series The West Wing and Weeds; winner of Emmy, Tony, and Golden Globe awards
• Missi Pyle, film actress, graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts, star of films such as Bringing Down the House, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Galaxy Quest
• Philip Rivers, star quarterback for North Carolina State University, set school records in passing yardage and touchdowns, currently the starting quarterback for the National Football League's San Diego Chargers team
• Jada Pinkett Smith, actress and singer, attended North Carolina School of the Arts, starred in the television series A Different World and in the movies The Nutty Professor, The Matrix Reloaded, and The Matrix Revolutions
• Lawrence Taylor, former football player for the New York Giants and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, All-America football player for UNC-Chapel Hill