List of people from Kansas
The following are notable people who were either born, raised, or have lived for a significant period of time in the American state of Kansas.
Academics and Nobel Prize laureates
- Milton S. Eisenhower, university president; Abilene
- Wendell Johnson, psychologist and speech pathologist, author of The Monster Study; Roxbury
- Jack S. Kilby, Nobel Prize winner in Physics; Great Bend
- Solon Toothaker Kimball, anthropologist; Manhattan
- Stanford Lehmberg, historian; McPherson
- Norman Malcolm, philosopher; Selden
- Deane Waldo Malott, president of Cornell University; Abilene
- Abby Lillian Marlatt, home economics; Manhattan
- Eric K. Meyer, journalism professor and Pulitzer Prize nominee; Marion
- M. Lee Pelton, president of Willamette University; Wichita
- John Brooks Slaughter, college president and first African-American director of the National Science Foundation; Topeka
- Vernon L. Smith, Nobel Memorial Prize winner in Economics; Wichita
- Earl Wilbur Sutherland Jr., 1971 Nobel Prize winner in Physiology and Medicine; Burlingame
- Donald Worster, historian; Lawrence
Arts and literature
Artists
- Nina E. Allender, artist and women's suffrage cartoonist; Auburn
- Grace Bilger, artist; Olathe
- Grant Bond, artist; Kansas City
- Blackbear Bosin, Native American artist; Wichita
- Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks, poet; Topeka
- Bruce Conner, artist; McPherson
- John Steuart Curry, artist; Winchester
- Aaron Douglas, artist; Topeka
- Randall Duell, architect and art director; Russell County
- Edgar Heap of Birds, artist; Wichita
- Bruce Helander, artist; Great Bend
- Elizabeth Layton, artist; Wellsville
- Evan Lindquist, printmaker, Artist Laureate of Arkansas; Salina
- Barbara Morgan, photographer; Buffalo, Kansas
- Gordon Parks, photographer and film director; Fort Scott
- Birger Sandzen, artist, art professor at Bethany College; Lindsborg
- Gary Mark Smith, photographer, studied at University of Kansas; Wichita
- W. Eugene Smith, photographer; Wichita
- Mort Walker, cartoonist, creator of Beetle Bailey and Hi and Lois comic strips; El Dorado
Authors
- Laura Abbot, author of Harlequin romance novels; Kansas City
- Elizabeth Barr Arthur, poet, author, journalist, librarian, police officer, suffragist; Lincoln County
- Gwendolyn Brooks, author, poet; Topeka
- William Burroughs, author; Lawrence
- Don Coldsmith, author of Western fiction; Iola
- Dorothy Canfield Fisher, author of children's books; Lawrence
- Thomas Frank, author and editor; Mission Hills
- Clara H. Hazelrigg, author, educator, social reformer; Council Grove
- Jane Heap, author and publisher; Topeka
- Scott Heim, author; Hutchinson
- Langston Hughes, author and poet; Lawrence
- William Inge, playwright; Independence
- Bill James, author; Mayetta
- Bill Martin Jr., children's author; Hiawatha
- Fred Myton, screenwriter; Garden City
- Gwendolen Overton, novelist; short story writer
- Kathy Patrick, author, founder of Pulpwood Queens Book Club; Eureka
- Scott Phillips, author; Wichita
- Vance Randolph, folklorist; Pittsburg
- Red Reeder, author and United States Army officer; Leavenworth, Kansas|Fort Leavenworth]
- Richard Rhodes, author and historian; Kansas City
- Lois Ruby, author of historic fiction; Lawrence
- Damon Runyon, author; Manhattan
- Mary Francis Shura, children's, romance and mystery author; Pratt
- William Stafford, poet and pacifist; Hutchinson
- Max Yoho, author; Colony
Dancers
- Clark Tippet, ballet; Parsons
Athletics
Athletes
;A-F- Alvan Adams, basketball; Lawrence
- John H. Adams, jockey; Iola
- Neil Allen, baseball pitcher, pitching coach; Kansas City
- David Arkin, pro football player; Wichita
- Elden Auker, baseball pitcher; Norcatur
- Chase Austin, NASCAR driver; Eudora
- Chris Babb, basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League; Topeka
- Ron Baker, NBA player ; Utica and Scott City
- Thane Baker, gold medalist at 1956 Summer Olympics, decathlon; Elkhart
- Tony Barker, football player; Wichita
- Chris Barnes, professional bowler; Topeka
- James Bausch, gold medalist 1932 Summer Olympics; Garden Plain
- Oliver Bradwell, sprinter; Wichita
- Judy Bell, member of World Golf Hall of Fame; Wichita
- Matt Besler, professional soccer player; Overland Park
- B.H. Born, basketball player; Medicine Lodge
- Clint Bowyer, NASCAR driver; Emporia
- George Brett, baseball Hall of Famer; Mission Hills
- Bryce Brown, football player; Wichita
- Orville Brown, pro wrestler, NWA champion; Sharon
- Mildred Bliss Burke, pro wrestler, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame; Coffeyville
- Enos Cabell, baseball player; Fort Riley
- Veronica Campbell-Brown, track and field athlete ; Great Bend
- Antoine Carr, basketball player
- Willie Cauley-Stein, professional basketball player Spearville
- Larry Cheney, baseball pitcher; Belleville
- Jack Christiansen, football Hall of Famer; Sublette
- Tony Clark, baseball player; Newton
- Maliek Collins, football player; Kansas City
- Baron Corbin, football player, WWE wrestler; Lenexa
- Nolan Cromwell, football player; Smith Center
- Aaron Crow, baseball player; Topeka
- Glenn Cunningham, silver medalist, 1936 Olympic Games,1,500m run; Elkhart
- Johnny Damon, baseball player; Fort Riley
- Eldon Danenhauer, football player; Clay Center
- Darren Daulton, baseball player; Arkansas City
- Wantha Davis, jockey; Liberal
- Joey Devine, baseball player; Junction City
- Lynn Dickey, football player; Osawatomie
- Andy Dirks, baseball player; Burrton
- Larry Drew, basketball player and coach; Kansas City
- Mark Duckens, football player; Wichita
- Brian Duensing, baseball player; Marysville
- Brody Eldridge, football player; La Cygne
- Tim Elliott, mixed martial artist; Wichita
- Maurice Evans, basketball player; Wichita
- Kyle Farnsworth, baseball player; Wichita
- Galen Fiss, football player; Johnson City
- Adrianna Franch, soccer player ; Salina
- Scott Fulhage, football player; Beloit
- Andrew Gachkar, football player; Overland Park
- Kendall Gammon, football player; Rose Hill
- Tyson Gay, track and field athlete ; Great Bend
- Maurice Greene, track and field athlete ; Kansas City
- Adrian Griffin, basketball player and coach; Wichita
- Geneo Grissom, football player; Hutchinson
- Andy Gruenebaum, soccer player
- Don Gutteridge, baseball player and manager; Pittsburg
- Joe Hastings, football player; Wichita
- Tanner Hawkinson, football player; McPherson
- Mark Haynes, football player; Kansas City
- Ben Heeney, football player; Hutchinson
- Bobby Henrich, baseball player; Lawrence
- Don Hill, football player; Hiawatha
- Shaun Hill, football player; Parsons
- Elon Hogsett, baseball player; Brownell
- Lionel Hollins, basketball player and coach; Arkansas City
- Scott Huffman, pole vaulter; Quinter
- Damian Johnson, football player; Great Bend
- Walter Johnson, baseball Hall of Famer; Humboldt
- Pete Kilduff, baseball player; Weir
- Fred Kipp, baseball pitcher; Piqua
- Tonya Knight, IFBB professional bodybuilder; Overland Park
- Laurie Koehn, WNBA player; Moundridge
- Gene Krug, baseball player; Garden City
- Adam LaRoche, baseball player; Fort Scott
- Bobby Lashley, professional wrestler for WWE; Junction City
- Shalee Lehning, WNBA player; Sublette
- Martin Lewis, NBA basketball player; Liberal
- Danny Manning, NBA basketball player; Lawrence
- Harold Manning, Steeplechase world record holder and Olympian; Sedgwick
- Rudy May, baseball player; Coffeyville
- Jon McGraw, professional football player; Riley
- Archie "Hap" McKain, baseball player; Delphos
- Peter Mehringer, Olympic gold medalist wrestler, pro football player; Kinsley
- Brian Moorman, football player; Sedgwick
- Mike Morin, baseball player; Leawood
- Marcio Navarro, professional kickboxer and mixed martial artist; Wichita
- Jordy Nelson, football player; Leonardville
- Terence Newman, football player; Salina
- Nicole Ohlde, WNBA player; Clay Center
- Antonio Orozco, professional boxer; Garden City
- Victor Ortiz, professional boxer; Garden City
- Bob Orton, professional wrestler; Kansas City
- Bob Orton Jr., professional wrestler, WWE Hall of Fame; Kansas City
- John Parrella, professional football player; Topeka
- Hal Patterson, professional football player; Larned
- Jordan Phillips, professional football player; Towanda
- Joseph Randle, professional football player; Wichita
- Ronn Reynolds, professional baseball player; Wichita
- Dustin Richardson, MLB pitcher; Newton
- John Riggins, football player, Pro Football Hall of Famer; Centralia
- Brandon Rios, professional boxer; Garden City
- Lafayette Russell, football player, B-movie actor "Reb" Russell; Osawatomie
- Johnny Rutherford, race car driver; Coffeyville
- Jim Ryun, athlete and politician; Wichita
- Barry Sanders, football player, NFL Hall of Famer; Wichita
- Melvin Sanders, pro basketball player; Liberal
- Wes Santee, NCAA cross country champion, track and field athlete; Ashland
- Gale Sayers, NFL Hall of Famer; Wichita
- Otto Schnellbacher, pro basketball and football player; Sublette
- Ryan Schraeder, professional football player; Wichita
- Grant Sherfield, basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
- Wayne Simien, NCAA All-American, NBA basketball player; Leavenworth
- Mark Simoneau, professional football player; Smith Center
- Marilynn Smith, professional golfer and LPGA co-founder; Topeka
- Darren Sproles, professional football player; Olathe
- Bubba Starling, professional baseball player; Gardner
- Lee Stevens, professional baseball player; Lawrence
- Jackie Stiles, WNBA basketball player; Claflin
- Stewart "Smokey" Stover, professional football player; McPherson
- Darrell Stuckey, professional football player; Kansas City
- Tom Sturdivant, professional baseball player; Gordon
- Steve Tasker, NFL Pro Bowl MVP in 1993; Leoti, baseball pitcher; Oskaloosa
- Doug Terry, pro football player; Liberal
- Tommy Thompson, pro football player; Hutchinson
- Joe Tinker, MLB shortstop, member of Baseball Hall of Fame; Muscotah
- Blake Treinen, professional baseball player; Osage City
- Jerame Tuman, pro football player; Liberal
- Ron Warner, professional football player; Independence
- Earl Watson, NBA basketball player; Kansas City
- Tom Watson, golfer, member of World Golf Hall of Fame; Stilwell
- Mitch Webster, MLB player; Larned
- Kendra Wecker, WNBA player; Marysville
- Michael Wilhoite, pro football player; Manhattan
- Jess Willard, world heavyweight boxing champion, St. Clere; Pottawatomie County
- Kamerion Wimbley, professional football player; Wichita
- Lynette Woodard, basketball Hall of Famer; Wichita
- Brad Ziegler, baseball player; Pratt
- John Zook, professional football player; Garden City
Aviators and astronauts
- Walter Herschel Beech, aviator and aircraft designer; Wichita
- Clyde Vernon Cessna, aviator and aircraft designer; Rago
- Amelia Earhart, aviator; Atchison
- Joe Engle, astronaut; Chapman
- Ronald Evans, astronaut; St. Francis
- Daniel Forbes, United States Army Air Corps pilot; Carbondale
- Steve Hawley, astronaut; Salina
- Donald Hudson, World War I flying ace; Topeka
- Glenn L. Martin, aviation pioneer; Salina
- Lloyd Carlton Stearman, aviator and aircraft designer; Wellsford
Businesspeople and inventors
- Philip Anschutz, billionaire investor; Russell
- Bion Barnett, co-founder of Barnett Bank; Hiawatha
- Olive Ann Beech, chairwoman of Beech Aircraft Company; Wichita
- David G. Booth,, co-founder of Dimensional Fund; Lawrence, Kansas
- Dan and Frank Carney, founders of Pizza Hut; Wichita
- Walter Chrysler, founder of Chrysler Corporation; Wamego
- William Coffin Coleman, founder of the Coleman Company; Wichita
- David Dillon, former CEO of Kroger; Hutchinson
- Vic Edelbrock, automotive engineer; Eudora
- David Green, founder of Hobby Lobby; Emporia
- James Harbord, president and chairman of the board of RCA; Manhattan
- Hollis Dow Hedberg, president of Gulf Oil Company; Falun
- William Wadsworth Hodkinson, pioneer film marketer and distributor; Independence
- Carl Ice, president of BNSF; Topeka
- Omar Knedlik, inventor of the ICEE frozen drink; Barnes
- Charles G. Koch, CEO of Koch Industries; Wichita
- David H. Koch, executive and politician; Wichita
- Alan Mulally, engineer, former president and CEO of the Ford Motor Company; Lawrence
- Matthew K. Rose, chairman and CEO of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp.; Salina
- Harry F. Sinclair, founder of Sinclair Oil Company; Independence
- Russell Stover, founder of Russell Stover Candies; Alton
Film, stage and television
Directors
- Michael Almereyda, film director; Overland Park
- Steve Balderson, film director; Wamego
- Darren Lynn Bousman, film director; Overland Park
- Chris Buck, film director, animator; Wichita
- Eric Darnell, director, writer, songwriter, animator; Prairie Village
- Randall Duell, art director; Russell County
- Alex Graves, television director; El Dorado
- Sherman Halsey, music video and television director; Independence
- Martin and Osa Johnson, film pioneer, explorer; Chanute
- Stephen R. Johnson, music video and television director; Paola
- Oscar Micheaux, film director; Great Bend
- Gordon Parks, film director; Fort Scott
- Richard Thorpe, film director; Hutchinson
- Kevin Willmott, film director and screenwriter; Junction City
Public figures
Journalists
- Frank Marshall Davis, journalist, poet, political and labor movement activist; Arkansas City
- Steve Doocy, co-host of Fox News's Fox & Friends; Abilene
- Elizabeth Farnsworth, television journalist; Topeka
- William M. Gallagher, Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist; Hiawatha
- Jane Grant, journalist who co-founded The New Yorker; Girard
- E. W. Howe, author and newspaper editor; Atchison
- Bill Kurtis, television journalist; Independence
- Jim Lehrer, television journalist; Wichita
- Melissa McDermott, television news anchor for CBS's Up to the Minute; Wichita
- Clementine Paddleford, journalist and food critic; Riley County
- Eugene C. Pulliam, founder Central Newspapers, Inc.; Ulysses
- Roy A. Roberts, newspaper editor; Muscotah
- W. Eugene Smith, photojournalist; Wichita
- John Cameron Swayze, television journalist; Wichita
- Julius Wayland, newspaper editor, Appeal to Reason; Girard
- William Allen White, author and newspaper editor; Emporia
- Gene Wojciechowski, author, sportswriter and ESPN commentator; Salina
Religious
- William Bickerton, founder of the Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite) and the Zion Valley, Kansas, colony; St. John
- Charles J. Chaput, archbishop, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Denver; Concordia
- Sheri L. Dew, influential Latter-day Saint spokeswoman; Ulysses
- Bart D. Ehrman, New Testament scholar; Lawrence
- Jerry Johnston, Southern Baptist Convention evangelist and pastor; Overland Park
- Emil Kapaun, Army chaplain Korean War, posthumous Medal of Honor recipient, Catholic martyr and sainthood candidate; Pilsen
- Ron Kenoly, musical worship leader; Coffeyville
- Lillian M. Mitchner, president, Kansas State Woman's Christian Temperance Union; Topeka
- Fred Phelps, leader of Westboro Baptist Church; Topeka
- James Reeb, Unitarian minister beaten to death by segregationists in Selma, Alabama, during the Civil Rights Movement; Wichita
- David Laurin Ricken, bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne; Dodge City
- Richard Rohr, an American Franciscan priest and writer on spirituality; Topeka
- Michael Jarboe Sheehan, archbishop of Santa Fe; Wichita
- M. Madeline Southard, Methodist minister and writer
- John Joseph Sullivan, bishop of Grand Island, Nebraska, and Kansas City-St. Joseph; Horton
- Gerald B. Winrod, evangelical Christian and Nazi sympathizer; Wichita
- Gordon Winrod, Christian Identity minister; Hesston
Others
Notable historical figures not from Kansas but who participated in a significant event in Kansas
- John Brown, abolitionist; Osawatomie
- Buffalo Bill Cody, buffalo hunter and showman; Leavenworth
- Wyatt Earp, lawman; Wichita and Dodge City
- Mary Tenney Gray, known as the "mother of the Women's Club movement in Kansas"; Kansas City
- Dora Hand, dance hall singer, Dodge City
- Wild Bill Hickok, lawman; Hays and Abilene
- John James Ingalls, politician
- Kris Kobach, candidate for governor in 2018, Kansas Secretary of State
- James H. Lane, abolitionist, senator and union general; Lawrence
- Bat Masterson, lawman; Dodge City
- Carrie Nation, temperance activist; Medicine Lodge
- Mary Bell Smith, organizer and first president, Kansas Woman's Christian Temperance Union