List of people from South Dakota

Academia

• Vine Deloria Jr., American Indian author, theologian, historian, and activist
• Alvin Hansen, economist, Harvard professor; born in Viborg
• Arthur Larson, law professor, United States Undersecretary of Labor; born in Sioux Falls
• Ernest O. Lawrence, inventor of cyclotron, winner of 1939 Nobel Prize for Physics; born in Canton
• Lawrence Lessig, internet activist, Harvard Law School professor; born in Rapid City
• Theodore Schultz, economist, winner of 1979 Nobel Prize for Economics; born in Arlington

Actors and filmmakers

• Angela Aames, actress; born in Pierre
• Catherine Bach, actress; grew up in South Dakota
• Bruce Baillie, experimental filmmaker; born in Aberdeen
• Rachael Bella, actress; born in Vermillion
• Shannon Bolin, actress, singer; born in Spencer
• Moses Brings Plenty, actor; born on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
• Christopher Cain, actor, director, screenwriter; born in Sioux Falls
• Leslie Carlson, actor; born in Mitchell
• Sean Covel,film producer; grew up in Edgemont
• Harvey B. Dunn, actor; born in Yankton
• Judith Evelyn, actress; born in Seneca
• Amy Hill, actress; born in Deadwood
• Candace Hilligoss, actress; born in Huron
• Ron Holgate, actor; opera singer; born in Aberdeen
• January Jones, actress; born in Hecla
• Cheryl Ladd, actress; born in Huron
• Eddie Little Sky, actor; born on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
• Cliff Lyons, stuntman, actor; born in Lake County
• Beth Maitland, actress; born in Rapid City
• Gail Matthius, actress, voice actress; born in New York City
• Russell Means, actor, left-wing activist; born in Wanblee
• John Miljan, actor; born in Lead City
• Debra Mooney, actress; born in Aberdeen
• Conrad A. Nervig, Oscar-winning film editor; born in Grant County
• Gary Owens, voice actor, disc jockey; born in Mitchell
• Dorothy Provine, actress, singer, dancer, comedian; born in Deadwood
• Gene Roth, actor; born in Redfield
• Chic Sale, actor, vaudevillian; born in Huron
• Eddie Spears, actor; born in Lower Brulé Tribe, South Dakota
• Michael Spears, actor; born in Lower Brulé Tribe, South Dakota
• Michael Steinberg, director, writer; born in Rapid City
• Joan Tabor, actress; born in Sioux Falls
• Delores Taylor, actress, writer, director; born in Winner
• Casey Tibbs, cowboy, rodeo performer, actor; born in Fort Pierre
• Mamie Van Doren, actress; born in Rowena
• Jerry verDorn, actor; born in Sioux Falls
• John War Eagle, actor; born on the Yankton Indian Reservation
• Alfred L. Werker, director; born in Deadwood
• Floyd Red Crow Westerman, actor, left-wing activist; born on the Lake Traverse Indian Reservation
• Timmy Williams, actor, comedian; born in Watertown

Artists

• Peggy Detmers, sculptor of wildlife in metal, attended South Dakota State
• Harvey Dunn, painter, born in Manchester
• James Earle Fraser, sculptor; spent much of his life in Mitchell
• Paul Goble, author and illustrator of children's books; lives in Rapid City
• Mary GrandPré, illustrator, born in South Dakota
• Bill Groethe, photographer, born in Rapid City
• Oscar Howe, Native American artist; born in South Dakota
• Terry Redlin, wildlife artist; born in Watertown
• Dick Termes, painter of Termespheres; lives in Spearfish

Authors and poets

• Jacob M. Appel, author, wrote Coulrophobia & Fata Morgana while living in Sioux Falls
• L. Frank Baum author; lived in Aberdeen
• Joseph Bottum, essayist and poet; born in Vermillion
• Charles Badger Clark, poet laureate of South Dakota
• Allison Hedge Coke, American Book Award-winning poet, writer; South Dakota resident
• Elizabeth Cook-Lynn, author; born in Fort Thompson
• Pete Dexter, author, screenwriter and journalist, attended University of South Dakota
• David Allan Evans, poet laureate of South Dakota
• Joseph Hansen, author, best known for mystery novels; born in Aberdeen
• Cameron Hawley, author, Executive Suite, Cash McCall; born in Howard
• Patrick Hicks, novelist and poet, Writer-in-Residence at Augustana University
• Johan Andreas Holvik, author and professor at Concordia College (Minnesota)
• Adam Johnson, writer, author of The Orphan Master's Son ; born in South Dakota, Lakota heritage
• Bill Johnson, science-fiction writer; born in South Dakota
• Herbert Arthur Krause, historian, professor at Augustana
• Rose Wilder Lane, journalist, travel writer, novelist; born in De Smet
• Gaylord Larsen, mystery writer; born in Canova
• Joseph Marshall III, Pen Award-winning author; co-founder of Sinte Gleska College; born on the Rosebud Indian Reservation
• Laura Ingalls Wilder, author, best known for Little House on the Prairie; lived in De Smet

Business

• Gene Amdahl, chief architect of IBM mainframe computer; born in Flandreau
• Al Neuharth, founder of USA Today, born in Eureka
• Lee Raymond, CEO and chairman of ExxonMobil Corporation; born in Watertown
• Joseph Robbie, owned NFL's Miami Dolphins; born in Sisseton
• Tom Patterson, founder of Tommy John, born in Milbank

Military

• Oscar Randolph Fladmark, WWII and Korean War pilot; Distinguished Flying Cross recipient; lived in Sioux Falls, born in Moe
• David C. Jones, retired U.S. Air Force general, former chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff; born in Aberdeen
• Touch the Clouds, Native American chief; later Indian Scout and Sergeant in the US army

Music

• Joey Clement, band member of Selena Gomez & the Scene; born in Rapid City
• Shawn Colvin, Grammy Award-winning musician; born in Vermillion
• Mark Craney, drummer for Jethro Tull, Jean Luc-Ponty, Eric Burdon
• Myron Floren, accordionist, The Lawrence Welk Show; born in Roslyn
• Gary Mule Deer, comedian and country musician; born in Deadwood, lives in Spearfish
• Keith Olsen, record producer and sound engineer; born in Sioux Falls
• Jess Thomas, opera singer; born in Hot Springs
• Frank Waln, Sicangu Lakota rapper
• Abby Whiteside, piano teacher, attended University of South Dakota

Native Americans

• Gertrude Bonnin (Zitkala-Sa), Lakota writer and activist; born on Yankton Sioux Reservation
• Crazy Horse, Oglala Lakota war leader
• Russell Means, Native American activist; born in Pine Ridge
• Maria Pearson, Yankton Sioux activist who helped establish the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
• Rain-in-the-Face, Hunkpapa Lakota chief
• Red Cloud, Oglala Lakota chief
• Sitting Bull, Hunkpapa Lakota chief
• Touch the Clouds, Miniconjou Teton Lakota chief known for his great size
• Floyd "Red Crow" Westerman, musician, activist and actor; born on Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota Sioux reservation

Politics and government

• Jim Abdnor, second Lebanese U.S. Representative and Senator; born in Kennebec
• James Abourezk, first Lebanese U.S. representative and senator; born in Wood
• Clinton Presba Anderson, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture; born in Centerville
• Tom Daschle, U.S. Majority Leader of United States Senate; born in Aberdeen
• J. James Exon, U.S. senator for Nebraska, governor of Nebraska; born in Geddes
• Joe Foss, Medal of Honor recipient, 20th governor of South Dakota, first Commissioner of the American Football League; born in Sioux Falls
• Ralph A. Gamble, U.S. representative for New York; born in Yankton
• John Hamre, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense; born in Watertown
• Hubert Humphrey, U.S. Senator, 38th Vice President of the U.S., 1968 Democratic presidential candidate; born in Wallace
• Muriel Humphrey Brown, U.S. senator from Minnesota, Second Lady of the United States; born in Huron
• Bill Janklow, governor 1979–1987 and 1995–2003; moved as teen to Flandreau
• Brendan Johnson, 40th U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota; born in Vermillion
• Tim Johnson, U.S. senator from South Dakota 1997–2015; born in Canton
• Arthur Larson, United States Under Secretary of Labor, lawyer, law professor; born in Sioux Falls
• George McGovern, U.S. senator from South Dakota, 1972 Democratic presidential candidate; born in Avon
• Karl E. Mundt, U.S. senator and U.S. representative; born in Humboldt
• Kristi Noem, first female governor of South Dakota and U.S. Representative from South Dakota; born in Watertown
• Larry Pressler, three-term U.S. senator from South Dakota; born in Humboldt
• Gladys Pyle, first female U.S. senator from South Dakota; born in Huron
• Mike Rounds, current U.S. senator from South Dakota, former governor; born in Huron
• Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, U.S. representative from South Dakota; born in Houghton
• Edward John Thye, U.S. senator from Minnesota and 26th governor of Minnesota; born in Frederick

Science

• Bob Burris, biochemist; elected to the NAS; contributed to our understanding of biological nitrogen fixation; born in Brookings
• Niels Ebbesen Hansen, horticulturist and botanist
• Ernest O. Lawrence, physicist, Nobel Prize winner, built first cyclotron; born in Canton
• John Mortvedt, agronomist and soil scientist who was the world's leading expert on micronutrients; born and raised on a farm near Dell Rapids

Sports

• Sparky Anderson, Baseball Hall of Fame manager of Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers; born in Bridgewater
• Michael Andrew, Olympic swimmer; raised in Aberdeen
• Shayna Baszler, mixed martial artist; born in Sioux Falls
• James Bausch, athlete, decathlon gold medalist at 1932 Summer Olympics; born in Marion
• Curt Byrum, professional golfer, PGA Tour; Onida
• Tom Byrum, professional golfer, PGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions; Onida
• Dallas Clark, tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; born in Sioux Falls
• Dave Collins, baseball player; born in Rapid City
• Jessi Combs, professional racer, female land-speed world record holder, and TV personality; born in Rockerville
• Sean Doolittle, baseball player; born in Rapid City
• Justin Duchscherer, baseball player; born in Aberdeen
• Mark Ellis, baseball player; Rapid City
• Keith Foulke, baseball player, relief pitcher for 2004 World Series champion Boston Red Sox; born on Air Force base in South Dakota
• Terry Francona, baseball player, manager of the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians; born in Aberdeen
• Chad Greenway, linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings; born in Mount Vernon
• Marlene Hagge, golfer, member of World Golf Hall of Fame; born in Eureka
• Becky Hammon, basketball player and coach; born in Rapid City
• Clare Jacobs, athlete, pole vault bronze medalist in 1908 Olympics; born in Madison
• Dennis Koslowski, Greco-Roman wrestler, two-time Olympic medalist; born in Watertown
• Duane Koslowski, Greco-Roman wrestler, former Olympian; born in Watertown
• Jason Kubel, outfielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks; born in Belle Fourche
• Ward Lambert, college basketball coach; born in Deadwood
• Ben Leber, football player; attended high school in Vermillion
• Brock Lesnar, UFC fighter and WWE professional wrestler; born in Webster
• Randy Lewis, freestyle wrestler, 1984 Los Angeles Olympics gold medalist; born in Rapid City
• Clarence "Pug" Manders, pro football running back; born in Milbank
• Jack Manders, pro football running back; born in Milbank
• Mike Martz, former NFL head coach and offensive coordinator; born in Sioux Falls
• Lincoln McIlravy, freestyle wrestler, 2000 Sydney Olympics bronze medalist; born in Rapid City
• David Michaud, UFC fighter; born in Pine Ridge
• Derek Miles, Olympic pole vaulter; from Tea
• Tim Miles, Big Ten basketball coach; born in Huron
• Mike Miller, pro basketball player; born in Mitchell
• Billy Mills, athlete, gold medalist in 1964 Olympics; born in Pine Ridge
• Dale Moss, football player and model; born in Brandon
• Gene Okerlund, professional wrestling commentator; born in Brookings
• Eric Piatkowski, pro basketball player; attended high school in Rapid City
• Riley Reiff, football player for Minnesota Vikings; from Parkston
• Jared Reiner, basketball player; from Tripp
• Bill Scherr, freestyle wrestler, World Champion, four-time World medalist and Olympic bronze medalist; born in Eureka
• Wilbur Thompson, athlete, 1948 Summer Olympics gold medalist in shot put; born in Frankfort
• Derrek Tuszka, pro football linebacker for the Denver Broncos; born in Warner, SD
• Shane Van Boening, professional pool player; born in Rapid City
• Norm Van Brocklin, football player; born in Eagle Butte
• Adam Vinatieri, NFL placekicker; born in Yankton
• Brandon Wegher, football player; born in Dakota Dunes
• Grey Zabel, NFL Offensive Lineman for the Seattle Seahawks; born in Pierre

Television

• Bob Barker, television game show host; raised on the Rosebud Indian Reservation
• Tom Brokaw, television journalist, former NBC Nightly News anchor; born in Webster
• Don Fedderson, television producer and creator, My Three Sons, Family Affair, The Millionaire; born in Beresford
• Mary Hart, television personality ; from Madison, and Sioux Falls
• Chelsea Houska, television personality
• Tomi Lahren, conservative political commentator, host of TheBlaze's Tomi; raised in Rapid City
• Pat O'Brien, sports commentator, television personality ; born in Sioux Falls
• Gary Owens, announcer for Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, radio disc jockey, voice actor; born in Mitchell

Uncategorized

• Helen Morton Barker, social reformer
• Gutzon Borglum, sculptor of Mount Rushmore
• Seth Bullock, first sheriff of Deadwood
• K. G. William Dahl, Lutheran pastor, author and social advocate
• Billy Etbauer, rodeo cowboy; born in Huron
• Alvin Hansen, economist; born in Viborg
• Wild Bill Hickok, Wild West lawman; lived in Deadwood
• Calamity Jane, Wild West figure; lived in Deadwood
• Frank Leahy, Notre Dame football coach; attended school in Winner
• Lawrence Lessig, political activist; from Rapid City
• Boyd McDonald, pornographer
• Vernon C. Miller, outlaw and Huron lawman
• Peter Norbeck, South Dakota governor and senator
• Mary E. Norton, Congregational minister and home missionary worker
• William H. Parker, longtime Los Angeles police chief; born in Lead
• James "Scotty" Philip, rancher
• James Edward Zimmerman, inventor; born in Lantry
• Korczak Ziółkowski, sculptor of Crazy Horse Memorial