List of people from Monroe, Louisiana

This is a list of people from Monroe, Louisiana and includes notable persons who were born in and/or have lived in Monroe, Louisiana, United States. For a list of people who have studied at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, see List of University of Louisiana at Monroe alumni.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Actors and entertainers

• Kevin Griffin, singer, songwriter and guitarist of Better Than Ezra
• Clay Jordan, contestant on Survivor: Thailand
• Valerie Mason, September 2008 Playboy Playmate
• Mighty Sam McClain, soul blues singer and songwriter
• Mantan Moreland, actor and comic of the 1930s and 1940s
• Jesse Pearson, actor and screenwriter; died in Monroe in 1979
• Parker Posey, film actress
• Monti Sharp, film and soap opera actor
• Susan Ward, film and soap opera actress

Businesspeople

• Samuel B. Fuller (1905–1988), entrepreneur and journalist, founder of Fuller Products Company
• Collett E. Woolman (1889–1966), an original director and founder of Delta Air Service

Journalists

• Frank McGee, television journalist

Musicians

• Fred Anderson, jazz saxophonist and club owner
• Hamid Drake, jazz drummer and percussionist
• Doug Duffey, singer, songwriter, pianist, bandleader, music arranger, record producer, music publisher, poet, diarist, photographer and visual artist
• Carl Fontana, jazz trombonist
• Kevin Griffin, lead singer of Better Than Ezra
• Andy Griggs, country music singer
• Ivory Joe Hunter, rhythm and blues musician ^{[1] : 293}
• Rickey Minor, music director, composer, music producer, and music director and bandleader for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
• Webb Pierce, country musician ^{[1] : 274}
• Frank Ticheli, composer, conductor, Professor Emeritus of Music at University of Southern California

Politicians

• Edwards Barham, former member of the Louisiana State Senate from Morehouse Parish
• William Denis Brown III (1931–2012), attorney, businessman, and state senator, floor leader in first term of Governor Edwin Washington Edwards ^[2]
• William Derwood Cann Jr. (1919–2010), World War II lieutenant colonel; interim mayor of Monroe 1978–1979 ^[3]
• Donnie Copeland (born 1961), Pentecostal pastor in North Little Rock, Arkansas, and Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives, 2015 to 2017, born in Monroe ^[4]
• James L. Dennis (born 1936), Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• Jimmy Dimos, former Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives and retired judge
• William C. Feazel (1895–1965), interim U.S. Senator in 1948; member of the Louisiana House of Representatives 1932–1936; father-in-law of Shady R. Wall
• W. L. "Jack" Howard (1911–1994), former mayor of Monroe and owner with his brother, Alton Hardy Howard of the former Howard Brothers Discount Stores
• Marcus Hunter (born 1979), member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 17 in Ouachita Parish
• Vance McAllister, businessman and U.S. representative elected in Louisiana's 5th congressional district special election, 2013
• Newt V. Mills, U.S. representative from Louisiana's 5th congressional district 1937–1943; resided in Monroe
• Jay Morris, state representative from Ouachita and Morehouse parishes, 2012–
• Huey P. Newton (1942–1989) co-founder of the Black Panther Party, born in Monroe
• James A. Noe, short-term governor of Louisiana in 1936; founder of WNOE and KNOE radio and TV stations
• Abe E. Pierce III (1934–2021), mayor of Monroe 1996–2000, first African American in the position; Ouachita Parish educator
• Robert E. Powell (1923–1997), mayor of Monroe 1979–1996
• Melvin Rambin (1941–2001), mayor of Monroe 2000–2001, only Republican in the position since Reconstruction; banker in Baton Rouge and Monroe; interred in Baton Rouge
• Frank Spooner, oil and natural gas producer and Republican politician, moved to Monroe in 1967 ^[5]
• Jeff R. Thompson, former insurance agent in Monroe; state representative from Bossier Parish; incoming 26th Judicial District Court judge
• J. Robert Wooley (born 1953), Louisiana Commissioner of Insurance, 2000–2006; spent his high school and college years in Monroe ^[6]

Athletes

• Brian Bateman, PGA golfer, 2007 Buick Open winner ^[7]
• Benoit Benjamin, NBA center for the Cleveland Cavaliers ^[8]
• Bubby Brister, Denver Broncos quarterback ^[9]
• Ronnie Coleman, retired professional bodybuilder; former middle linebacker Grambling State University
• John David Crow, late coach of the ULM Warhawks; professional football player
• LaceDarius Dunn, basketball guard with Bnei HaSharon in Israel ^[10]
• Billy Joe DuPree, tight end for the Dallas Cowboys ^[11]
• Chuck Finley, MLB All-Star pitcher, California Angels, Cleveland Indians and St. Louis Cardinals; ex-spouse of Tawny Kitaen ^[12]
• Ralph Garr, All-Star MLB outfielder ^[13]
• Larry Gordon, football player
• James Harris, NFL quarterback
• Gerrod Henderson, basketball player for the Anwil Włocławek 2007–09
• Tyree Hollins, football player
• Cardia Jackson, Louisiana–Monroe Warhawk and Green Bay Packers linebacker
• Bradie James, LSU and Dallas Cowboys linebacker ^[14]
• Shawn King, ULM/LSU and Carolina Panthers defensive end ^[15]
• Lynn McGlothen, MLB pitcher
• Paul Millsap, power forward for Louisiana Tech University and the Atlanta Hawks ^[16]
• Rudy Niswanger, LSU and Kansas City Chiefs center ^[17]
• Cassidy O'Reilly, professional wrestler, WWE TNA
• Joe Profit, Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints running back ^[18]
• Phil Robertson, quarterback for Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
• Johnny Robinson, LSU and Kansas City Chiefs safety
• Barry Rubin (born 1957), Head Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Kansas City Chiefs in the National Football League
• Bill Russell, NBA center for the Boston Celtics), Basketball Hall of Famer
• Ben Sheets, MLB All-Star Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics and Atlanta Braves pitcher; played at NLU, now ULM ^[19]
• Cam Sims, Alabama and wide receiver for Las Vegas Raiders
• Storm Warren (born 1988), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Sammy White, football player, GSU and Offensive Rookie of Year receiver for Minnesota Vikings
• Andrew Whitworth, LSU and Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle
• Jonathan Wilhite, Auburn and New England Patriots cornerback
• Aeneas Williams, St. Louis Rams free safety
• Pat Williams, NFL defensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings
• Ralph Williams, gridiron football player
• Don Wilson, MLB pitcher for the Houston Astros ^[20]
• Larry Wright, GSU and NBA guard for the Washington Bullets

Writers

• Harry W. Addison, writer and humorist
• Dixon Hearne, writer and poet
• Speed Lamkin, novelist and playwright

Others

• Guy Banister, career employee of the FBI and private investigator; alleged co-conspirator in assassination of John F. Kennedy
• James E. Cofer, president of the University of Louisiana at Monroe 2002–2010
• Bruce M. Davis, Manson family member serving life sentence for murder
• Robert Pershing Foster, MD, a subject of Isabel Wilkerson's book The Warmth of Other Suns
• W. C. Friley, Baptist clergyman; second president of Louisiana College; pastor in Monroe in the early 1880s
• Hugh H. Goodwin, vice admiral in the United States Navy
• Marguerite Littman, American-British socialite and HIV/AIDS activist
• Rowena Spencer, MD; first female pediatric surgeon
• Marc Swayze, comic book writer and illustrator
• Emily H. Vokes, malacologist and Tulane University professor
• A. Wilberforce Williams (1865–1940), African American physician, teacher, and journalist; born in Monroe and raised on a plantation ^[21]

See also

• Biography portal
• Louisiana portal
• Lists portal

References

1. Tom Aswell (April 22, 2013). Louisiana Rocks!: The True Genesis of Rock and Roll. Pelican Publishing. ISBN   978-1-4556-0783-9.
2. "William Denis Brown, III". Monroe News-Star, March 9, 2012. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
3. "William Derwood Cann, Jr". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate, July 14, 2010. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
4. "Donnie Copeland's Biography". Project Vote Smart . Retrieved April 18, 2016.
5. "Otto Passman, Jerry Huckaby, and Frank Spooner: The Louisiana Fifth Congressional District Election of 1976", Louisiana History: The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association, LIV No. 3 (Summer 2013), p. 346
6. "Mike Hasten, "Louisiana insurance commissioner's race Wooley turns temporary job into a mission", November 7, 2003". capitolwatch.reallouisiana.com. Archived from the original on May 5, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
7. PGA TOUR, Inc. (2010). "PGATOUR.com – Brian Bateman's Official Profile". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on December 5, 2010. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
8. Sports Reference LLC (2010). "Benoit Benjamin NBA & ABA Statistics" . Retrieved July 12, 2010.
9. NFL Enterprises LLC (2010). "Bubby Brister" . Retrieved July 12, 2010.
10.  LaceDarius Dunn (November 16, 2009). "LaceDarius Dunn Profile – Baylor Bears Official Athletic Site". BaylorBears.com. Archived from the original on January 26, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
11. "Billy Joe DuPree". National Football League. 2010. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
12. "Chuck Finley Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
13. "Ralph Garr Stats, Bio, Photos, Highlights". Major League Baseball. 2010. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
14. Dallas Cowboys (2010). "DallasCowboys.com – Official Site of the Dallas Cowboys". Archived from the original on October 3, 2010. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
15. NFL Enterprises LLC (2010). "Shawn King" . Retrieved July 12, 2010.
16. NBA Media Ventures, LLC (2010). "NBA.com : Paul Millsap Bio Page". Turner Sports and Entertainment Digital Network. Archived from the original on May 15, 2010. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
17. "Kansas City Chiefs: Rudy Niswanger". 2010. Archived from the original on March 15, 2010. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
18. NFL Enterprises, LLC (2010). "Joe Profit" . Retrieved July 12, 2010.
19. Oakland Athletics (2010). "Ben Sheets Stats, Bio, Photos, Highlights". MLB Advanced Media, L.P. Archived from the original on April 10, 2010. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
20. "Don Wilson stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
21. Richardson, Clement (1919). "A. Wilberforce Williams, M.D.". The National Cyclopedia of the Colored Race. National Publishing Company. p. 150.