# List of people from Columbus, Georgia

The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Columbus, Georgia.

## Arts and culture

| Name | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
| Bo Bartlett | Dec 29, 1955 | | Realist painter | Born in Columbus | |
| Megan Blake | | | Miss Georgia 1983 | Born in Columbus | |
| Bob the Drag Queen (Caldwell Tidicue) | June 22, 1986 | | Drag queen and comedian, won season 8 of RuPaul's Drag Race | Born in Columbus, studied theater at Columbus State University | - |
| Wayne Brady | Jun 2, 1972 | | Actor, singer, comedian, and television personality | Born in Columbus | |
| Davian Chester | May 27, 1993 | | Political cartoonist | Born in Columbus | |
| Juliette Compton | May 3, 1899 | Mar 19, 1989 | Actress | Born in Columbus | |
| Donna D'Errico | Mar 30, 1968 | | Actress and model; Playmate of the Month (September, 1995); Donna Marco on Baywatch (1996 to 1998) | Graduate of Pacelli High School in Columbus (1986) | |
| Marina Savashynskaya Dunbar | Jul 17, 1992 | | Painter | Lived in Columbus | |
| Justina Huff | Sep 8, 1893 | Jun 29, 1977 | Silent film actress (The Diamond Crown, Tess of the d'Urbervilles) | Born in Columbus | |
| Louise Huff | Nov 14, 1895 | Aug 22, 1973 | Silent film actress (Great Expectations, Mile-A-Minute Kendall, Disraeli) | Born in Columbus | |
| Nunnally Johnson | Dec 5, 1897 | Mar 25, 1977 | Academy Award-nominated filmmaker (The Grapes of Wrath, The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit) | Born in Columbus, graduated from Columbus High School (1915) | |
| Sherrilyn Kenyon | Dec 11, 1965 | | #1 New York Times and international bestselling author (Dark-Hunters, League, Chronicles of Nick, Lords of Avalon series) | Born in Columbus, attended Key Elementary School | |
| Carson McCullers | Feb 19, 1917 | Sep 29, 1967 | Writer (The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, The Member of the Wedding, and The Ballad of the Sad Café) | Born in Columbus | |
| Robert Parrish | Jan 4, 1916 | Dec 4, 1995 | Academy Award- winning editor for Body and Soul (1947), directed Casino Royale (1967) | Born in Columbus | |
| George Foster Peabody | Jul 27, 1852 | Mar 4, 1938 | Banker and philanthropist; namesake of the Peabody Award | Born in Columbus | |
| James Rachels | May 30, 1941 | Sep 5, 2003 | Philosopher, focusing on ethics and animal rights | Born in Columbus | |
| Amy Sherald | Aug 30, 1973 | | Best known for her portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama | Born in Columbus | |
| Mary Ann Williams | Aug 10, 1821 | Apr 15, 1874 | First to propose an annual holiday to decorate soldiers graves (Memorial Day) | Lived in Columbus | - |

## Music

| Name | Birth | Death | Known for | Association |
| Robert M. Barr | 1918 | 1988 | Conductor of the Jordan High School Band in Columbus (1946–1963) | Lived in Columbus; chorus director in Fort Benning |
| Jean Carn | Mar 15, 1947 | | Singer; vocalist credited with a five octave vocal range | Born in Columbus |
| Robert Cray | Aug 1, 1953 | | Five-time Grammy Award-winning blues guitarist and singer | Born in Columbus |
| Justin Guarini | Oct 28, 1978 | | Singer, songwriter, and actor; runner-up on American Idol season 1 (2002) | Born in Columbus |
| Jake Hess | Dec 24, 1927 | Jan 4, 2004 | Grammy Award-winning southern gospel singer | Lived in Columbus |
| Dmitri Matheny | Dec 25, 1965 | | Jazz flugelhornist, composer, educator, producer and recording artist | Grew up in Columbus |
| Marilyn McCoo | Sep 30, 1943 | | Pop singer | Lived in Columbus for seven years |
| Curley Money | Mar 20, 1925 | Dec 23, 2003 | Rockabilly musician and songwriter | Lived in Columbus |
| Bebo Norman | May 29, 1973 | | Contemporary Christian musician | Lives in Columbus |
| Ma Rainey | Apr 26, 1886 | Dec 22, 1939 | Among the earliest known professional blues singers; billed as The Mother of the Blues | Born in Columbus |
| Herrman S. Saroni | Feb 1824 | Dec 29, 1900 | Author, composer and inventor credited with starting the Columbus Symphony Orchestra | Lived in Columbus |
| Keni Thomas | | | Country music singer and United States Army Ranger | Lives in Columbus |
| Rozonda Thomas (a.k.a. Chilli) | Feb 27, 1971 | | Singer-songwriter, actress and television personality; founding member of girl group TLC | Lives in Columbus |
| Danny Whitten | May 8, 1943 | Nov 18, 1972 | Musician and songwriter, known for his work with Neil Young's band Crazy Horse | Born in Columbus |
| Blind Tom Wiggins | May 25, 1849 | Jun 14, 1908 | African-American musical prodigy on the piano | Owned as a slave in Columbus |
| Tim Wilson | Aug 5, 1961 | Feb 26, 2014 | Stand-up comedian and country music artist | Born and died in Columbus |

## Business

| Name | Birth | Death | Known for | Association |
| Claud A. Hatcher | Aug 20, 1876 | Dec 31, 1933 | Pharmacist; inventor of RC Cola beverages | Lived in Columbus |
| Randolph Mott | Aug 9, 1799 | Jul 20, 1881 | Businessman, unionist | Lived in Columbus |
| John Pemberton | Jul 8, 1831 | Aug 16, 1888 | Pharmacist; inventor of Coca-Cola | Lived in Columbus |
| Robert W. Woodruff | Dec 6, 1889 | Mar 7, 1985 | President of The Coca-Cola Company (1923–1954) | Born in Columbus |

## Military

| Name | Birth | Death | Known for | Association |
| Henry L. Benning | Apr 2, 1814 | Jul 10, 1875 | Judge on the Georgia Supreme Court; Confederate Army general; namesake of Fort Benning | Born and died in Columbus |
| Eugene Bullard | Oct 9, 1895 | Oct 12, 1961 | First African-American military pilot | Born in Columbus |
| William Calley | Jun 8, 1943 | | United States Army officer convicted of ordering the My Lai Massacre | Lived in Columbus |

## Politics and activism

| Name | Birth | Death | Known for | Association |
| Bubba Copeland | May 27, 1974 | Nov 3, 2023 | Mayor of Smiths Station, Alabama (2016–2023) | Born in Columbus |
| Newt Gingrich | Jun 17, 1943 | | 58th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives | Graduated from Baker High School in Columbus (1961) |
| Petra Kelly | Nov 29, 1947 | Oct 1, 1992 | Founder of German Green Party | Graduated from Baker High School in Columbus (1966) |
| Mirabeau B. Lamar | Aug 16, 1798 | Dec 19, 1859 | 2nd President of the Republic of Texas | Lived in Columbus and founded the Columbus Enquirer newspaper |
| Ted J. Land | Aug 22, 1936 | Mar 31, 2018 | Member of the Georgia State Senate 1979–1991 | Represented Marion, Talbot, and portions of Muscogee counties |
| Bobby G. Peters | Feb 21, 1949 | | Mayor of Columbus, Georgia 1995–2002 | Lived in Columbus, graduated from Hardaway High School (1967); also a Superior Court judge |

## Sports
### Baseball

| Name | Birth | Death | Known for | Association |
| Reggie Abercrombie | Jul 15, 1981 | | Center fielder for Florida Marlins and Houston Astros | Born in Columbus |
| Glenn Davis | Mar 28, 1961 | | Two-time All-Star first baseman for the Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles, and Hanshin Tigers | Lives in Columbus; Columbus City Council member |
| Tim Hudson | Jul 14, 1975 | | Four-time All-Star pitcher for the Oakland Athletics, Atlanta Braves, and San Francisco Giants | Born in Columbus |
| Garey Ingram | Jul 25, 1970 | | Second baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers | Born in Columbus |
| Edwin Jackson | Sep 9, 1983 | | All-Star pitcher for MLB teams; World Series champion (2011) | Attended Shaw High School in Columbus |
| Brian Mallette | Jan 19, 1975 | | Relief pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers and Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes | Attended Columbus State University |
| Tony Pierce | Jan 29, 1946 | Jan 31, 2013 | Pitcher for the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics | Lived and died in Columbus; Attended Jordan High School in Columbus |
| Colby Rasmus | Aug 11, 1986 | | Center fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays | Born in Columbus |
| Cory Rasmus | Nov 6, 1987 | | Pitcher for the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | Born in Columbus |
| Steven Register | May 16, 1983 | | Relief pitcher for the Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies | Born in Columbus |
| Frank Thomas | May 27, 1968 | | 2014 Hall of Fame Inductee – Five-time All-Star first baseman for the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, and Toronto Blue Jays; Two-time AL MVP (1993, 1994) | Born in Columbus |

### Basketball

| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
| Sam Mitchell | | Sep 2, 1963 | | NBA Coach of the Year Award (2007) for the Toronto Raptors; assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks, New Jersey Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves | Born in Columbus | |

### Bodybuilding

| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
| Lenda Murray | | Feb 22, 1962 | | Bodybuilding champion | | |

### Football

| Name | Birth | Death | Known for | Association |
| Derrius Brooks | May 29, 1988 | | Defensive back for multiple teams | Born in Columbus |
| Brentson Buckner | Sep 30, 1971 | | Defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers, and Carolina Panthers | Born in Columbus, graduated from G.W. Carver High School |
| Isaiah Crowell | Jan 8, 1993 | | Running back for the Cleveland Browns | Born in Columbus, graduated from G.W. Carver High School |
| Rod Hood | Oct 3, 1981 | | Cornerback for six NFL teams | Born in Columbus, graduated from G.W. Carver High School |
| Chris Hubbard | Apr 23, 1991 | | Offensive guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers | Born in Columbus; graduated from G.W. Carver High School |
| Chuck Hurston | Nov 9, 1942 | Nov 3, 2015 | Defensive end for the Super Bowl IV champion Kansas City Chiefs | Born in Columbus |
| Jarvis Jones | Oct 13, 1989 | | Outside linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers | Graduated from G.W. Carver High School in Columbus |
| Mark LeGree | Jul 8, 1989 | | Safety for seven NFL teams | Attended Pacelli High School in Columbus |
| Kelcie McCray | Sep 21, 1988 | | Free safety for the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Kansas City Chiefs | Born in Columbus |
| Dell McGee | Sep 7, 1973 | | Run game coordinator & running backs coach for the Georgia Bulldogs | Born in Columbus |
| DeQuan Menzie | Jan 11, 1990 | | Cornerback for the Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, and Carolina Panthers | Born in Columbus, graduated from G.W. Carver High School |
| Nate Odomes | Aug 25, 1965 | | Cornerback for the Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, and Atlanta Falcons; 2× Pro Bowl (1992, 1993) | Born in Columbus, graduated from G.W. Carver High School |
| Rayshun Reed | Apr 10, 1981 | | Defensive back for the San Francisco 49ers | Born in Columbus |
| Steve Reese | Jan 7, 1952 | | Linebacker for the New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Born in Columbus |
| Otis Sistrunk | Sep 18, 1946 | | Defensive end for the Oakland Raiders; Pro Bowl | Born in Columbus |
| Mack Strong | Sep 11, 1971 | | Fullback for the Seattle Seahawks; 2× Pro Bowl (2005, 2006) | Attended Brookstone School in Columbus |
| Cleo Walker | Feb 7, 1948 | | Linebacker for the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons | Born in Columbus |

### Soccer

| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
| Marshall Leonard | | Dec 29, 1980 | | Defender for the New England Revolution | Attended both Shaw High School and Brookstone School in Columbus | |

### Wrestling

| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
| Marty Jannetty | | Feb 3, 1960 | | World Wrestling Federation wrestler; member of The Rockers tag team | Born in Columbus | |
| Xavier Woods | | Sep 4, 1986 | | WWE wrestler | | |