# List of people from Baton Rouge, Louisiana

This is a list of notable people who were born, raised, or lived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana at some point.

## Sports figures

* Seimone Augustus, former WNBA player who is currently an assistant coach for the LSU Tigers women's basketball (b. 1984)
* Frank Bartley, basketball player for Pallacanestro Trieste of the Lega Basket Serie A (b. 1994)
* Brandon Bass, NBA power forward (b. 1985)
* Billy Cannon, former All-American and 1959 Heisman Trophy winner (d. 2018)
* Michael Clayton, former NFL wide receiver (b. 1982)
* Willie Davenport, Olympics gold medal winner
* Brad Davis, college football coach (b. 1980)
* Glen Davis, NBA power forward (b. 1986)
* David Dellucci, MLB outfielder for the Cleveland Indians (b. 1973)
* Warrick Dunn, NFL running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (b. 1975)
* Chad Durbin, MLB pitcher for the Cleveland Indians (b. 1977)
* Alan Faneca, NFL guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers (b. 1976)
* Langston Galloway, NBA G League player for the College Park Skyhawks (b. 1991)
* Randall Gay, NFL cornerback for the New Orleans Saints (b. 1982)
* Stephen Gostkowski, American football placekicker
* Darryl Hamilton, MLB outfielder for various clubs (b. 1964)
* Jeremy Hill, NFL running back for the New England Patriots
* Russ Johnson, major league infielder (b. 1973)
* Lolo Jones, track and field athlete
* Victor Jones, NFL player
* Stefan LeFors, former quarterback in American and Canadian football
* Norman LeJeune, former NFL football safety
* Donnie Lewis, NFL Player
* Pete Maravich, LSU and NBA player in Basketball Hall of Fame
* Jarell Martin (born 1994), American basketball player for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
* Skylar Mays, NBA player for the Atlanta Hawks (b. 1997)
* Todd McClure, former NFL offensive lineman for Atlanta Falcons (b. 1977)
* Jerome Meyinsse (b. 1988), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
* Rod Milburn (b. 1976), Olympic gold medalist
* Travis Minor, NFL running back, St. Louis Rams
* Yohanan Moyal (b. 1965), Israeli Olympic gymnast
* Buddy Myer, MLB 2-time All-Star second baseman, batting and stolen base titles
* Aaron Nola, MLB All Star baseball pitcher (b. 1993)
* Jonathan Papelbon, MLB pitcher for the Boston Red Sox (b. 1980)
* Carly Patterson, Olympic gold medalist (b. 1988)
* Bob Pettit, Basketball Hall of Famer (b. 1932)
* Andy Pettitte, MLB pitcher for the New York Yankees (b. 1972)
* Bobby Phills, former professional basketball player (d. 2000)
* Brandon Sampson (born 1997), professional basketball player for Hapoel Be'er Sheva of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
* Pat Screen, former LSU quarterback, Mayor-President of East Baton Rouge Parish, 1981–1988 (1943–1994)
* Ben Sheets, MLB pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers (b. 1978)
* Josh Smith, baseball player (b. 1997)
* Marcus Spears, NFL defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys (b. 1982)
* Johnathan Stove, basketball player (b. 1995)
* Sasha "Magi" Sullivan, esports player (b. 1999)
* Jim Taylor, Football Hall of Famer (b. 1935)
* Tyrus Thomas, NBA forward for the Chicago Bulls (b. 1986)
* Reggie Tongue, NFL safety for the Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets, and Oakland Raiders
* Reggie Torbor, NFL linebacker for the Miami Dolphins
* Jimmy Williams, NFL cornerback who graduated from Vanderbilt University and played for the Houston Texans
* Joe Williams, NFL player
* Walter Williams, NFL player
* Kevin Windham, professional motocross racer

## Entertainers

* Boosie Badazz, rap artist (b. 1982)
* Wes Brown, actor, We Are Marshall, Glory Road, Beach Girls
* Andrei Codrescu, writer
* Bill Conti, conductor and composer
* Stormy Daniels, porn star and porn director (b. 1979)
* Trent Dawson, actor, As the World Turns (b. 1971)
* Donna Douglas, actress, The Beverly Hillbillies (1933–2015)
* Louis Edmonds, actor, All My Children
* Wesley Eure, actor, author
* Foxx, rap artist
* John Fred, singer, best known for the song "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" (1941–2005)
* Fredo Bang, rap artist
* Larry Garner, blues guitarist
* Kevin Gates, rap artist
* Slim Harpo, blues musician
* Dale Houston, singer, best known for the song "I'm Leaving It Up to You" (1940–2007)
* Randy Jackson, musician, record producer, and American Idol judge (b. 1956)
* Chris Thomas King, blues musician and actor (b. 1962)
* David Lambert, actor (b. 1992)
* Don Lemon, CNN TV personality and host of CNN Tonight (b. 1966)
* Lil Phat, rap artist
* Jonathon "Boogie" Long, blues rock musician
* Master P, rap artist
* Rod Masterson, actor (1945–2013)
* Reiley McClendon, actor (b. 1990)
* John McConnell, actor, radio personality (b. 1958)
* Casey McQuiston, author of NYT bestseller Red, White, and Royal Blue
* Cleo Moore, actress (d. 1973)
* Elemore Morgan Jr., landscape painter and photographer (d. 2008)
* Brooks Nader, model and actress (b. 1997)
* James Paul, Conductor Emeritus of the Baton Rouge Symphony (b. 1940)
* Cameron Richardson, actress, Open Water 2: Adrift (b. 1979)
* Percy Sledge, singer, "When a Man Loves a Woman"
* Steven Soderbergh, director
* Tabby Thomas, blues musician and club owner (d. 2014)
* Pruitt Taylor Vince, actor (b. 1960)
* Rosalie "Lady Tamborine" Washington, gospel musician and tambourine player (b. 1957)
* Webbie, rap artist (b. 1985)
* Shane West, actor (b. 1978)
* Lynn Whitfield, actress
* YoungBoy Never Broke Again, rap artist

## Politicians

* Larry S. Bankston, lawyer and former state senator, son of Jesse Bankston, D (b. 1951)
* Regina Barrow (b. 1966), member of the Louisiana State Senate, former state representative for East and West Baton Rouge parishes, 2005–2016
* V.J. Bella (b. 1927), former state representative from St. Mary Parish and state fire marshal, based in Baton Rouge, 1990–1992 and 1996–2004, R
* Sherman A. Bernard (1925–2012), state insurance commissioner, 1972–1988; convicted felon, D
* Morton Blackwell (b. 1939), political activist in Louisiana and later Virginia, R
* Mike Branch (b. 1968), state senator and commercial pilot, later of Las Vegas, Nevada, R
* Overton Brooks (1897–1961), U.S. representative, 1937–1961, representing Louisiana's 4th congressional district based about Shreveport, born in Baton Rouge, D
* Chad M. Brown, member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for Iberville and Assumption parishes, effective January 2016, lives in Plaquemine, former Baton Rouge resident
* H. Rap Brown, African American activist imprisoned in Georgia
* George A. Caldwell, contractor who supervised the construction of twenty-six public buildings in Louisiana; imprisoned in the "Louisiana Hayride" scandals of 1939–1940, D
* Barbara West Carpenter (b. 1943), dean of international relations at Southern University and African-American Democrat state representative from District 63 in East Baton Rouge Parish since 2016
* Sally Clausen (b. 1945), former university president and commissioner of Louisiana higher education, retired in Baton Rouge
* Thomas G. Clausen (1939–2002), last person to be elected to the since appointed position of Louisiana education superintendent; St. Mary Parish native and Baton Rouge resident
* Luther F. Cole (1925–2013), legislator, judge, state Supreme Court associate justice, D
* Paula Davis (b. 1973), state representative for District 69 in East Baton Rouge Parish since 2015
* William J. "Bill" Dodd (1909–1991), state representative, lieutenant governor, state auditor, member of Louisiana Board of Education, state education superintendent, D
* Gil Dozier, Louisiana agriculture commissioner, 1976–1980; convicted felon, D
* Rick Edmonds, state representative for District 66 in East Baton Rouge Parish since 2016, R
* Mike Edmonson, superintendent of the Louisiana State Police since 2008, R
* Ronnie Edwards (c. 1952–2016), member of the Baton Rouge Metro Council and the Louisiana House of Representatives in January and February 2016, D
* Jimmy Field, Louisiana Public Service Commissioner (1996–2012), R
* Jeff Fortenberry, U.S. representative from Nebraska (b. 1960), R
* Mike Futrell, former state representative and Metro Council member, R
* William H. Gray (1941–2013), U.S. representative from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, born in Baton Rouge, first African American to serve as a House majority whip, D
* Douglas D. "Doug" Green (b. c. 1950), state insurance commissioner, 1988–1991; convicted felon, D
* Anthony Guarisco Jr. (b. 1938), former state senator from Morgan City; lawyer, formerly practiced in Baton Rouge, D
* Dudley A. Guglielmo (1909–2005), Louisiana insurance commissioner 1964–1972, D
* Rufus D. Hayes (1913–2002), first state insurance commissioner, former East Baton Rouge Parish district attorney and judge, former state Democratic chairman, D
* Betty Heitman, co-chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, 1983–1987; resided in and died in 1994 in Baton Rouge, R
* Kip Holden, Mayor-President of East Baton Rouge Parish (b. 1952), D
* Barry Ivey (b. 1979), businessman and current member of the Louisiana House from District 65 (b. 1979), R
* Louis E. "Woody" Jenkins (b. 1947), former Louisiana state representative and three-time U.S. Senate candidate, D-turned-R
* Bobby Jindal (b. 1971), Governor and Louisiana congressman, R
* Johnnie Jones (1920–2022), member of the Louisiana House, 1972–1976
* Edmond Jordan (b. 1971), member of the Louisiana House since 2016 for District 29 in West and East Baton Rouge parishes
* Edith Killgore Kirkpatrick (1918–2014), former member of Louisiana Board of Regents, D
* Jeannette Knoll (b. 1943), associate justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court; born in Baton Rouge, resident of Marksville, D
* Fred S. LeBlanc, mayor of Baton Rouge (1941–1944), state attorney general (1944–1948; 1952–1956), D
* Coleman Lindsey (1892–1968), state senator, lieutenant governor, state district court judge, D
* John Maginnis (1948–2014), Louisiana political journalist, author, and commentator; reared and resided in Baton Rouge
* Robert M. Marionneaux (b. 1968), attorney and state senator, D
* Sidney McCrory (1911–1985), entomologist who served as state agriculture commissioner, 1956–1960, D
* Eugene McGehee (1928–2014), member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1960–1972; state district court judge in East Baton Rouge Parish, 1972–1978, D
* Nolan Mettetal (1945–2020), Mississippi state representative
* Henson Moore, U.S. representative from Sixth Congressional District, 1975–1987, R
* W. Spencer Myrick, state legislator from West Carroll Parish, later resided in Baton Rouge, D
* J. Kelly Nix (b. 1934), Baton Rouge businessman since 1984; Louisiana superintendent of education, 1976–1984, D
* Bob Odom (1935–2014), state agriculture commissioner, 1980–2008, D
* Kenneth Osterberger (1930–2016), member of the Louisiana State Senate from East Baton Rouge Parish, 1972–1992; defeated David Duke in 1975, D-turned-R
* Jessel Ourso, colorful, controversial sheriff of Iberville Parish, began his career in law enforcement in the middle 1950s as a Baton Rouge municipal police officer, D
* John Victor Parker (1928–2014), judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, 1979–2014
* Edward Grady Partin (1924–1990), Teamsters Union figure, D
* Tony Perkins (b. 1963), former state representative and president of the Family Research Council, R
* Ralph Perlman, Louisiana state budget director, 1967–1988
* Melvin Rambin, mayor of Monroe, 2000–2001; former banker in Baton Rouge, interred at Roselawn Memorial Park in Baton Rouge, R
* Buddy Roemer, former governor and Baton Rouge businessman (b. 1943), I
* Frank P. Simoneaux, member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for East Baton Rouge Parish, 1972–1982; lawyer in Baton Rouge, D
* Patricia Haynes Smith, state representative for District 67 in East Baton Rouge Parish since 2008
* Mason Spencer, state representative from Madison Parish, 1924–1936, born in Baton Rouge in 1892, D
* Raymond Strother, political consultant, lived in Baton Rouge, 1960–1980, D
* Zachary Taylor, military leader and the twelfth President of the United States(1784–1850), W
* David Treen, former Louisiana governor (1928–2009), born in Baton Rouge, R
* Lillian W. Walker, former state representative (1964–1972), D
* Gus Weill, public relations consultant, author, television host, D
* Mack A. "Bodi" White Jr., state representative since 2004, R
* John C. White, Louisiana education superintendent since 2012, I
* J. Robert Wooley, insurance commissioner, 2000–2006; attorney with Adams & Reese in Baton Rouge, D

## Military commanders

* Robert H. Barrow, 27th commandant of the Marine Corps, 1979–1983 (1922–2008)
* Paris Davis, U.S. Army special forces colonel and recipient of the Medal of Honor in the Vietnam War
* Stephen O. Fuqua, major general who served as U.S. Army Chief of Infantry
* Russel Honoré, general, U.S. Army, known for Hurricane Katrina relief
* John A. Lejeune, 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps, 1920–1929 (1867–1942)
* Junius Wallace Jones, major general, U.S. Air Force, first Inspector-General of the Air Force (1890–1977)
* Homer L. Wise, Medal of Honor recipient during World War II

## Intellectuals

* Louis Berry (1914–1998), civil rights attorney and dean of Southern University Law Center, 1972–1974
* David French Boyd (1834–1899), former president and professor at LSU
* John R. Conniff, New Orleans and Baton Rouge educator who served as president of Louisiana Tech University, 1926–1928
* Edwin Adams Davis, Louisiana historian
* Mike Dunne (1949–2007), environmental reporter for the Morning Advocate
* John Guckenheimer, mathematician, Cornell University
* Kaylee Hartung, CBS News correspondent (b. 1985)
* George Hilton Jones III (1924–2008), Rhodes scholar, author, historian, and professor of history
* Stephan Kinsella, intellectual property lawyer and libertarian legal theorist (b. 1965)
* Charles H. Loeb, journalist
* John L. Loos, historian
* Mary Elizabeth Moore, Methodist theologian, author, and Boston University School of Theology dean
* Arthur T. Prescott (1863–1942), LSU administrator, founding president of Louisiana Tech University
* Jesse N. Stone (1924–2001), president of the Southern University System, 1974–1985; civil rights attorney
* Eric Voegelin (1901–1985), political theorist and professor at LSU
* Eugene Wigner, Nobel Prize-winning physicist and emeritus professor at Louisiana State University
* Mary Bushnell Williams (1826-1891), author, poet, translator
* T. Harry Williams, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and professor at LSU

## Criminals

* Larry S. Bankston (b. 1951), racketeer
* Sean Vincent Gillis (b. 1962), serial killer
* John Allen Muhammad (1960–2009), serial killer and one of the two D.C. Snipers
* Gary Plauché (1945–2014), vigilante murderer
* Barry Seal (1939–1986), drug trafficker for the Medellín Cartel

## Other

* Julie Cantrell (b. 1973), bestselling novelist and editor
* Isiah Carey (b. 1970), radio and television broadcast journalist and reporter, known for the "Reporter Goes Ghetto" YouTube video
* Ralph Eggleston, animator at Pixar and director of the Academy Award-winning short film For the Birds
* Yaser Esam Hamdi (b. 1980), captured while fighting in Afghanistan with the Taliban in 2001; known for the Supreme Court case Hamdi v. Rumsfeld
* Todd Graves, entrepreneur and founder of Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers
* Don Lemon, news anchor and journalist
* Barry Seal, Medellín Cartel drug trafficker
* Jimmy Swaggart (b. 1935), Pentecostal televangelist, singer, pianist, pastor, author, and head of his eponymous named Bible college
* Matt Tullos (b. 1963), writer and minister
* Rani Whitfield, physician, broadcaster and author