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

Pete Maravich

Jarell Martin

Buddy Myer

Lolo Jones

• Seimone Augustus, former WNBA player who is currently an assistant coach for the LSU Tigers women's basketball (b. 1984)^[1]
• Frank Bartley, basketball player for Pallacanestro Trieste of the Lega Basket Serie A (b. 1994)
• Brandon Bass, NBA power forward (b. 1985)^[2]
• Billy Cannon, former All-American and 1959 Heisman Trophy winner (d. 2018)^[3]
• Michael Clayton, former NFL wide receiver (b. 1982)^[4]
• Willie Davenport, Olympics gold medal winner^[5]
• Brad Davis, college football coach (b. 1980)
• Glen Davis, NBA power forward (b. 1986)^[6]
• David Dellucci, MLB outfielder for the Cleveland Indians (b. 1973)^[7]
• Warrick Dunn, NFL running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (b. 1975)^[8]
• Chad Durbin, MLB pitcher for the Cleveland Indians (b. 1977)^[9]
• Alan Faneca, NFL guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers (b. 1976)^[10]
• Langston Galloway, NBA G League player for the College Park Skyhawks (b. 1991)
• Randall Gay, NFL cornerback for the New Orleans Saints (b. 1982)^[11]
• Stephen Gostkowski, American football placekicker
• Darryl Hamilton, MLB outfielder for various clubs (b. 1964)^[12]
• Jeremy Hill, NFL running back for the New England Patriots
• Russ Johnson, major league infielder (b. 1973)^[13]
• Lolo Jones, track and field athlete^[14]
• Victor Jones, NFL player
• Stefan LeFors, former quarterback in American and Canadian football^[15]
• Norman LeJeune, former NFL football safety^[16]
• Donnie Lewis, NFL Player
• Pete Maravich, LSU and NBA player in Basketball Hall of Fame^[17]
• 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)^[18]
• 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^[19]
• Aaron Nola, MLB All Star baseball pitcher (b. 1993)
• Jonathan Papelbon, MLB pitcher for the Boston Red Sox (b. 1980)^[20]
• Carly Patterson, Olympic gold medalist (b. 1988)^{[citation needed]}
• Bob Pettit, Basketball Hall of Famer (b. 1932)^[21]
• Andy Pettitte, MLB pitcher for the New York Yankees (b. 1972)^[22]
• Bobby Phills, former professional basketball player (d. 2000)^[23]
• 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)^[24]
• Ben Sheets, MLB pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers (b. 1978)^[25]
• Josh Smith, baseball player (b. 1997)
• Marcus Spears, NFL defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys (b. 1982)^[26]
• Johnathan Stove, basketball player (b. 1995)
• Sasha "Magi" Sullivan, esports player (b. 1999)^[27]
• Jim Taylor, Football Hall of Famer (b. 1935)^[28]
• Tyrus Thomas, NBA forward for the Chicago Bulls (b. 1986)^[29]
• Reggie Tongue, NFL safety for the Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets, and Oakland Raiders^{[30][citation needed]}
• Reggie Torbor, NFL linebacker for the Miami Dolphins^[31]
• Jimmy Williams, NFL cornerback who graduated from Vanderbilt University and played for the Houston Texans^[32]
• Joe Williams, NFL player^[33]
• Walter Williams, NFL player
• Kevin Windham, professional motocross racer^[34]

Entertainers

• Boosie Badazz, rap artist (b. 1982)
• Wes Brown, actor, We Are Marshall, Glory Road, Beach Girls^[35]
• Andrei Codrescu, writer^{[citation needed]}
• 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)^[36]
• Louis Edmonds, actor, All My Children^{[citation needed]}
• Wesley Eure, actor, author^[37]
• Foxx, rap artist
• John Fred, singer, best known for the song "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" (1941–2005)^[38]
• 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)^[39]
• 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^[40]
• 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)^[41]
• Regina Barrow (b. 1966), member of the Louisiana State Senate, former state representative for East and West Baton Rouge parishes, 2005–2016^[42]
• 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^{[citation needed]}
• Sherman A. Bernard (1925–2012), state insurance commissioner, 1972–1988; convicted felon, D^[43]
• Morton Blackwell (b. 1939), political activist in Louisiana and later Virginia, R^{[citation needed]}
• Mike Branch (b. 1968), state senator and commercial pilot, later of Las Vegas, Nevada, R^{[citation needed]}
• Overton Brooks (1897–1961), U.S. representative, 1937–1961, representing Louisiana's 4th congressional district based about Shreveport, born in Baton Rouge, D^[44]
• 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^[45]
• H. Rap Brown, African American activist imprisoned in Georgia^[46]
• 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^[47]
• 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^[48]
• Bill Cassidy (b. 1957), U.S. senator; U.S. congressman; state senator^[49]
• Sally Clausen (b. 1945), former university president and commissioner of Louisiana higher education, retired in Baton Rouge^[50]
• 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^[51]
• Luther F. Cole (1925–2013), legislator, judge, state Supreme Court associate justice, D^[52]
• Paula Davis (b. 1973), state representative for District 69 in East Baton Rouge Parish since 2015^[53]
• William J. "Bill" Dodd (1909–1991), state representative, lieutenant governor, state auditor, member of Louisiana Board of Education, state education superintendent, D^[54]
• Gil Dozier, Louisiana agriculture commissioner, 1976–1980; convicted felon, D^[55]
• Rick Edmonds, state representative for District 66 in East Baton Rouge Parish since 2016, R^[56]
• Mike Edmonson, superintendent of the Louisiana State Police since 2008, R^[57]
• Ronnie Edwards (c. 1952–2016), member of the Baton Rouge Metro Council and the Louisiana House of Representatives in January and February 2016, D^[58]
• Jimmy Field, Louisiana Public Service Commissioner (1996–2012), R^[59]
• Jeff Fortenberry, U.S. representative from Nebraska (b. 1960), R^{[citation needed]}
• Mike Futrell, former state representative and Metro Council member, R^{[citation needed]}
• 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^[60]
• Douglas D. "Doug" Green (b. c. 1950), state insurance commissioner, 1988–1991; convicted felon, D^{[citation needed]}
• Anthony Guarisco Jr. (b. 1938), former state senator from Morgan City; lawyer, formerly practiced in Baton Rouge, D^[61]
• Dudley A. Guglielmo (1909–2005), Louisiana insurance commissioner 1964–1972, D^[62]
• Rufus D. Hayes (1913–2002), first state insurance commissioner, former East Baton Rouge Parish district attorney and judge, former state Democratic chairman, D^{[citation needed]}
• Betty Heitman, co-chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, 1983–1987; resided in and died in 1994 in Baton Rouge, R^[63]
• Kip Holden, Mayor-President of East Baton Rouge Parish (b. 1952), D^[64]
• Barry Ivey (b. 1979), businessman and current member of the Louisiana House from District 65 (b. 1979), R^[65]
• Louis E. "Woody" Jenkins (b. 1947), former Louisiana state representative and three-time U.S. Senate candidate, D-turned-R^[66]
• Bobby Jindal (b. 1971), Governor and Louisiana congressman, R^[67]
• Johnnie Jones (1920–2022), member of the Louisiana House, 1972–1976^[68]
• Edmond Jordan (b. 1971), member of the Louisiana House since 2016 for District 29 in West and East Baton Rouge parishes^[69]
• Edith Killgore Kirkpatrick (1918–2014), former member of Louisiana Board of Regents, D^{[citation needed]}
• Jeannette Knoll (b. 1943), associate justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court; born in Baton Rouge, resident of Marksville, D^[70]
• Fred S. LeBlanc, mayor of Baton Rouge (1941–1944), state attorney general (1944–1948; 1952–1956), D^{[citation needed]}
• Coleman Lindsey (1892–1968), state senator, lieutenant governor, state district court judge, D^[71]
• John Maginnis (1948–2014), Louisiana political journalist, author, and commentator; reared and resided in Baton Rouge^[72]
• Robert M. Marionneaux (b. 1968), attorney and state senator, D^{[citation needed]}
• Sidney McCrory (1911–1985), entomologist who served as state agriculture commissioner, 1956–1960, D^{[citation needed]}
• 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^[73]
• Nolan Mettetal (1945–2020), Mississippi state representative^[74]
• Henson Moore, U.S. representative from Sixth Congressional District, 1975–1987, R^[75]
• W. Spencer Myrick, state legislator from West Carroll Parish, later resided in Baton Rouge, D^{[citation needed]}
• J. Kelly Nix (b. 1934), Baton Rouge businessman since 1984; Louisiana superintendent of education, 1976–1984, D^[76]
• Bob Odom (1935–2014), state agriculture commissioner, 1980–2008, D^{[citation needed]}
• 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^[77]
• John Victor Parker (1928–2014), judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, 1979–2014^[78]
• Edward Grady Partin (1924–1990), Teamsters Union figure, D
• Tony Perkins (b. 1963), former state representative and president of the Family Research Council, R^[79]
• Ralph Perlman, Louisiana state budget director, 1967–1988^[80]
• Melvin Rambin, mayor of Monroe, 2000–2001; former banker in Baton Rouge, interred at Roselawn Memorial Park in Baton Rouge, R^[81]
• Buddy Roemer, former governor and Baton Rouge businessman (b. 1943), I^[82]
• Frank P. Simoneaux, member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for East Baton Rouge Parish, 1972–1982; lawyer in Baton Rouge, D^[83]
• Patricia Haynes Smith, state representative for District 67 in East Baton Rouge Parish since 2008^[84]
• Mason Spencer, state representative from Madison Parish, 1924–1936, born in Baton Rouge in 1892, D^{[citation needed]}
• Raymond Strother, political consultant, lived in Baton Rouge, 1960–1980, D^[85]
• Zachary Taylor, military leader and the twelfth President of the United States(1784–1850), W^[86]
• David Treen, former Louisiana governor (1928–2009), born in Baton Rouge, R^[87]
• Lillian W. Walker, former state representative (1964–1972), D^{[citation needed]}
• Gus Weill, public relations consultant, author, television host, D^[88]
• Mack A. "Bodi" White Jr., state representative since 2004, R^[89]
• John C. White, Louisiana education superintendent since 2012, I^[90]
• J. Robert Wooley, insurance commissioner, 2000–2006; attorney with Adams & Reese in Baton Rouge, D^{[citation needed]}

Military commanders

• Robert H. Barrow, 27th commandant of the Marine Corps, 1979–1983 (1922–2008)^[91]
• 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^[92]
• Russel Honoré, general, U.S. Army, known for Hurricane Katrina relief
• John A. Lejeune, 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps, 1920–1929 (1867–1942)^[93]
• Junius Wallace Jones, major general, U.S. Air Force, first Inspector-General of the Air Force (1890–1977)^[94]
• 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^[95]
• David French Boyd (1834–1899), former president and professor at LSU^[96]
• John R. Conniff, New Orleans and Baton Rouge educator who served as president of Louisiana Tech University, 1926–1928^[97]
• Edwin Adams Davis, Louisiana historian^{[citation needed]}
• Mike Dunne (1949–2007), environmental reporter for the Morning Advocate^[98]
• John Guckenheimer, mathematician, Cornell University^[99]
• Kaylee Hartung, CBS News correspondent (b. 1985)^[100]
• George Hilton Jones III (1924–2008), Rhodes scholar, author, historian, and professor of history^[101]
• Stephan Kinsella, intellectual property lawyer and libertarian legal theorist (b. 1965)^{[citation needed]}
• Charles H. Loeb, journalist
• John L. Loos, historian^[102]
• Mary Elizabeth Moore, Methodist theologian, author, and Boston University School of Theology dean^[103]
• Arthur T. Prescott (1863–1942), LSU administrator, founding president of Louisiana Tech University^[104]
• Jesse N. Stone (1924–2001), president of the Southern University System, 1974–1985; civil rights attorney^[105]
• Eric Voegelin (1901–1985), political theorist and professor at LSU^[106]
• Eugene Wigner, Nobel Prize-winning physicist and emeritus professor at Louisiana State University^[107]
• Mary Bushnell Williams (1826-1891), author, poet, translator
• T. Harry Williams, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and professor at LSU^[108]

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^{[citation needed]}
• 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^[109]
• Matt Tullos (b. 1963), writer and minister^[110]
• Rani Whitfield, physician, broadcaster and author^[111][112]