List of people from South Carolina
The following is a list of prominent people who were born in the U.S. State of South Carolina, lived in South Carolina, or for whom South Carolina is a significant part of their identity. It is divided into two major sections, the deceased and the living.
Deceased
B
- Alfred W. Bethea (1916-1999), former member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from Dillon; the 1970 gubernatorial nominee of the American Independent Party
- Mary McLeod Bethune (1875–1955), born and raised in Mayesville in Sumter County - civil rights leader and groundbreaking educator;
- Doc Blanchard (1924–2009), born in McColl, raised in Bishopville, college football player who became the first ever junior to win the Heisman Trophy;
- James Butler Bonham (1807–1836), from Red Bank (now Saluda), lawyer, soldier, and defender of the Alamo;
- James Brown (1933–2006), Barnwell, S.C. was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist dubbed "The Godfather of Soul."
C
- Tommy Caldwell (1949–1980), from Spartanburg, bassist for The Marshall Tucker Band;
- Toy Caldwell (1947–1993), from Spartanburg, lead guitarist and vocalist for The Marshall Tucker Band;
- Floride Calhoun (1792-1866), born in Charleston, Second Lady of the United States;
- John Caldwell Calhoun (1782–1850), born in Abbeville County, U.S. Senator, Secretary of State, Secretary of War, and the 7th Vice-President of the U.S.;
- Carroll A. Campbell, Jr. (1940–2005), born in Greenville, South Carolina Governor and U.S. Congressman;
- John Tucker Campbell (1912–1991), born in Calhoun Falls, Secretary of State 1978–1991, Mayor of Columbia 1970–1978, city councilman, drugstore owner;
- Alice Childress (1920–1994), born in Charleston, playwright who wrote about the struggles of poverty and racism;
- Dave Cockrum (1943–2006), died in Belton, comic book artist;
- James S. Cothran (1830–1897), born in Abbeville County, U.S. House of Representatives for South Carolina's 3rd congressional district;
- Charles Craven (1682–1754), governor of colonial South Carolina during the Tuscarora War and Yamasee War.
D
- Esther Dale (1885–1961), born in Beaufort, actress;
- Gary Davis (1896–1972), born in Clinton, blues and gospel songwriter and innovative guitarist;
- Mendel Jackson Davis (1942–2007), born in North Charleston, a United States Representative from South Carolina;
- Robert C. De Large (1842–1874), born in Aiken, a United States House of Representatives from South Carolina;
- James Dickey (1923–1997), professor at University of South Carolina at Columbia, poet and novelist;
- Samuel Henry Dickson (1798–1872), born in Charleston, poet, physician, writer and educator;
- Julius Dixson (1913–2004), born in Barnwell, songwriter and record company executive;
- Larry Doby (1923–2003), born in Camden, baseball player in Negro Leagues and Major League Baseball, first black player in American League, later manager of Chicago White Sox, Hall of Fame inductee;
- Ulysses Dove (1947–1996), born in Columbia, choreographer;
- Watson B. Duncan III (1915–1991), born in Charleston, college professor;
- William Wallace Duncan (1839–1908), died in Spartanburg, bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.
E
- John B. Earle (1766–1836), died in Anderson County, U.S. Representative from South Carolina;
- Samuel Earle (1760–1833), died in Pendleton District, United States Representative from South Carolina;
- Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II, Reverend Ike (1935–2009), born in Ridgeland, South Carolina, minister and electronic evangelist;
- Edward C. Elmore (1826– aft. 1864), born in Columbia, Treasurer of the Confederate States of America;
- Lilian Ellison (1923–2007), born in Kershaw County, female professional wrestler better known as the Fabulous Moolah;
- Esquerita (1935–1986), born in Greenville, singer, songwriter and pianist, original name Eskew Reeder Jr.;
- Richard Evonitz (1963–2002), born in Columbia, serial killer.
F
- James Farrow (1827–1892), born in Laurens, politician in Confederate Congress, elected to U.S. House of Representatives;
- Charles Fernley Fawcett (1915–2008), grew up in Greenville, co-founder of the International Medical Corps;
- Eugene Figg (1936–2002), born in Charleston, structural engineer who made numerous contributions to the field of structural engineering;
- David E. Finley, Jr. (1890–1977), born in York, art executive, first director of the National Gallery of Art, founding chairman of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and chairman of the United States Commission of Fine Arts;
- Kirkman George Finlay (1877–1938), born in Greenville, first bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina;
- James Dudley Fooshe (1844–1940), born in Abbeville District (now Greenwood County), soldier, author, farmer, philosopher, and Methodist churchman;
- Joe Frazier (1944–2011), born in Beaufort, boxer, 1964 Olympic heavyweight champion and the world heavyweight champ 1970–73;
G
- David du Bose Gaillard (1859–1913), born in Manning, U.S. Army engineer instrumental in the construction of the Panama Canal;
- John Gaillard (1765–1826), born in St. Stephen's district, U.S. Senator;
- Althea Gibson (1927–2003), born in Silver, Clarendon County, first African-American player to win Wimbledon and U.S. National tennis championships;
- Dizzy Gillespie (1917–1993), born in Cheraw, African-American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, singer and composer;
- Gordon Glisson (1930–1997), born in Winnsboro, thoroughbred horse racing jockey;
- Maxcy Gregg (1814–1862), born in Columbia, lawyer, and brigadier general in the Confederate States Army;
- James Grimsley, Jr. (1921–2013), born in Florence, major general U.S. Army and president of The Citadel.
H
- Johnson Hagood (1828–1898), born in Barnwell, brigadier general in the Confederate States Army and governor of South Carolina;
- James Henry Hammond (1807–1864), born in Newberry County, US congressman, senator and governor of South Carolina;
- Wade Hampton I (1752–1835), U.S. Congressman from South Carolina, born in Virginia;
- Wade Hampton II (1791–1858), born in Columbia, plantation owner and soldier;
- Wade Hampton III (1818–1902), born in Charleston, Confederate general, governor, United States Senator;
- Max Heller (1919-2011), mayor of Greenville from 1971-1979; businessman and namesake of Max Heller Convention Center
- Jesse L. Helms (1909-1982), mayor of Greenville from 1979-1982; businessman
- James M. Henderson (1921-1995), born in Atlanta, Georgia, advertising executive in Greenville and Republican politician; father-in-law of Jim DeMint
- DuBose Heyward (1885–1940), born in Charleston, playwright and poet, wrote the novel "Porgy" and its stage incarnations "Porgy" and "Porgy and Bess";
- Thomas Heyward, Jr. (1746–1809), born In St. Luke's Parish, signer of the Declaration of Independence;
- Thomas Hitchcock, Jr. (1900–1944), born in Aiken, polo player.
J
- Andrew Jackson (1765–1845), born in Lancaster County, South Carolina, 7th President of the United States;
- Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr., born Jesse Louis Burns (born October 8, 1941) Greenville, South Carolina, African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister;
- 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson (1887–1951), born in Brandon Mills, former outfielder for Chicago White Sox;
- James Jamerson (1938–1983), born in Charleston, South Carolina, bass player;
- William H Johnson (1901-1970), born in Florence, South Carolina, artist,
- Monique Jones (born March 12, 1979), from Greenville, South Carolina, IFBB professional bodybuilder
- Robert Jordan (1948–2007), from Charleston, South Carolina, fantasy author.
K
- Joseph B. Kershaw (1822-1894), from Camden, Confederate Major General who served as a Division Commander, Army of Northern Virginia, State Senator, Circuit Court Judge
- Lane Kirkland (1922–1999), from Camden, labor union leader and president of the AFL–CIO from 1979–1995;
- Richard Rowland Kirkland (1843-1863), from Camden, South Carolina, known as "the Angel of Marye's Heights", a Confederate soldier noted for his bravery and humanitarian actions at the Battle of Fredericksburg
- Eartha Kitt (1927–2008), from North, South Carolina, actress, singer, and cabaret star.
L
M
- Barton MacLane (1902–1969) born in Columbia, actor, playwright, and screenwriter;
- Francis Marion (c. 1732–1795), born in Winyah (Winyah Bay), a.k.a. the Swamp Fox, strategic fighter against the British during the War of Independence;
- Ronald McNair (1950–1986), born in Lake City, astronaut killed in the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger;
- Arthur Middleton (1742–1787) born in Charleston, signer of the Declaration of Independence, Governor (1810–1812), Representative (1815–1819) and Minister to Russia (1820–1830);
- Robert Mills (1781–1855), born in Charleston, architect, designed the Washington monument and many public buildings.
P
- Julia Peterkin (1880–1961), born in Laurens County, South Carolina, Pulitzer Prize winner;
- Bill Pinkney (1925–2007), born in Dalzell, South Carolina, pitcher in the Negro League, served in World War II, performer and singer with The Drifters;
- Joel Roberts Poinsett (1779-1851), born in Charleston, Martin Van Buren's Secretary of War, physician, botanist, and statesman, as well as famous eponym;
- Melvin Purvis (1903–1960), born in Timmonsville, FBI agent responsible for ending the criminal careers of Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd, and John Dillinger.
R
- Don Rhymer (1961-2012), born in Union, film writer and producer;
- Bobby Robinson (1917–2011), born in Union, record producer ;
- Joseph O. Rogers, Jr. (1921-1999), born in Mullins, South Carolina, Democratic state legislator from Manning; Republican gubernatorial nominee in 1966;
- Thomas Jefferson Rusk (1803–1857), born in Pendleton; early political and military leader of the Republic of Texas;
- Edward Rutledge (1749–1800), youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence; later governor of South Carolina;
- Francis H. Rutledge (1799–1866), born in Charleston, first Episcopal bishop of Florida;
- John Rutledge (1739–1800), American statesman and judge, elected President of South Carolina, April 1776, under the constitution drawn up on March 26, 1776.
S
- Gloria Saunders (1927–1980), actress, born in Columbia, South Carolina
- Mike Sharperson (1961–1996), baseball player, member of 1988 World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, born in Orangeburg, South Carolina
- John Steadman (actor) (1909–1993), born in Lexington, South Carolina, radio personality and actor. "Pop" in The Longest Yard
- Mickey Spillane (1918–2006), lived in Murrells Inlet, crime novel author, many featuring the fictional detective Mike Hammer
- Arthur Smith (1921-2014), born in Clinton, South Carolina, guitarist, songwriter, radio-TV personality, composer of Guitar Boogie
T
- William Barret Travis (1809–1836), born in Saluda County, South Carolina, 19th century American lawyer and soldier;
- Melanie Thornton (1967–2001), born in Charleston, South Carolina, Eurodance singer for La Bouche, famous for the singles "Be My Lover" and "Sweet Dreams";
- Strom Thurmond (1902–2003), born in Edgefield, South Carolina, South Carolina Governor, and the oldest and 2nd longest-serving U.S. Senator;
V
W
- John B. Watson (1878–1958), grew up in Travelers Rest, South Carolina, psychologist who established the psychological school of behaviorism;
- Charles S. West (1829–1885), born in Camden, South Carolina, Texas jurist and politician;
- John C. West (1922–2004), politician;
- William C. Westmoreland (1914–2005), born in Saxon, South Carolina, deputy commander of Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) 1964–1968, Army Chief of Staff 1968–1972;
- Louis Wigfall (1816–1874), born in Edgefield, South Carolina, Texas politician who served as a member of the Texas Legislature, United States Senate, and Confederate Senate;
- James E. Williams (1930–1999), born in Fort Mill, South Carolina, raised in Darlington, South Carolina, Medal of Honor (Viet Nam - 1966), highest decorated enlisted man in the history of the U. S. Navy, U. S. Marshal;
- Henry Woodward (1646–1690), an early colonist of South Carolina who was instrumental in establishing contact with Native Americans and setting up a trading system.
- W. D. Workman, Jr. (1914–1990), newspaper and radio journalist, author;Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in 1962 and for governor of South Carolina in 1982
Y
Living
A
- John Abraham (b. 1978), born in Timmonsville, NFL defensive end for the Arizona Cardinals;
- Rick Adair (b. 1958), born in Spartanburg, pitching coach for the Baltimore Orioles;
- Kimberly Aiken (b. 1975), born in Columbia, Miss America 1994;
- Ray Allen (b. 1975), lived in Dalzell, Hillcrest H.S., NBA star for the Miami Heat;
- Bill Anderson (b. 1937), born in Columbia; country music singer and songwriter, nicknamed "Whisperin' Bill";
- Olanda Anderson (b. 1972), born in Sumter, former boxer, member of the 2000 United States Olympics team;
- Aziz Ansari (b. 1983), born in Columbia, actor and comedian.
- Robert Ayers (b. 1985), raised in Clio, defensive end for the New York Giants;
B
- Alex Barron (b. 1982), born in Orangeburg, left tackle for the Dallas Cowboys;
- Samuel Beam (b. 1974), born in Columbia, singer-songwriter under the stage name Iron & Wine;
- Paul Benjamin (b. 1938), born in Pelion, actor;
- Shelton Benjamin (b. 1976), born and raised in Orangeburg, a professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler;
- Charles Dantonja Bennett (b. 1983), born in Camden, football player for Clemson University and Tampa Bay Buccaneers;
- Ben Bernanke (b. 1953), graduated from high school in Dillon in 1971, former Chairman of the Federal Reserve;
- Blue Sky (b. 1938), born in Columbia and lived there for the majority of his life, painter and sculptor;
- Charles F. Bolden, Jr. (b. 1946), born in Columbia, NASA astronaut, United States Marine Corps major general, administrator of NASA;
- Chadwick Boseman (b. 1982), born in Anderson, actor, star of 42, Draft Day;
- Peter Boulware (b. 1974), born in Columbia, former linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens;
- Zackary Bowman (b. 1984), born in Columbia, cornerback for the Chicago Bears;
- Lee Brice (B. 1980), born in Sumter, country artist, co-wrote the Garth Brooks song More Than a Memory;
- Robert Brooks (b. 1970), born in Greenwood, former wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers and the Denver Broncos;
- J. Anthony Brown (b. ?), born in Columbia, actor, comedian and radio personality from Columbia;
- Kwame Brown (b. 1982), born in Charleston, center for the Golden State Warriors;
- Omar Brown (b. 1988), born in Moncks Corner, free safety for the Baltimore Ravens;
- Sheldon Brown (b. 1979), born in Lancaster, cornerback for the Cleveland Browns;
- Martavis Bryant (b. 1991), born in Calhoun Falls, wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers;
- Jared Burton (b. 1981), born in Westminster, relief pitcher for the Minnesota Twins;
C
- Pat Caddell (b. 1950), born in Rock Hill, public opinion pollster, political film consultant;
- Preston Callison (b. 1922), born in Lexington, lawyer and politician, member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, 1965-1966 and 1969-1970
- Anna Camp (b. 1982), born in Aiken, actress, The Help;
- Marion Campbell (b. 1929), born in Chester, NFL defensive lineman and head coach;
- Harry Carson (b. 1953), born in Florence, football player, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame 2006;
- Wilson Casey (b. 1954), born in Woodruff, "Trivia" Guinness World Record holder, nationally syndicated trivia newspaper columnist;
- Chandler Catanzaro (b. 1991), born in Greenville, placekicker for the Arizona Cardinals;
- Chubby Checker (b. 1941), born in Spring Gulley (Andrews), singer;
- Kelsey Chow (b. 1991), born and raised in Columbia, actress;
- Jim Clyburn (b. 1940), born in Sumter, U.S. congressman;
- Stephen Euin Cobb (b. 1955), born in Orangeburg, author, futurist and host of the award-winning podcast The Future and You;
- Landon Cohen (b. 1986), born in Spartanburg, defensive tackle for the Seattle Seahawks;
- Stephen Colbert (b. 1964), raised in Charleston, comedian and anchor of his own show on Comedy Central — "The Colbert Report";
- Monique Coleman (b. 1980), born in Orangeburg, actress;
- Mike Colter (b. 1976), born in Columbia, raised in St. Matthews, actor, Ringer;
- Pat Conroy (b. 1945), grew up in Beaufort, attended Beaufort High School and The Citadel, novelist;
- Angell Conwell (b. 1983), born in Orangeburg and raised in Columbia, actress;
- O'Neal Compton (b. 1951), born in Sumter, character actor;
- Tyrone Corbin (b. 1962), born in Columbia, NBA player and coach;
- Shawn Crawford (b. 1978}), born in Van Wyck, gold medalist in 2004 Athens Olympics 200 meters, silver in 2008 Beijing Olympics.
D
- Beth Daniel (b. 1956), born in Charleston, golfer, member of World Golf Hall of Fame;
- Kristin Davis (b. 1965), early in her childhood, she and her parents moved to Columbia, actress, best known for role as Charlotte York in Sex and the City;
- Richard C. Davis (b. 1963), from Charleston, real estate broker and television personality;
- Viola Davis (b. 1965), born in St. Matthews, actress, The Help;
- Katon Dawson (b. 1956), born in Columbia, former chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party;
- Will Demps (b. 1963), born in Charleston, football safety played for the Baltimore Ravens and others;
- Andy Dick (b. 1965), born in Charleston, actor and comedian best known for his roles on TV sitcoms;
- Stanley Donen (b. 1924), born in Columbia, film director and choreographer;
- Justin Durant (b. 1985), born in Florence, linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys;
E
- Ainsley Earhardt (b. 1980), grew up in Columbia, correspondent for Fox News;
- Marian Wright Edelman (b. 1939), born in Bennettsville, activist for the rights of children;
- Armanti Edwards (b. 1988), born in Greenwood, Pro football player for the Carolina Panthers and Cleveland Browns;
- Eddie Edwards (b. 1954), born in Sumter, former defensive end for the Cincinnati Bengals football team;
- John Edwards, (b. 1953), born in Seneca, former N.C. Senator & 2004 Democratic Vice Presidential candidate;
- Leslie Jean Egnot (b. 1963), born in Greenville, Olympic yachtswoman for New Zealand;
- Andre Ellington (b. 1989), born in Moncks Corner, running back for the Arizona Cardinals;
- Shaun Ellis (b. 1977), born in Anderson, defensive end for the New England Patriots football team;
- Frank Emanuel (b. 1942), born in Clio, former football linebacker for Miami Dolphins and the New Orleans Saints;
- Alex English (b. 1954), born in Columbia, basketball player, member of the Basketball Hall of Fame;
- Joe Arnold Erwin (b. 1956), born in Florence, entrepreneur and politician, former chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party;
- Ernest Evans, better known as Chubby Checker (b. 1941), born in Spring Gulley (Andrews), singer;
- Leomont Evans (b. 1974), born in Abbeville, former American football safety in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins;
- Ralph B. Everett (b. 1951), born in Orangeburg, lobbyist and political staffer.
F
- Shepard Fairey (b. 1970), born in Charleston, artist who created the Barack Obama "Hope" poster;
- Shannon Faulkner (b. 1975), born in Powdersville, the first female cadet to enter The Citadel;
- Raymond Felton (b. 1984), born in Marion, professional basketball player;
- Michael Flessas (b. 1959), attended college and lived in South Carolina, actor, best known for his role in the film Dancer in the Dark;
- Tyler Florence (b. 1971), born in Greenville, television chef;
- Rickey Foggie (b. 1966), born in Laurens, former quarterback in the Canadian Football League and the Arena Football League;
- Nancy Friday (b. 1933), grew up in Charleston, author, specializing in topics of female sexuality and liberation;
G
- Andrew Gachkar (b. 1988), born in Cheraw, linebacker for the San Diego Chargers;
- Samkon Gado (b. 1982), attended Ben Lippen High School in Columbia, running back in the National Football League;
- Brett Gardner (b. 1983), born in Holly Hill, left fielder for the New York Yankees;
- Kevin Garnett (b. 1976), born in Mauldin, professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets;
- Leeza Gibbons (b. 1957), born in Hartsville, talk show host of Entertainment Tonight and other Hollywood news shows;
- Thomas Gibson (b. 1962), born in Charleston, actor on Criminal Minds;
- William Gibson (b. 1948), born in Conway, author, credited as the father of the Cyberpunk genre of science fiction;
- Candice Glover (b. 1989), born in Beaufort, South Carolina, American Idol (season 12) winner;
- Joseph L. Goldstein (b. 1940), born in Kingstree, Nobel Prize-winning biochemist and geneticist;
- André Goodman (b. 1978), born in Greenville, cornerback for the Denver Broncos;
- A.J. Green (b. 1988), born in Summerville, wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals;
- Charlamagne Tha God, (b. 1980), born in Moncks Corner, radio and TV personality;
- Jonathan Goodwin (b. 1978), born in Columbia, offensive lineman in the National Football League;
- K. Lee Graham (b. 1997) from Chapin, won the Miss Teen USA 2014 pageant;
- Boyce Green (b. 1960), born in Beaufort, former running back in the National Football League;
- Alvin Greene (b. 1977), born in Florence, 2010 Democratic nominee for United States Senator;
- Fred Griffith (b. 1964), born in Spartanburg, actor and producer.
H
- Trevor Hall (born 1986), from Hilton Head, South Carolina, musician
- Jakar Hamilton (born 1989), from Johnston, safety for the Dallas Cowboys
- Michael Hamlin (born 1985), from Lamar, safety for the Jacksonville Jaguars
- Jason Hammel (born 1982), from Greenville, starting pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles
- Shanola Hampton (born 1977), from Charleston, actress, on Showtime series Shameless
- Albert Haynesworth (born 1981), from Hartsville, defensive tackle for the New England Patriots
- Josh Head, from Rock Hill, rhythm guitarist for the band Emery
- Lauren Michelle Hill (born 1979), from Columbia, model, actress, Playboy Playmate
- Vonnie Holliday (born 1975), from Camden, defensive lineman for the Washington Redskins
- Chris Hope (born 1980), from Rock Hill, safety for the Atlanta Falcons
- Bo Hopkins (born 1942), from Greenville, actor
- Todd F Howard (born 1965), from Spartanburg, South Carolina, entrepreneur and public figure
- Orlando Hudson (born 1977), from Darlington, Gold Glove-winning Major League Baseball player
- Josephine Humphreys (born 1945), from Charleston, author
- Fiona Hutchison (born 1960), raised in Columbia and attended Clemson University, soap opera actress[1]
- Lauren Hutton (born 1943), from Charleston, supermodel, actress
J
- Jesse Jackson (born 1941), born in Greenville, politician and civil rights activist;
- Young Jeezy (Jay Jenkins) (born 1977), born in Columbia, rap and hip-hop performer;
- Sylvia Jefferies (born 1969), born in Greenwood, actress, Nashville;
- Alshon Jeffery (born 1990), born in St. Matthews, wide receiver for the Chicago Bears;
- Jarvis Jenkins (born 1988), born in Clemson, defensive end for the Washington Redskins;
- Tim Jennings (born 1983), born in Orangeburg, cornerback for the Chicago Bears;
- Jasper Johns (born 1933), grew up in Allendale, painter and printmaker;
- Anthony Johnson (born 1974), born in Charleston, professional basketball player;
- Christopher Jones (born 1982), born in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, actor and dancer;
- Greg Jones (born 1981), born in Beaufort, fullback for the Jacksonville Jaguars;
- Orlando Jones (born 1968), attended high school in Mauldin, South Carolina, comedian and actor;
- Alexis Jordan (born 1992), born in Columbia, R&B and pop singer.
K
- Terry Kinard (born 1959), from Sumter, former safety for the New York Giants and Houston Oilers;
- Betsy King (born 1955), from Spartanburg, golfer, member of World Golf Hall of Fame;
- Michael Kohn (born 1986), from Camden, relief pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim;
- Carlos Knight (born 1993), from Columbia, television actor;
- Sterling Knight (born 1989), from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, actor, singer-songwriter, musician
- Sallie Krawcheck (born 1964), from Charleston, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Citi Global Wealth Management (GWM).
L
- Lance Laury (b. 1982), from Hopkins, football player, linebacker for the New York Jets;
- Andy Lee (born 1982), from Westminster, football player, punter for the San Francisco 49ers;
- Harry B. Luthi (b. 1933), from Greenville, former mayor and retired businessman
- Jordan Lyles (b. 1990), from Hartsville, baseball player, starting pitcher for the Houston Astros.
M
- Andie MacDowell (b. 1958), born in Gaffney, model and actress;
- James Robert Mann (b. 1920), born in Greenville, soldier, lawyer and a United States Representative;
- George Martin (b. 1953), from Greenville, former defensive end for the New York Giants;
- Cliff Matthews (b. 1989), born in Cheraw, defensive end for the Atlanta Falcons;
- Byron Maxwell (b. 1988), born in North Charleston, cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks;
- Anthuan Maybank (b. 1969), born in Georgetown, Olympic gold medalist 4x400;
- Edwin McCain (b. 1970), born in Greenville, musician and song writer;
- Johnathan McClain (b. 1970), born in Myrtle Beach, actor and writer;
- Tony McDaniel (b. 1985), born in Hartsville, defensive tackle for the Seattle Seahawks;
- Rocky McIntosh (b. 1982), grew up in Gaffney, linebacker for the Washington Redskins;
- Marian McKnight (b. 1936), born in Manning, Miss America 1957, actress, producer and writer;
- Walter Russell Mead (b. 1952), born in Columbia, journalist, editor-at-large of The American Interest magazine;
- Dave Meggett (b. 1966), born in Charleston, former NFL running back, primarily with the New York Giants;
- Jamon Meredith (b. 1986), born in Simpsonville, professional football player, offensive tackle for the New York Giants;
- Adam Minarovich (b. 1977), from Anderson, actor;
- Vanessa Minnillo (b. 1980), from Charleston, television personality on Entertainment Tonight;
- Darla Moore (b. 1954), born in Lake City, financial executive;
- D. J. Moore (b. 1987), born in Spartanburg, professional football player, cornerback for the Chicago Bears;
- Maurice Morris (b. 1979), born in Chester, professional football player, running back for the Detroit Lions;
- R. Winston Morris (b. 1941), from Barnwell, tuba player and composer, professor at Tennessee Technological University;
- Kary Mullis (b. 1944), grew up in Columbia, biochemist and Nobel laureate;
- Allison Munn (b. 1974), grew up in Columbia, actress.
N
O
P
- Lu Parker, broadcast journalist and Miss USA 1994, from Anderson, South Carolina;
- Mary-Louise Parker, film and television actress, born in Fort Jackson, South Carolina;
- Will Patton, actor, born June 14, 1954 in Charleston;
- Matthew Patterson, actor, born May 26, 1991 raised in Gilbert, South Carolina;
- Josh Powell, power forward and center for the Atlanta Hawks, born in Charleston;
- William "The Refrigerator" Perry, former professional football player, born in Aiken, South Carolina;
- Jeryl Prescott, actress, born in Hartsville;
- The Big Show (wrestler), professional wrestler and actor, born in Aiken, South Carolina.
Q
R
- Willie Randolph (b. 1954), born in Holly Hill, MLB player, manager, third base coach for the Baltimore Orioles;
- Arthur Ravenel, Jr. (b. 1927), born in Charleston, Republican politician;
- Sidney Rice (b. 1986), born in Gaffney, wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks
- Bobby Richardson (b. 1935), born in Sumter, baseball player for the New York Yankees;
- Leon Rippy (b. 1949), born in Rock Hill, film and television actor;
- Andre Roberts (b. 1988), born in Columbia, football player for the Arizona Cardinals;
- Julie Roberts (b. 1979), from Lancaster, country music singer;
- Eugene Robinson (b. 1955), born in Orangeburg, Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper columnist;
- Chris Rock (b. 1965), born in Andrews, comedian, actor, screenwriter, film and TV producer and director;
- Joshua Rogers (b. 1994), born in Greeleyville, South Carolina, recording artist, Season 5 winner of BET's Sunday Best;
- Al "Flip" Rosen (b. 1924), born in Spartanburg; MLB 4-time All-Star infielder, MVP, 2-time home run champion, 2-time RBI leader;
- Darius Rucker (b. 1966), born in Charleston, musician, lead singer of Hootie & The Blowfish, now a solo artist;
- Richard Wilson Riley (b. 1933), governor of South Carolina, U.S. Secretary of Education 1993–2001.
S
- O'Brien Schofield (b. 1987), born in Camden, defensive end for the Seattle Seahawks;
- Ian Scott (b. 1981) born in Greenville, football player, defensive tackle for the San Diego Chargers;
- Jake Scott (b. 1945) born in Greenwood, former safety for the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins;
- Ramon Sessions (b. 1986) born in Myrtle Beach, basketball player for the NBA;
- Richard Seymour (b. 1979) born in Gadsden, football player, defensive lineman for the Oakland Raiders;
- Art Shell (b. 1946) born in Charleston, Hall of Fame offensive tackle and head coach for the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders;
- John Shumate (b. 1952) born in Greenville, professional basketball player;
- Shawnee Smith (b. 1970) born in Orangeburg (SC), film and television actress and musician;
- J. Smith-Cameron (b. 1955) raised in Greenville, stage and screen actress;
- Justin Smoak (b. 1986) born in Goose Creek, baseball player for the Toronto Blue Jays;
- Reggie Sanders (b. 1967), born in Florence, professional baseball player;
- Jeremy Stamper (Jay Stamper) (b. 1972), Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, resident of Columbia;
- Zak Stevens (b. 1966), born in Columbia, lead singer in the heavy metal band Savatage, backup singer for Trans-Siberian Orchestra and lead singer for Circle II Circle.
T
- Tyler Thigpen (born 1984), from Winnsboro, quarterback for the Buffalo Bills;
- Gorman Thomas (born 1950), from Charleston, South Carolina, former outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Indians, and Seattle Mariners.
- David Thornton (born 1953), from Cheraw, South Carolina, television actor;
- Kelly Tilghman (born 1969), from North Myrtle Beach, broadcaster for The Golf Channel, and the PGA Tour's first female lead golf announcer;
- Lawrence Timmons (born 1986), from Florence, South Carolina, linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers;
- Steven Tolleson (born 1983), from Spartanburg, South Carolina, infielder for the Baltimore Orioles;
- Charles Townes (born 1915), from Greenville, South Carolina, Nobel Prize-winning physicist and educator;
- Josh Turner (born 1977), from Hannah, South Carolina, country music singer;
- Tom Turnipseed (born 1936), born in Alabama, lives in Columbia, lawyer, executive director of the 1968 presidential campaign of George C. Wallace, former member of the South Carolina State Senate.
W
- Corey Washington (b. 1991), from North Charleston, wide receiver for the New York Giants;
- Benjamin Watson (b. 1980), from Rock Hill, tight end for the New Orleans Saints;
- Shawn Weatherly (b. 1959), from Sumter, Miss USA and Miss Universe 1980;
- Sean Weatherspoon (b. 1987), from Greenville, linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons;
- Celia Weston (b. 1951), from Spartanburg, character actress;
- Chris White (b. 1983), from Chester, guard and center for the Seattle Seahawks;
- Knox H. White (b. 1954), mayor of Greenville since 1995;
- R. Cooper White, Jr. (b. 1927), mayor of Greenville from 1969 to 1971
- Roddy White (b. 1981), from James Island, football player, wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons;
- Tracy White (b. 1981), from Charleston, linebacker for the New England Patriots;
- Vanna White (b. 1957), from North Myrtle Beach, letter turner on Wheel of Fortune;
- Matt Wieters (b. 1986), from Goose Creek, catcher for the Baltimore Orioles;
- Armstrong Williams (b. 1959), from Marion, television and radio host, columnist, political activist;
- Mookie Wilson (b. 1956), from Bamberg, former center fielder for the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays;
- Rod Wilson (b. 1981), from Cross, linebacker for the Chicago Bears;
- DeWayne Wise (b. 1978), from Columbia, outfielder for the Chicago White Sox;
- Chad Wolf (b. 1976), from Charleston, lead vocalist in band "Carolina Liar";
- Bill Workman (b. 1940), born in Charleston, mayor of Greenville from 1983 to 1995, retired economic development specialist; resident of Walterboro
- Samuel E. Wright (b. 1946), from Camden, actor and Broadway performer.
- Hastings Wyman (b. 1939), from Aiken, political consultant, journalist, and author in South Carolina and Washington, D.C.
References
