Called the Mother of the West, Missouri is known and loved for many things, including the astonishing Ozark Mountains, being a country music capital, and random, oversized objects.
Not only is it recognized for these attributes, but it is also home to many famous people – from film stars to musicians and authors.
Each one of them has made several significant contributions to society. In this article, we have listed the 10 most famous people who were born and raised in Missouri.
A few of the most well-known people from the long list below include the rapper Eminem, famous actor Brad Pitt, and the 33rd President of the United States, former President Harry Truman.
Mark Twain is an American writer who is best known for writing The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He was raised in Hannibal, Missouri, and became a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River.
He left Missouri and went to New York City when he was 18 years old. He was well educated and earned degrees from prestigious universities, including a Master of Arts Degree and Doctor of Letters Degree from Yale University, and a Doctor of Letters Degree from Oxford University.
2. Kate Spade
Kate Spade was an American fashion designer who was born in Kansas City, Missouri. She attended St. Teresa’s Academy in high school and the University of Kansas in college.
She founded Kate Spade New York in 1993 with her business partner and husband, Andy Spade. Kate Spade is well-known for her successful line of designer bags.
3. Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt is an American actor born in Oklahoma but grew up in Springfield, Missouri. He went to Kickapoo High School and the University of Missouri where he majored in journalism.
Afterward, he moved to Los Angeles, California where he pursued his acting career by taking acting lessons. Some of his blockbuster movies are Fight Club, Troy, and Ocean’s Eleven.
4. Akon
St. Louis-born Akon, whose real name is Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam, is a singer and songwriter. He moved to New Jersey when he was 7 years old and later went to William L. Dickinson High School in Jersey City.
He released his debut album “Trouble” in 2004, placing his music on the top charts. The awards he garnered throughout his career were Teen Choice Awards Breakout Artist, World’s Best-Selling R&B Artist, and Billboard Music Awards’ Artist of the Year award, to name a few.
5. Misty Copeland
Misty Copeland is an American ballet dancer and was the first African American principal dancer in the American Ballet Theatre in 2015. She is an award-winning dancer born in Kansas City, Missouri.
She then moved to Los Angeles, California, where she grew up. Among her achievements are winning the Music Center Spotlight Awards, receiving the 2008 Leonore Annenberg Fellowship in the Arts, and being listed in the TIME 100 by TIME Magazine.
6. George Washington Carver
A well-known scientist, inventor, pianist, and painter, George Washington Carver was born in Newton County, Missouri. He went to a school for black children in Neosho since black people were not allowed to join in Newton.
A national park was named after him in Missouri, making him the first non-president to have a monument. He is famous for creating 300 ways to use peanuts.
7. President Harry Truman
The 33rd president of the United States, former President Truman, was born in Lamar, Missouri, and later moved to Harrisonville and Belton. He attended the Presbyterian Church Sunday School in Independence when he was 6 years old.
He was a war hero and survived an assassination. Some of his well-known contributions were rebuilding postwar Europe and dropping the atomic bomb on Japan, eventually ending WWII.
8. Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes was from Joplin and grew up in Lawrence, Kansas. He was a well-known poet, playwright, and novelist and his work focused on bringing people together.
Moreover, he is known as an innovator of jazz poetry, a leader of the Harlem Renaissance, and an award-winning writer. A few of his awards were the Spingarn Medal in 1960, Quill Award for Poetry in 2005, and the Anisfeld-Wolfe Award in 1954.
9. Eminem
An American rapper and producer, Eminem was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1972. Throughout his entire career, he has sold more than 220 million records worldwide.
He is famous for his songs including “Lose Yourself” and “Love the Way You Lie.” Moreover, he also appeared in movies such as 8 Mile and The Interview. Over his career, he won numerous awards, including those for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards, Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Male Artist at the American Music Awards, and Top Male Artist at the Billboard Music Awards.
10. Yogi Berra
Born in The Hill, St. Louis, Missouri, Yogi Berra is a famous American baseball catcher and coach. He is famous for winning 10 World Series championships, playing in 75 World Series games, and appearing 18 in all All-Star Games.
Moreover, Berra was a three-time MVP of the American League. In 1972, he was the manager of the Mets as well as being elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
