Born here
50
notable people
Best known
Mae Jemison
in 68 Wikipedia languages
First
1857
Richard W. Austin
Youngest
1999
Javan Johnson
Most common field
Sports
30 people
Also called it home
1
notable residents
What stands out about Decatur’s famous people ★ What stands out · The best known Born in Decatur By how many languages cover them, Mae Jemison comes first (68), then Lucas Black (40) and Dean Jones (33).
#1 Science & Medicine Mae Jemison born 1956 American doctor and NASA astronaut
LB #2
Film, TV & Stage Lucas Black born 1982 American actor
#3 Film, TV & Stage Dean Jones 1931–2015 American actor
Through the years When Decatur’s famous people were born More of them were born in the 1980s than in any other ten years, 10 in all.
Mills & railroads The American century Today 1850 1900 1950 2000 Dean Jones Mae Jemison Richard W. Austin Pop Gates Sports Politics & Law Science & Medicine Notable Film, TV & Stage Music Business Faith Military Writing & Arts
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Known for What Decatur is known for Athletes stand out most, at 1.7 times the usual share.
Sports 30 people 60%1.7× usual Politics & Law 4 people 8%below usual Science & Medicine 3 people 6%about usual Notable 3 people 6% Film, TV & Stage 2 people 4%below usual Music 2 people 4%about usual Business 2 people 4%1.6× usual Faith 2 people 4%2.4× usual Military 1 person 2%below usual Writing & Arts 1 person 2%below usual The usual town: the share across everyone born in the towns gathered so far. Tap a field to see its people.
Everyone Everyone else born in Decatur Another 47, 30 of them athletes.
All · 47 Politics & Law · 4 Military · 1 Sports · 30 Music · 2 Writing & Arts · 1 Science & Medicine · 2 Business · 2 Faith · 2 Notable · 3
Any time A new nation · 1 Mills & railroads · 11 The American century · 14 Today · 21
Philip Rivers born 1981 American football player
Richard Hendrix born 1986 American basketball player
Pop Gates 1917–1999 American basketball player
Perrin Buford born 1994 American basketball player
Richard W. Austin 1857–1919 American politician, attorney and diplomat
CH Charlie Hodge 1934–2006 American musician
Gordon Terry 1931–2006 American musician
Grace Curzon, Marchioness Curzon of Kedleston 1879–1958 British-American noble
Charles Richard born 1959 American Navy admiral
LP Luther Patrick 1894–1957 American politician
MS Mandisa Stevenson born 1982 American basketball player
SL Seybourn Harris Lynne 1907–2000 United States federal judge
Carson Tinker born 1989 American football long snapper
JJ Javan Johnson born 1999 American basketball player
Rip Sewell 1907–1989 American Major League Baseball player, pitcher
Robin Henderson born 1960 American space agency executive
Travis S. Taylor born 1968 Scientist and author
AK Alan Koch 1938–2015 American professional baseball player
DS David Stewart born 1982 American football player, offensive tackle
Donold Lourie 1899–1990 American businessman, government official, and college football player and coach
GK Gary Knotts born 1977 American baseball player
Jerraud Powers born 1987 Player of American football
KB Kendrick Burton born 1973 American football player
LK Leslie Kelley born 1944 American football player
TB Taye Biddle born 1983 Player of American and Canadian football
Chad Girodo born 1991 Baseball player
Charles Redding Pitt 1944–2016 American politician in Alabama
DC David Charles born 1964 American neurologist
DB Deonte Brown born 1998 American football player
Jason Carthen born 1970 American football player
JS Johnny Sandlin 1945–2017 Recording engineer and record producer
Juwan Simpson born 1984 American gridiron football player
MB Marv Breeding 1934–2006 American baseball player
PW Phil Waldrep born 1960 American minister
PW Poindexter Williams 1897–1969 American baseball player
RP Ray Pepper 1905–1996 American baseball player
TB Tanner Burns born 1998 American baseball player
CM Chuck Murphy 1947–2018 American Anglican bishop
DS Doc Sykes 1892–1986 American baseball player
FS Fletcher Skidmore 1898–1965 American-football player
GI Gary Redus II born 1989 American basketball coach
JP Josh Pearson born 1997 American football wide receiver
KR Kristopher Reisz born 1979 American writer
MS Melvin Sykes 1901–1984 American baseball player
TH Tae Hayes born 1997 American football player
TT Tom Tichenor 1923–1992 American puppeteer
YW Yolanda Watkins born 1970 American basketball player
No one matches both filters.
Show all 47 A chosen home Also called Decatur home Notable people Wikidata lists as living in Decatur, though born elsewhere.
Terri Collins born 1958 American politician
The town’s pick Who’s the most famous person from Decatur? Pick one and say why. Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
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Did you grow up with someone famous from Decatur? → Who should be on this list but isn’t? → Next door Famous people from the towns next door The neighbour with the most names is Huntsville, at 38.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Decatur and whose English Wikipedia article agrees, ranked by how many Wikipedia languages cover each person. People known mainly for crimes, and adult performers, aren’t listed. “The usual town” = everyone born in the towns gathered so far.
Photo credits (22) Mae Jemison: NASA, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Dean Jones: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Philip Rivers: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Richard Hendrix: Sakhalinio, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Pop Gates: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Perrin Buford: David Grau Llinares, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Richard W. Austin: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Gordon Terry: Chart Records, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Grace Curzon, Marchioness Curzon of Kedleston: John Singer Sargent, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Charles Richard: DoD, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Carson Tinker: Mikepong, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Rip Sewell: International News Photos, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Robin Henderson: NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Travis S. Taylor: US Army, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Donold Lourie: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Jerraud Powers: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Chad Girodo: Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Charles Redding Pitt: Decatur High School (Alabama, United States), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Jason Carthen: Jcarisajohnson, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Juwan Simpson: Cmm3, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Terri Collins: Eagle Forum of Alabama, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons John Sparkman: United States Senate, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons