#1Famous people · Rocky Mount
55 famous people were born in Rocky Mount, more of them musicians than in most towns
Thelonious Monk, the American jazz pianist and composer, is the most widely known, written about in 61 languages. Most were born between 1920 and 1969: 34 of them. 6 of them were born since 1970. Among the 344 towns in North Carolina with famous people on record, the town ranks 2nd.
Born here
55
notable people
Best known
Thelonious Monk
in 61 Wikipedia languages
First
1835
William G. Lewis
Youngest
1994
Deshawn Freeman
Most common field
Sports
21 people
Also called it home
1
notable residents
What stands out about Rocky Mount’s famous people
★ What stands out · The best known
Born in Rocky Mount
Languages with an article: 61 for Thelonious Monk, 58 for Mary Elizabeth Winstead, 18 for Buck Williams.
#1
#2
#3Known for
What Rocky Mount is known for
Musicians stand out most, at 2 times the usual share.
The usual town: the share across everyone born in the towns gathered so far. Tap a field to see its people.
Through the years
When Rocky Mount’s famous people were born
The 1940s top the chart, with 10 births in the decade.
SportsPolitics & LawMusicFilm, TV & StageWriting & ArtsMilitaryNotable
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone
Everyone else born in Rocky Mount
Another 52, 20 of them athletes.
William D. Murray
1908–1986American football player and coach, basketball coach, college athletics administrator
SportsWikipedia ↗
Westray Battle Long
1901–1971NotableWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
A chosen home
Also called Rocky Mount home
Notable people Wikidata lists as living in Rocky Mount, though born elsewhere.
The town’s pick
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From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Rocky Mount 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 (33)
- Thelonious Monk: William P. Gottlieb / Adam Cuerden, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Mary Elizabeth Winstead: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Buck Williams: Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley, U.S. Navy, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Phil Ford: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Kay Kyser: Film screenshot, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Earle Hyman: Carl Van Vechten, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Charles Pittman: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Angela Bryant: NC General Assembly, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Bill Mathis: Jay Publishing, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Buck Leonard: Library of Congress, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Harold Vick: Tom Marcello Webster, New York, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Herman Boone: Daren Reehl / Photo Courtesy of U.S. Army., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- James Carson Gardner: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Tim Valentine: US Government Printing Office, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Brian Goodwin: Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Deshawn Freeman: Grunn050, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Henry Gaston Bunn: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Matt Hill: Bruce Baker, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Thurbert Baker: Office of Senator Zell Miller, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- William D. Murray: Duke University, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Danny Talbott: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Mike Tyson: St. Louis Cardinals, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Shelly Willingham: State of North Carolina, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- William G. Lewis: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Chuck Hinton: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Harold Bascom Durham, Jr.: The original uploader was Kumioko at English Wikipedia., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Harold Denton: U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jeff Collins: State of North Carolina, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Mike Cherry: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Westray Battle Long: U.S. Army, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Andrew B. Anderson Jr.: USAF, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Robert M. Bell: 1msulax 13:26, 4 May 2008 (UTC). The original uploader was 1msulax at English Wikipedia., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Kristin Cooper: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons