Top 10 Famous people from Alaska

Top 10 Famous people from Alaska

Alaska is by far the largest state by area in the United States. It is located in the northern end of North America. Additionally, this state is one of the coldest regions on the continent.

Due to its location, not much is known about this state compared to the other 49. This state has one of the lowest numbers in terms of population.

Despite that, Alaska is home to famous people who are known both in the United States and globally.

There are artists, athletes, politicians, authors, scientists and several others. One notable politician from Alaska is Sarah Palin.  

She is not alone. Here are the top 10 famous people from Alaska.

1. Valerie Plame – Writer

First on the list is Valerie who is a fiction writer and former Central Intelligence Agency officer. She was born in Anchorage, Alaska and went to school in Pennsylvania.  

While she was in the CIA, she worked as an undercover agent in Brussels and Athens. Unlike most agents in covert missions, she used her real name while o assignment.

Since her role required her to gather intelligence effectively, Valerie acted as a junior consular officer as well as an energy analyst.

However, Valerie was involved in a scandal that saw her resign from the CIA. The scandal involved leaking classified information. However, no one was formally charged for the leakage.

Valerie has authored 2 spy novels. She has also written a memoir on her career and working in the CIA.

2. Lisa Murkowski – Politician

Photo Sourced from Wikimedia

Lisa Ann Murkowski is an attorney and politician serving as the senior United States senator for Alaska since 2002.

She is the 2^nd most senior Republican woman in the Senate, after Susan Collins of Maine.

Murkowski has also served as the vice-chair of the Senate Republican Conference from 2009 to 2010. Other roles that she has effectively handled include serving as chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee from 2015 to 2021.

In 2021, she was one of the 7 Republican senators that voted to convict former president Donald Trump of incitement of insurrection during his second impeachment trial.

Because of this, Murkowski was condemned by the Alaska Republic Party.

3. Jewel Kilcher – Singer

Jewel Kilcher is a singer-songwriter, author, and poet who grew up in Homer. Her grandparents came from Alaska where her grandfather was a senator and a delegate to the Alaska Constitutional Convention.

She became famous when she was featured in the T.V. reality series, Alaska: The Last Frontier.

As a singer, she has produced music in different genres such as electronic, dance-pop and country.

Jewel’s country album that was released in 2008 debuted among the top    Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. Her leading country singles are Stronger Woman, I Do, and Til It Feels Like Cheating.

Other than singing, Jewel published a collection of poems in 1998.

4. Sarah Palin – Former Governor of Alaska

Photo by Bruce Tuten – Wikimedia

You know her from the US presidential campaigns in 2008 as John McCain’s running mate.

Before shooting into the global limelight, Palin was the 9^th governor of Alaska between 2006 and 2009. Sarah was the first woman to be selected on a Republican presidential ticket.

She was also featured in a reality show, Sarah Palin’s Alaska. Her memoir, Going Rogue: An American Life was published in 2009. It sold more than 2 million copies.

Other popular books by Palin are America by Heart: Reflections on Family, Faith, and Flag (2010), Good Tidings and Great Joy: Protecting the Heart of Christmas (2013), and Sweet Freedom: A Devotional (2015).

5. Elizabeth Jean Peratrovich – Activist

Photo by Shackpoet – Wikimedia

The next famous person from Alaska is Elizabeth Peratrovich. She played an important role as a civil rights activist.

Her activism was not for Alaskans only but all oppressed Americans. Elizabeth was a member of the Tlingit nation.

She worked assiduously to gain equality for Alaska Natives. Together with her family, they sought the help of lawmakers to effect change. Her brother, Roy Jr. was one of the first indigenous children to attend public schools.   

Peratrovich has been credited with moving forth the first anti-discrimination law in the United States.

This is the Anti-Discrimination Act of 1945 making Alaska one of the first States in America to end Jim Crow law.

Her great contribution to the nation has been immortalized by celebrating Elizabeth Peratrovich Day on February 16 every year.

6. Robert Rozier – Former Football player

Robert Earnest Rozier Jr. is a former professional footballer turned murderer. He was born in Alaska but was raised in California.

Rozier was a talented athlete who played in high school as well as in collegiate championships.

He stood at 6’ 3’’ got drafted to play in both American and Canadian football. While in Canada, he played for Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and the Oakland Raiders respectively.

Robert played 6 games as number 75. Unfortunately, his football career was cut short after he was accused of using drugs and being involved in petty crimes.

Later in the 80s, he joined a religious cult that compelled them to kill innocent citizens. Rozier killed 4 people and was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

He was released on parole after one decade and put under witness protection. This did not last long because he was given a life sentence for bouncing checks. 

7. Lyman Hoffman – Politician

Lyman F. Hoffman has represented the S district since 1995. He ran for re-election in 2018. His term is scheduled to end in 2023.

He was a member of the Alaska House of Representatives from 1986 through 1990, and from 1993 through 1994.

Hoffman is the current chair of the Senate Finance Committee. The committee works to address the fiscal crisis by cutting services and capping the Permanent Fund Dividend.

Before serving as a senator for Alaska, Hoffman was the Alaska house representative from 1986 through 1990 and from 1993 through 1994.

8. Mario Chalmers – Basketballer

Photo by Keith Allison – Wikimedia

Almario Vernard Chalmers is a professional basketball player for the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA G League.

Mario, as he is fondly known, was selected as the 34th overall pick. This was during the 2008 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Before this, Mario had played three seasons of college basketball for the University of Kansas. He was part of the 2007–08 national championship team.

Vernard became the first Alaskan to win a championship in high school, college, and pro levels.

As a co-defensive player, Mario won the 2006/2007 player of the year as well as the Most Outstanding Player of the 2008 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament.

Chalmers founded the Mario V. Chalmers Foundation which supports athletic and educational programs for children. Additionally, he helps fund programs for breast cancer research.

9. Archie Van Winkle – Retired Marine

Archie Van Winkle is said to be the only Alaskan to receive the Medal of Honour.

Winkle received a prestigious award for his role during the Korean War. He had served as a staff sergeant in the Marines.

Additionally, Archie served in World War II and the Vietnam War. In 1951, he was released to inactive duty but was recalled after the outbreak of hostilities in Korea as a Marine Corps Reserve.

Upon his return to the United States, Archie was assigned to the G-1 Division at Headquarters Marine Corps. He retired from service in February 1974.

Van Winkle died in 1986 and was cremated. There is a memorial headstone was placed in Sitka National Cemetery in Alaska.

10. Jason Everman – Musician

Photo sourced from Wikimedia

Jason Mark Everman is a musician and soldier. He played the guitar with Nirvana and Mind Funk in 1989, and bass in Soundgarden and OLD.

Everman also served in both Iraq and Afghanistan with the U.S. Army as an Army Ranger and Green Beret.

In May 2017 he started a band together with a fellow war veteran, Brad Thomas, in New York.

They released their first single in 2019 followed by a complete album later that year.

Their band uses the profit they get to help members of the Special Operations Community, the Military, and First Responders.