Top 10 Famous people from Virginia


 

The state of Virginia is the 35th largest in the whole of the United States. It was one of the first few colonies captured by the British.

This state played a vital role in the Declaration of Independence, writing the Constitutional Convention, and establishing the Bill of Rights.

Virginia is home to the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense and Central Intelligence Agency. There are also military facilities in Virginia.

Virginia is popularly known for Presidential homes, the Arlington National Cemetery, Dirty Dancing, Wild Ponies, Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, and the Brunswick Stew.

Several celebrities from Virginia have excelled in art, academia, technology, politics, research and other fields.

Songwriters Chris Brown, Pharrell Williams, Timbaland and Jason Mraz are some prominent people from Virginia.

There are more of them in the top 10 famous people from Virginia.

1. George Washington – 1st President of the United States

Virginia is known for its presidential homes, well one of America’s first presidents was born here. Washington came from a wealthy family that owned vast tobacco farms.

George was America’s founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797.

He played a crucial role in adopting and endorsing the Constitution of the United States. Washington was elected twice as the president by the Electoral College unopposed.

As a leader, he strived to integrate Native Americans into the Anglo-American culture. There was a lot of opposition that led to violent conflict.

There is a lot that George Washington has contributed to American history. For his achievements, he has been immortalized through monuments, a federal holiday, and on the $1 bill.

2. Richard E. Byrd – Naval Officer & Explorer

Photo by George Grantham Bain – Wikimedia

Another famous person from Virginia is Richard Evelyn Byrd Jr. He served as a naval officer and explorer. Richard received the Medal of Honour which is the highest honour for valour given by the United States.

This was for his contribution in aviation, exploration and organizing polar logistics.

His first expedition to the Antarctic was in 1928 where he went with 2 ships and 3 aeroplanes.

It is claimed that Byrd’s expeditions were the first to reach both the North Pole and the South Pole by air. He is also credited for discovering Mount Sidley, the largest dormant volcano in Antarctica.

A documentary was released in 1930, With Byrd at the South Pole, documenting his expeditions in North America.

3. James E. West – Inventor

James Edward Maceo West is an inventor and acoustician.

West owns over 250 foreign and U.S. patents for the production and design of microphones and techniques for creating polymer foil electrets.

It is even more interesting to learn that his mother was a ‘hidden figure” human-computer that worked for NASA at Langley Research Centre.

He graduated from Temple University with a bachelor’s degree in Physics in 1957.

His career span more than 4 decades where he made great contributions to Lucent Technologies.

West was awarded the organization’s highest honour and named a Bell Laboratories Fellow respectively.

In 1962, West and Gerhard Sessler invented the foil electret microphone.  This happened as they were developing hearing instruments for humans.

4. Pharrell Williams – Rapper

Photo by Shawn Ahmed – Wikimedia

Pharrell Lanscilo Williams has released several hit singles and is a favourite artist of many.

He was born in Virginia Beach, Virginia and is the eldest of the three brothers. His mother, Carolyn, was a teacher while his father, Pharaoh Williams, was a handyman. 

Pharrell’s love for music goes back to when he was in 7th grade. He met Chad Hugo in a summer band camp. Hugo played tenor saxophone while Pharrell played the drums.

After high school, Pharrell went to Northwestern University for two years before dropping out.

Other than music, Pharrell runs a non-profit organization called “From One Hand To Another”. He has also partnered with Verizon to provide internet access to school-going children.

5. Woodrow Wilson – 28th President of the United States

Another American president that comes from Virginia is Thomas Woodrow Wilson. He was president from 1913 to 1921.

Wilson was a member of the Democratic Party who served as the president of Princeton University. Additionally, he was the governor of New Jersey before winning the 1912 presidential election.

In his 1st year as president, Wilson legalized widespread imposition of segregation inside the federal bureaucracy.

He devoted his first term to pursuing the passage of his progressive New Freedom domestic agenda.

Woodrow wanted to seek a 3rd term in office but was incapacitated by a severe stroke. His administration was heavily criticized for supporting racial segregation.

6. Sandra Bullock – Actress

Photo by Angela George – Wikimedia

Sandra Annette Bullock has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Critics’ Choice Movie Awards.

Between 2010 and 2014, Sandra was said to be the world’s highest-paid actress.

She made her acting debut in 1987 in a minor role in the thriller Hangmen. The role got attention and she was given other supporting roles in films.

Her great breakthrough happened in 1994 when she featured in the action thriller Speed.  

For the better part of the 90s, she got several leading roles in romantic comedy films. Her most recent film was Bird Box (2018).

7. Gabby Douglas – Gymnast

Gabrielle Christina Victoria Douglas is a retired American artistic gymnast. She was the 2012 Olympic all-around champion as well as the 2015 World all-around silver medallist.

Gabby was a member of the fierce five that won gold in the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics.

This made her the first African-American to become the Olympic individual all-around champion. Additionally, she was the first U.S. gymnast to win gold in both the individual all-around and team competitions.

Her life story was featured in a biopic, The Gabby Douglas Story and in a reality television series, Douglas Family Gold.

Gabby has also written a book about her life as a gymnast.

8. Missy Elliott – Rapper

Photo by Romana Pierzga – Wikimedia

Missy Elliot started her music career in the 90s. she was part of an R&B girl group called Sista.

Missy later joined the Swing Mob Collective where she collaborated with Timbaland. She has worked with Aaliyah, 702, Total, and SWV.

In 1997, she launched her solo career with a debut album Supa Dupa Fly. Her single, sock it 2 me, was on the 20 top single.

On the other hand, the album debuted at no. 3 on the Billboard 200. This was the highest charting debut for a female rapper at the time.

Elliott has won four Grammy Awards and sold over 30 million records in the United States. She remains to be the best-selling female rapper in Nielsen Music history.

In 2021, she was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

9. Mama Dragun – Youtuber

Nikita Dragun was born in Belgium and attended high school in Virginia.

Dragun is a trans woman who came out when she was a teenager. She is a popular YouTuber who openly talks about her transition journey.

Nikita moved to Loa Angeles where she was accepted to the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. She graduated with a business degree.

Dragun owns a makeup brand that is made from vegan products and is cruelty-free.

10. Ella Fitzgerald – Jazz Singer

Photo by William P. Gottlieb – Wikimedia

Ella has been referred to as the First Lady of Song, Queen of Jazz, and Lady Ella.

Her tone is said to be pure, flawless diction, phrasing, timing, intonation and improvisational ability, especially in her scat singing.

She got into music as a teenager when she joined the Chick Webb Orchestra. They performed across the country.

In 1942, she pursued a solo career and was managed by Moe Gale and later by Norman Granz, who founded Verve Records.

Ella’s last public performance was in 1993 after 6 decades. During this time, she had won 14 Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Arts, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

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