1. Activists

2. Actors and entertainers

3. Businesspeople

4. Journalists

5. Musicians

6. Politicians

7. Athletes

8. Writers

9. Others

10. See also

11. References

This is a list of notable persons who were born in and/or have lived in the American city of Monroe, Louisiana.

For a list of people who have studied at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, see List of University of Louisiana at Monroe alumni.

Activists

• Huey P. Newton, Black Panthers founder

Actors and entertainers

• Clay Jordan, contestant on Survivor Thailand
• Valerie Mason, September 2008 Playboy Playmate
• Mantan Moreland, actor and comic of the 1930s and 1940s
• Jesse Pearson, actor and screenwriter; died in Monroe in 1979
• Parker Posey, film actress
• Monti Sharp, film and soap opera actor
• Susan Ward, film and soap opera actress

Businesspeople

• Edmund Graves Brown (1921–2008), executive of the Monroe News Star, 1952–1977; member of the Ewing newspaper family
• Kitty DeGree (1922–2012), real estate developer and philanthropist
• Grady A. Dugas (1923–2007), inventor of Safer Automatic Wheelchair Wheel Locks
• Robert Ewing III (1935–2007), Monroe newspaper executive and photographer
• Lloyd E. Lenard (1922–2008), author; advertising manager of KNOE Radio;later in the insurance business in Shreveport; former Caddo Parish commissioner
• Sol Rosenberg (1926–2009), steel industrialist; philanthropist; Holocaust survivor
• Collett E. Woolman (1889–1966), an original director and founder of Delta Air Service

Journalists

• Keith Babb, KNOE-TV personality prior to 1971; chief national auctioneer of American Quarter Horses
• Moon Griffon, statewide radio talk show host, formerly based in Monroe, now Lafayette
• Frank McGee, television journalist
• John Travis Nixon, journalist and publisher of Monroe News-Star in early 1890s; later published what became the Crowley Post Signal in Crowley, Louisiana^[1]
• Dale Thorn, journalist, Louisiana State University professor, and press secretary to Governor Edwin Edwards, graduated in 1960 from Ouachita Parish High School^[2]

Musicians

• Fred Anderson, jazz saxophonist and club owner
• Hamid Drake, jazz drummer and percussionist
• Doug Duffey, singer, songwriter, pianist, bandleader, music arranger, record producer, music publisher, poet, diarist, photographer and visual artist
• Carl Fontana, jazz trombonist
• Kevin Griffin, lead singer of Better Than Ezra
• Andy Griggs, country music singer
• Ivory Joe Hunter, rhythm and blues musician^[3]{{rp|293}}
• Rickey Minor, music director, composer, music producer, and music director and bandleader for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
• Webb Pierce, country musician^[3]{{rp|274}}
• Frank Ticheli, composer, conductor, Professor of Music at University of Southern California
• Leon "Pee Wee" Whittaker, trombonist who played with the Rabbit's Foot Minstrels from Monroe, 1935–1950

Politicians

• Edwards Barham, former member of the Louisiana State Senate from Morehouse Parish
• Robert J. Barham, director of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission; former state senator from Morehouse Parish
• William R. Boles, Sr. (1927–2008), attorney and former Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate
• William Denis Brown, III (1931–2012), attorney, businessman, and state senator, floor leader in first term of Governor Edwin Washington Edwards^[4]
• William Derwood Cann, Jr. (1919–2010), World War II lieutenant colonel; interim mayor of Monroe 1978–1979^[5]
• Marcus R. Clark (born 1956), associate justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court; former district court judge
• Donnie Copeland (born 1961), Pentecostal pastor in North Little Rock, Arkansas, and Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives, 2015 to 2017, born in Monroe^[6]
• James L. Dennis (born 1936), Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• Jimmy Dimos, former Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives and retired judge
• Ken Duncan, Louisiana state treasurer 1996–2000; reared in Monroe in the early 1960s^[7]
• John C. Ensminger (born 1934), Monroe businessman, state representative (1972–1991) and state senator (1991–1992) from Ouachita Parish
• Chris Faser, Jr. (1917–2004), member of both the Mississippi House of Representatives and the Louisiana House of Representatives from East Baton Rouge Parish; confidant to Governor Jimmie Davis; born and reared in Monroe^[8]
• William C. Feazel (1895–1965), interim U.S. Senator in 1948; member of the Louisiana House of Representatives 1932–1936; father-in-law of Shady R. Wall
• Lee Fletcher (1966–2009), Republican political consultant
• H. Lawrence Gibbs (1919–1993), member of both houses of the Louisiana Legislature
• Jennifer Sneed Heebe (born 1966), former state representative for Jefferson Parish; former member of the Jefferson Parish Council; former television reporter in Monroe^[9]
• W. L. "Jack" Howard (1911–1994), former mayor of Monroe and owner with his brother, Alton Hardy Howard of the former Howard Brothers Discount Stores
• John S. Hunt II (1928–2001), Monroe attorney and former member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission
• Marcus Hunter (born 1979), member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 17 in Ouachita Parish
• Neal Lane "Lanny" Johnson (born 1940), former Ouachita Parish school superintendent; member of the Louisiana House, 1976–1980 from Franklin and Tensas parishes; first All-American in basketball at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, then NLSC
• Gary Lee Jones (born 1946), member of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, effective January 2016; educator in Monroe 1971–1999
• Kay Katz, former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives; former Republican National Committeewoman from Louisiana
• Robert Kostelka, Republican state senator and former judge
• W. Burch Lee (1883–1938), state representative for Webster Parish, 1914–1916; clerk of the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana in Shreveport, 1918–1933; born in Farmerville, reared in Monroe^[10]
• Sam Little, Republican former state representative from Morehouse Parish and portions of Ouachita, West Carroll, and East Carroll parishes
• Jamie Mayo, Democratic mayor of Monroe since 2001
• Vance McAllister, businessman and U.S. representative elected in Louisiana's 5th congressional district special election, 2013
• Newt V. Mills, U.S. representative from Louisiana's 5th congressional district 1937–1943; resided in Monroe
• Jay Morris, state representative from Ouachita and Morehouse parishes, 2012–
• J. Kelly Nix, Louisiana superintendent of education, 1976–1984; attended the University of Louisiana at Monroe; resided in Monroe c. 1965–1972
• James A. Noe, short-term governor of Louisiana in 1936; founder of WNOE and KNOE radio and TV stations
• Abe E. Pierce, III (born 1934), mayor of Monroe 1996–2000, first African American in the position; Ouachita Parish educator
• Robert E. Powell (1923–1997), mayor of Monroe 1979–1996
• Melvin Rambin (1941–2001), mayor of Monroe 2000–2001, only Republican in the position since Reconstruction; banker in Baton Rouge and Monroe; interred in Baton Rouge
• James St. Raymond - businessman and former state representative in Orleans Parish; former resident of Monroe^[11]
• Frank Spooner, oil and natural gas producer and Republican politician, moved to Monroe in 1967^[12]
• Lawson Swearingen, former Louisiana state senator and president of ULM
• Jeff R. Thompson, former insurance agent in Monroe; state representative from Bossier Parish; incoming 26th Judicial District Court judge
• Chet D. Traylor, Associate justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court, 1997–2009; Republican primary candidate for U.S. Senate, 2010
• Ralph T. Troy (1935–2014), mayor of Monroe 1972–1976
• Shady R. Wall (1922–1985), state representative 1948–1956 and 1968–1984
• Mike Walsworth, Louisiana state senator from Ouachita and Morehouse parishes
• J. Robert Wooley (born 1953), Louisiana Commissioner of Insurance, 2000–2006; spent his high school and college years in Monroe^[13]
• Aubrey W. Young (1922–2010), drug and alcohol abuse coordinator within the Department of Health and Hospitals, 1965–1999; aide-de-camp to Governor John McKeithen

Athletes

• Brian Bateman, PGA golfer, 2007 Buick Open winner^[14]
• Benoit Benjamin, NBA center for the Cleveland Cavaliers^[15]
• Bubby Brister, Denver Broncos quarterback^[16]
• Jimmy Childress, Neville High School and Ruston High School state championship football coach^[17]
• John David Crow, late coach of the ULM Warhawks; professional football player
• LaceDarius Dunn, basketball guard with Bnei HaSharon in Israel^[18]
• Billy Joe Dupree, tight end for the Dallas Cowboys^[19]
• Lenny Fant, Northeast Louisiana, basketball coach, 1957–1979, first NLU coach to win 300 games^[20]
• Chuck Finley, MLB All-Star pitcher, California Angels, Cleveland Indians and St. Louis Cardinals; ex-spouse of Tawny Kitaen^[21]
• Ralph Garr, All-Star MLB outfielder^[22]
• Larry Gordon, football player
• James Harris, NFL quarterback
• Gerrod Henderson, basketball player for the Anwil Włocławek 2007–09
• Tyree Hollins, football player
• Cardia Jackson, Louisiana–Monroe Warhawk and Green Bay Packers linebacker
• Bradie James, LSU and Dallas Cowboys linebacker^[23]
• Arnold R. Kilpatrick, ULM basketball coach, 1950s; president of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches 1966–1978
• Shawn King, ULM/LSU and Carolina Panthers defensive end^[24]
• Lynn McGlothen, MLB pitcher
• Paul Millsap, power forward for Louisiana Tech University and the Atlanta Hawks^[25]
• Rudy Niswanger, LSU and Kansas City Chiefs center^[26]
• Joe Profit, Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints running back^[27]
• Cassidy Riley, professional wrestler, WWE TNA
• Phil Robertson, quarterback for Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
• Johnny Robinson, LSU and Kansas City Chiefs safety
• Bill Russell, NBA center for the Boston Celtics), Basketball Hall of Famer
• Ben Sheets, MLB All-Star Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics and Atlanta Braves pitcher; played at NLU, now ULM^[28]
• Don Shows, football coach ULM, NSU, Ouachita Parish High School, West Monroe High School
• Sammy White, football player, GSU and Offensive Rookie of Year receiver for Minnesota Vikings
• Andrew Whitworth, LSU and Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle
• Jonathan Wilhite, Auburn and New England Patriots cornerback
• Aeneas Williams, St. Louis Rams free safety
• Pat Williams, NFL defensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings
• Ralph Williams, gridiron football player
• Larry Wright, GSU and NBA guard for the Washington Bullets

Writers

• Harry W. Addison, writer and humorist
• Henry E. Chambers, Louisiana historian; resided in Monroe, 1894–1896^[29]
• Dixon Hearne, writer and poet
• Speed Lamkin, novelist and playwright
• William Y. Thompson, retired historian from Louisiana Tech University

Others

• Guy Banister, career employee of the FBI and private investigator; alleged co-conspirator in assassination of John F. Kennedy
• C. E. Byrd, educator; resided in Monroe 1889–1892; founded C.E. Byrd High School in Shreveport
• James E. Cofer, president of the University of Louisiana at Monroe 2002–2010
• W. C. Friley, Baptist clergyman; second president of Louisiana College; pastor in Monroe in the early 1880s
• Rowena Spencer, MD; first female pediatric surgeon
• Richard Stalder, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections 1992–2008; former superintendent at Louisiana Training Institute in Monroe^[30]
• Marc Swayze, comic book writer and illustrator
• Emily H. Vokes, malacologist and Tulane University professor
• George T. Walker, president of the University of Louisiana at Monroe 1958–1976

See also

References

• Ahmadinejad
• Ahmadinezhad
• Ahmadis
• Ahmadiya
• Ahmadiyah
• Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat-i-Islam
• Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha'at Islam
• Ahmadiyya Caliphate
• Ahmadiyya Community
• Ahmadiyya Muslim Association
• Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
• Ahmadiyyat
• Ahmad Jamal
• Ahmad Jannati
• Ahmad Kaddour
• Ahmad Kadyrov
• Ahmad Kamal Faridi
• Ahmad Kasravi
• Ahmad Khalafan Ghilani
• Ahmad Khorram
• Ahmad Merritt
• Ahmad Mirza Qajar
• Ahmad Motamedi
• Ahmad Muhammad Numan
• Ahmad Muhammad Shakir