Savannah was established in 1733 and was the first colonial and state capital of Georgia.[1] It is known as America's first planned city and attracts millions of visitors who enjoy the city's architecture and historic structures such as the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low (founder of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America), the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences (one of the South's first public museums), Mercer House, featured in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (which is set in Savannah), the First African Baptist Church (one of the oldest black Baptist congregations in the United States), Temple Mickve Israel (the third oldest synagogue in America), and the Central of Georgia Railway roundhouse complex (the oldest standing antebellum rail facility in America).[2] Today, Savannah's downtown area is one of the largest National Historic Landmark Districts in the United States (designated in 1966).
| Name | Notability | References |
|---|
| Taz Anderson | NFL tight end for the St. Louis Cardinals (1961–1964) and Atlanta Falcons (1966–1967) | [4] |
| George Atkinson | AFL and NFL safety and kick returner for the Oakland Raiders (1968–1977) and the Denver Broncos (1979); member of Raiders' Super Bowl XI championship team, AFL All-Star (1968, 1969) | [5] |
| Edwin Bailey | NFL guard for the Seattle Seahawks (1981–1991) | [6] |
| Solomon Brannan | AFL defensive back and running back for the Kansas City Chiefs (1965–1966) and New York Jets (1967); member of the Chiefs' 1966 AFL championship team | [7] |
| Leroy Brown | professional wrestler known by ring names "Leroy Brown," "Elijah Akeem," "Georgia Sweets," and "Muhammad Jabbar" | |
| Bucky Dent | MLB shortstop for the Chicago White Sox (1973–1976), New York Yankees (1977–1982), Texas Rangers (1982–1983), and Kansas City Royals (1984), and manager for the New York Yankees (1989–1990), 1978 World Series Most Valuable Player, MLB All-Star (1975, 1980, 1981), MLB World Series Champion (1977, 1978) | |
| Demarcus Dobbs | NFL defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers (2011–2014) and Seattle Seahawks (2014–2015) | |
| Pervis Ellison | NBA center for the Sacramento Kings (1989–1990), Washington Bullets (1990–1994), Boston Celtics (1994–2000) and Seattle SuperSonics (2000); nicknamed "Never Nervous Pervis"; led University of Louisville to national championship; named Most Outstanding Player as freshman | [8] |
| JaKeenan Gant | basketball player for Hapoel Be'er Sheva of the Israeli Basketball Premier League | |
| John Gant | MLB pitcher for the Atlanta Braves (2016), St. Louis Cardinals (2017–2021), and Minnesota Twins (2021) | |
| Cody Hall | MLB pitcher for the San Francisco Giants (2015), and Miami Marlins (2016) | |
| Cheryl Haworth | Olympic weightlifting medalist (bronze, 2000); 1998–2005 national champion; 2001 and 2002 junior world champion) | [9] |
| Percy Howard | NFL wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys (1975–1977) | [10] |
| Flau'jae Johnson | American rapper and college basketball player for the LSU Tigers of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). | |
| Aaron Jones | NFL running back for the Green Bay Packers (2017–present) | |
| Kevin Mawae | NFL center for the Seattle Seahawks (1994–1997), New York Jets (1998–2005), and Tennessee Titans (2006–2009) | [11] |
| Dustin McGowan | MLB pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays (2005–2008, 2011, 2013–2014), Philadelphia Phillies (2015), and Miami Marlins (2016–2017) | [12] |
| Jordan McRae | NBA, NBL, Liga ACB, CBA, LNB Pro A, and Israeli Basketball Premier League shooting guard for Melbourne United (2014–2015), Phoenix Suns (2016), Cleveland Cavaliers (2016–2017), Baskonia (2017–2018), Washington Wizards (2018–2020), Denver Nuggets (2020), Detroit Pistons (2020), Beijing Ducks (2020–2021), Metropolitans 92 (2021–2022), and Hapoel Tel Aviv (2022–present) | |
| Casey Mitchell | basketball player for Elitzur Ashkelon of the Israeli Basketball Premier League | [13] |
| Bobby Norfleet | NASCAR driver | |
| Terry Orr | NFL tight end for the Washington Redskins (1986–1990 and 1991–1993) and San Diego Chargers (1990) | [14] |
| Gerald Perry | MLB first baseman for the Atlanta Braves (1983–1989), Kansas City Royals (1990), and St. Louis Cardinals (1991–1995) and hitting coach for the Seattle Mariners (2000–2002), Pittsburgh Pirates (2003–2005), Oakland Athletics (2006, 2011), and Chicago Cubs (2007–2009) | [15] |
| Marty Pevey | MLB catcher for the Montreal Expos (1989), coach for the Toronto Blue Jays, manager for the Peoria Chiefs (2009), Iowa Cubs (2013), and catching coordinator for the Toronto Blue Jays minor leagues (2010–2012) | [16] |
| Alex Poythress | NBA, CBA, BSL, VTB United League, and Israeli Basketball Premier League power forward for the Philadelphia 76ers (2017), Indiana Pacers (2017–2018), Atlanta Hawks (2018–2019), Jilin Northeast Tigers (2019), Galatasaray (2019–2020), Zenit Saint Petersburg (2020–2022), and Maccabi Tel Aviv (2022–present) | |
| Andrew Provence | NFL defensive tackle for the Atlanta Falcons (1983–1987), Denver Broncos (1988–1989) | |
| Tim Quarterman | NBA, Liga Leumit, National Basketball League, CIBACOPA, and Macedonian League point guard for the Portland Trail Blazers (2016–2017), Houston Rockets (2018), Ironi Nahariya (2018), Super City Rangers (2019), Caballeros de Culiacán (2021–2022), and KK Feniks 2010 (2022–present) | |
| Josh Reddick | MLB outfielder for the Boston Red Sox (2009–2011), Oakland Athletics (2012–2016), Los Angeles Dodgers (2016), Houston Astros (2017–2020), and Arizona Diamondbacks (2021) | [17] |
| Eron Riley | wide receiver, National and Canadian Football Leagues; initially signed by Baltimore Ravens (2009–2010), then Carolina Panthers (2010), Denver Broncos (2010–2011), New York Jets (2011), and Saskatchewan Roughriders (2013–2014) | |
| Kenny Rogers | MLB pitcher for the Texas Rangers (1989–1995, 2000–2002, 2004–2005), New York Yankees (1996–1997), Oakland Athletics (1998–1999), New York Mets (1999), Minnesota Twins (2003), and Detroit Tigers (2006–2008) | |
| Gene Sauers | PGA Tour golfer, 2016 U.S. Senior Open champion | |
| Al Seeger | former International Boxing Association world super-bantamweight title holder | [18] |
| Jason Shiell | MLB pitcher for the San Diego Padres (2002), Boston Red Sox (2003), Atlanta Braves (2006) | [19] |
| Roy Simmons | NFL guard for the New York Giants (1979–1982) and Washington Redskins (1983) | [20] |
| Nolan Smith | NFL linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles (2023–present) | |
| Hollis Stacy | three-time U.S. Women's Open champion golfer (1977, 1978, and 1984) | [21] |
| Indiana Vassilev | Association football player in the English Premier League | [22] |
| J. B. Wendelken | MLB and NPB pitcher for the Oakland Athletics (2016, 2018–2021), Arizona Diamondbacks (2021–2022), and Yokohama DeNA BayStars (2023–present) | |
| Dusty Zeigler | | NFL center for the Buffalo Bills (1996–1999) and New York Giants (2000–2002) | [23] | |
| Name | Notability | References |
|---|
| Baroness | metal music band whose Red Album (2007) was named Album of the Year by heavy metal magazine Revolver | |
| Big Boi | rapper from Grammy Award-winning hip-hop music duo OutKast | |
| Camoflauge | rapper | |
| Mike Curb | Curb Records and Word Label Group executive; Lieutenant Governor of California (1979–1983) | |
| Stephanie Edwards | 11th-place finalist on American Idol, season 6 | |
| Kylesa | metal music band | |
| DJ Lord | music turntablist currently with hip hop group Public Enemy | |
| Kate McTell | blues musician; former wife of blues musician Blind Willie McTell | |
| Johnny Mercer | composer of more than 1,000 songs; received 19 Academy Award nominations; wrote music for Broadway shows; singer; co-founded Capitol Records | |
| James Moody | jazz musician (saxophone, flute), composer, actor known for his song "Moody's Mood for Love" | |
| Nivea | R&B singer | |
| James Lord Pierpont | songwriter of Jingle Bells; uncle of J.P. Morgan | |
| Ben Riley | hard bop drummer who worked with artists including Thelonious Monk and Stan Getz | |
| Sahib Shihab | jazz saxophonist and flautist who performed with Thelonious Monk, Art Blakey Dizzy Gillespie, and Quincy Jones | |
| Showbread | Christian post-hardcore alternative rock band | |
| Squad 5-O | Christian ska-punk | |
| David Sanchez | lead guitarist and vocalist in the thrash metal band Havok |
| Tom Turpin | composer credited with the first published ragtime by an African-American ("Harlem Rag", 1897) | |
| Jared Wade | country music singer-songwriter | [34] |
| Trummy Young | swing-era trumbonist who performed with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Jazz at the Philharmonic, and Louis Armstrong All-Stars | | |
| Name | Notability | References |
|---|
| Francis S. Bartow | Confederate States of America political leader, and military officer during the early months of the American Civil War | [35] |
| Joseph Bryan | U.S. Representative from Georgia who served in the 8th and 9th U.S. Congresses (from 1803 until his resignation in 1806) | [36] |
| William Bellinger Bulloch | Senator from Georgia appointed as a Democratic Republican to the United States Senate who served from April 8, 1813, until November 6, 1813 | [37] |
| Robert M. Charlton | U.S. Senator representing Georgia from 1852 to 1853 | [38] |
| Alfred Cuthbert | U.S. Representative (the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Congress, 1813–1816) and Senator (Seventeenth, Eighteenth, and Nineteenth Congresses, from 1821 to 1827) | [39] |
| Samuel Elbert | Governor of the State of Georgia (1785–1786) | [40] [41] [42] |
| Ion Farris | Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives (1909 and 1913) and member of Florida Senate | [43] |
| John C. Frémont | first U.S. Republican Party candidate for President of the United States; 1864 candidate of the Radical Republicans) | [44] |
| Joseph Habersham | delegate to the Congress of the Confederation (1785); member of the convention which ratified the U.S. Constitution (1788); 3rd Postmaster General of the United States (1795–1801) | [45] |
| F. Ross Holland, Jr. | National Park Service historian noted for his books on lighthouses | [46] |
| William Houstoun | delegate to the Continental Congress and to the United States Constitutional Convention (1787) | [47] |
| Bob Inglis | twice elected to represent South Carolina's 4th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives | [48] |
| Otis Johnson | former mayor of Savannah, Georgia, first elected in 2004 | [49] |
| George Jones | U.S. Senator serving from August 27, 1807, to November 7, 1807 | [50] |
| Edward Langworthy | delegate to the Continental Congress from Georgia and signature to the U.S. Articles of Confederation | [51] |
| John Milledge | elected to Second Congress (1792-1793) and Fourth and Fifth Congresses (1795-1799); again elected (1801 until he resigned in May 1802 to become Governor of Georgia); U.S. Senate in 10th U.S. Congress as the President pro tempore of the Senate (1806-1809) | [52] |
| Al Scott | appointed to serve as Georgia Labor Commissioner (1991-1992); first African American constitutional officer in Georgia history; chair of the Chatham County Commissioners | [53] |
| Dennis Smelt | U.S. Representative to the 9th, 10th and 11th United States Congresses (1806-1811) | [54] |
| Josiah Tattnall | U.S. Senator (1796-1799) and Georgia governor (1801-1802) | [55] |
| Thomas Telfair | elected to the 13th and 14th United States Congresses (1813-1817) | [56] |
| Raphael Warnock | Democratic Senator of Georgia, elected to serve during the 117th United States Congress (2021–present) | [57] | |
| Name | Notability | References |
|---|
| Conrad Aiken | Pulitzer Prize for Poetry recipient for Selected Poems (1930) | [60] |
| Henry Coppée | author, educator, first president of Lehigh University | [61] |
| Charles Elmore | African American scholar, jazz historian, and educator | [62] |
| Bruce Feiler | journalist; formulated Feiler Faster Thesis; produced TV mini-series Abraham: A Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths | |
| Chris Fuhrman | author of The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys | |
| Anne Green | novelist, memoirist, translator; sister of Julien Green | [63] |
| Al Jaffee | writer and cartoonist for Timely Comics, Atlas Comics, and Mad Magazine | [64] |
| James Alan McPherson | writer and essayist, awarded 1978 Pulitzer Prize for fiction for short story collection Elbow Room | [65] |
| Ward Morehouse | theater critic and newspaper columnist for Atlanta Journal, New York Tribune, New York Herald Tribune New York Sun | |
| Sharlotte Neely | writer, anthropologist, author of Snowbird Cherokees |
| Flannery O'Connor | | [66] |
| Charles Perry | author of Portrait of a Young Man Drowning, made into film Six Ways to Sunday | |
| Sally Quinn | author, reporter for Washington Post, co-anchor of CBS Morning News with reporter Hughes Rudd (August 6, 1973 - February 1, 1974)[67] | |
| Mary Schmich | columnist for Chicago Tribune; author of Wear Sunscreen; writer of Brenda Starr, Reporter comic strip | [68] |
| Frank Lebby Stanton | lyricist, columnist for Atlanta Constitution, author of words for "Just Awearyin' for You" | | |
| Name | Notability | References |
|---|
| Georgia Benton | school teacher known for becoming the first African-American member of the Georgia division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy | [69] |
| Steve Charnovitz | law professor best known as scholar on international trade law | [70] |
| Curtis Cooper | civil rights leader, served as president of Savannah Chapter of NAACP | [71] |
| Ralph Mark Gilbert | civil rights leader; as president of Savannah Chapter of NAACP, helped initiate hiring of Savannah's first African-American police officers with other black city employees (one of first cities in South to do so) | [72] |
| William Gardner Hale | classical scholar best known as an original teacher on questions of syntax | [73] |
| Estelle Brown Hamilton | entrepreneur, owned a beauty school in Harlem in the 1910s and 1920s | [74] |
| Brittany Hatch | contestant on America's Next Top Model, season 8 | [75] |
| W. W. Law | civil rights leader; influential in establishment of Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum, King-Tisdell Cottage Museum, Beach Institute of African American Culture, and Negro Heritage Trail Tour | [76] |
| Jack Leigh | photographer best known for the "Bird Girl" statue photograph on the cover of the non-fiction book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil | |
| Juliette Gordon Low | founder of Girl Scouts of the USA | [77] |
| E. Coppée Mitchell (1836-1887) | Professor and Dean of the University of Pennsylvania Law School |
| William Pleasant, Jr. | Painter and activist | |
| Sonny Seiler | owner of the University of Georgia mascot Uga and featured in the film Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, directed by Clint Eastwood | |
| Kirk Varnedoe | art historian and curator of painting and sculpture at the New York City Museum of Modern Art | |
| Akintunde Warnock | comedian | |
| Frank Wills | security guard at Watergate break-in | |
| Ellen Axson Wilson | first wife of Woodrow Wilson and First Lady of the United States from 1913 until her death | [78] |
| Rufus Youngblood | bodyguard to Lyndon B. Johnson at the assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas; resided in later years and died in Savannah | [79] |
| Iain Armitage | plays Sheldon Cooper on CBS's tv show Young Sheldon | | |
