List of people from Arkansas

This is a list of notable people from Arkansas. Individuals on this list are either native-born Arkansans or emigrants who moved to Arkansas as their permanent home.

State flag of Arkansas
Location of Arkansas on the U.S. map

Actors

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Bronco Billy Anderson
 
Alan Ladd
 
Mary Steenburgen
 
Billy Bob Thornton

Artists

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Authors

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Helen Gurley Brown
 
John Grisham

Businesspeople

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Jerry Jones
 
Sam Walton

Military figures

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Douglas MacArthur

Musicians

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Kris Allen
 
Glen Campbell
 
Johnny Cash
 
Al Green
 
Louis Jordan

Political figures

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A–B
C–D
 
Bill Clinton
E–G
 
Orval Faubus
  • Lance Eads (born 1968), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for Washington County since 2015; unseated Randy Alexander in 2014 Republican primary
  • Les Eaves (born 1967), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for White County since 2015
  • Joycelyn Elders (born 1933), former Surgeon General of the United States
  • Jane English (born 1940), member of the Arkansas State Senate from North Little Rock since 2013; former member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
  • Jon Eubanks (born 1951), state representative for Logan County since 2011
  • Joe Farrer (born 1962), state representative from Lonoke County
  • Orval Eugene Faubus (1910–1994), governor 1955–1967
  • Jake Files (born 1972), state senator from Fort Smith since 2011
  • Charlene Fite (born 1950), Republican state representative for Crawford County since 2013
  • Lanny Fite (born c. 1949), Republican state representative for Saline County since 2015, former county judge
  • Scott Flippo (born 1980), state senator from Baxter, Boone, and Marion Counties; businessman in Bull Shoals
  • Stephanie Flowers (born 1953), state senator from Pine Bluff and former state representative; attorney
  • Vivian Flowers (born c. 1969), state representative from Pine Bluff
  • Clay Ford (1938–2013), member of both the Arkansas and Florida House of Representatives
  • Vince Foster (1945–1993), Presidential aide
  • Woody Freeman (born 1946), businessman and 1984 Republican gubernatorial nominee
  • J. William Fulbright (1905–1995), U.S. Senator
  • Augustus H. Garland (1832–1899), U.S. Attorney General
  • Jeremy Gillam (born 1976), Republican state representative from Lonoke County
  • John W. Grabiel (1867–1928), Republican gubernatorial nominee in 1922 and 1924
  • Michael John Gray (born 1976), Democratic member of the Arkansas House for Independence, Jackson, White, and Woodruff counties since 2015
  • Michelle Gray (born 1976), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representative for Independence, Izard, Sharp, and Stone counties since 2015
  • Kenny Guinn (1936–2010), Governor of Nevada 1999 to 2007; Arkansas native
H–K
 
Mike Huckabee
L–M
  • Jack Ladyman (born 1947), mechanical engineer and Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for Craighead County since 2015
  • Benjamin Travis Laney (1896–1977), governor
  • Andrea Lea (born 1957), Arkansas State Auditor 2015 – 2023; Republican former member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for Pope County
  • Tim Lemons (born c. 1962), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for District 43 in Lonoke County
  • Kelley Linck (born 1963), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for Marion County
  • Blanche Lincoln (born 1960), former U.S. Senator and former U.S. Representative
  • Marilyn Lloyd (1929–2018), former U.S. Representative from Tennessee
  • A. Lynn Lowe (1936–2010), former Arkansas Republican state chairman and unsuccessful nominee for U.S. House of Representatives (1966) and governor (1978)
  • Mark Lowery (1957–2023), member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Pulaski County since 2013
  • Robin Lundstrum (born c. 1962), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for Benton and Washington counties since 2015
  • Mark R. Martin (born 1968), Secretary of State of Arkansas
  • John L. McClellan (1896–1977), Chairman Senate Appropriations Committee
  • Mark McElroy (born 1956), Democratic member of the Arkansas House of Representative for Desha, Chicot and Ashley counties since 2013
  • Sid McMath (1912–2003), former Arkansas Governor, trial lawyer, and Marine Corps General
  • Stephen Meeks (born 1970), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Faulkner County; brother of David Meeks
  • Gary Miller (born 1948), U.S. Representative from California
  • Joshua D. "Josh" Miller (born 1981), member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Heber Springs
  • Wilbur Daigh Mills (1909–1992), chairman of United States House Ways and Means Committee
  • Isaac Murphy (1799–1882), Governor of Arkansas
N–R
  • Micah Neal (born 1974), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Springdale
  • Milton Nicks (born 1950), state representative for Crittenden and Cross counties since 2015; Baptist pastor in Earle, resident of Marion, Arkansas
  • George E. Nowotny (born 1932), state representative from Sebastian County 1967–1972
  • Isaac Parker (1838–1896), "Hanging Judge" of Fort Smith
  • Danny L. Patrick (1941–2009), Republican state representative from Madison and Carroll counties 1967–1970
  • Rebecca Petty (born c. 1970), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for Benton County; advocate of child crime victims, resident of Rogers
  • Mathew Pitsch (born 1963), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Fort Smith since 2015
  • Carolyn Pollan (1937–2021), state representative from Sebastian County 1975–1999
  • David Pryor (1934–2024), US Senator, governor, US representative; founding dean of the Clinton School of Public Service
  • Mark Pryor (born 1963), U.S. Senator; son of David Pryor
  • Jim Ranchino (1936–1978), political scientist, consultant, and pollster
  • Donald A. Quarles, Deputy Secretary of Defense and communications engineer
  • Terry Rice (born 1954), Republican member of the Arkansas Senate, former member of the Arkansas House of Representatives; businessman and rancher in Waldron
  • Jacqueline Roberts (born 1944), former state legislator
  • Joseph T. Robinson (1872–1937), senate majority leader and vice presidential candidate
  • Tommy F. Robinson (1942–2024), sheriff, US representative
  • Winthrop Rockefeller (1912–1973), Governor of Arkansas
  • Winthrop Paul Rockefeller (1948–2006), lieutenant governor
  • Mike Ross (born 1961), U.S. Representative 2001–2013; unsuccessful Democratic gubernatorial nominee in 2014
  • Laurie Rushing (born 1968), member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for Garland and Hot Spring counties since 2015; real estate broker in Hot Springs
  • J. T. Rutherford (1921–2006), U.S. Representative from Texas
S–Z
  • William H. "Bill" Sample (born 1946), member of both houses of the Arkansas General Assembly from Hot Springs since 2005
  • David J. Sanders (born 1975), Arkansas state senator from Pulaski County; former member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
  • Sarah Huckabee Sanders (born 1982), White House Press Secretary
  • Max Sandlin (born 1952), U.S. Representative from Texas
  • William S. Sessions (1930–2020), FBI Director
  • Ambrose H. Sevier (1801–1848), US Senator, "father of Arkansas statehood"
  • Lottie Shackelford (born 1941), Democratic National Committee Vice Chair
  • Jim Sheets (1931–2020), state representative 1967–1968; first Republican to represent Benton County in legislature in the 20th century
  • Mary Lou Slinkard (born 1943), state representative from Benton County since 2009
  • Brandt Smith (born 1959), state representative since 2015 for Craighead County; former Southern Baptist missionary
  • John W. Snyder (1895–1985), U.S. Treasury Secretary
  • Vic Snyder (born 1947), US Representative 1997–2011
  • William L. Spicer (1918–1991), chairman of the Arkansas Republican Party 1962–1964; intraparty rival of Winthrop Rockefeller
  • Greg Standridge (1967–2017), Arkansas state senator for Newton, Pope, Boone, Carroll, and Van Buren counties since 2015; insurance agent in Russellville
  • Gary Stubblefield (born 1951), Arkansas state senator from Franklin County
  • James Sturch (born 1990), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for Independence County since 2015
  • Dan A. Sullivan (born 1950), Arkansas state representative for Craighead and Greene counties since 2015
  • Dwight Tosh (born 1948), state representative since 2015 from Jonesboro; retired state police officer
  • Wallace Townsend (1882–1979), attorney and Republican politician
  • DeAnn Vaught (born 1970), farmer and member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for Sevier County
  • Dave Wallace (born 1948), member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Mississippi and Poinsett counties since 2015; decorated Vietnam War veteran
  • Wes Watkins (born 1938), U.S. Representative from Oklahoma
  • Bruce Westerman (born 1967), majority leader of the Arkansas House
  • Frank Durward White (1933–2003), governor 1981–1983
  • Eddie Joe Williams (born 1954), state senator and former mayor
  • James Lee Witt (born 1944), former FEMA Director
  • Judy Petty Wolf (born 1943), former state representative
  • Richard Womack (born 1974), state representative from Arkadelphia
  • Shawn Womack (born 1972), judge of the Arkansas 14th Judicial District; Republican former member of both houses of the Arkansas legislature from Baxter County
  • Jon Woods (born 1977), state senator
  • James Word (born c. 1953), Democratic former member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for Jefferson and Lincoln counties
  • Marshall Wright (born 1976), Democratic member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for Monroe, St. Francis, Woodruff, and Lee counties since 2011

Scientists and physicians

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Social figures

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Sportspeople

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Lou Brock
 
Bear Bryant
 
John Daly
 
Dizzy Dean
 
Derek Fisher
 
Don Hutson
 
George Kell
 
Scottie Pippen
 
Brooks Robinson
 
Keena Rothhammer
 
DeAngelo Williams

Other Arkansans

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Donnie Copeland". arkansashouse.org. Archived from the original on May 9, 2016. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
  2. ^ "Moses Tran Clegg". The New York Times. September 5, 1918. p. 11. Retrieved February 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.