List of people from the United States Virgin Islands
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of prominent people who were born in, lived in, or are otherwise closely associated with the United States Virgin Islands (which are composed of the islands of St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas). This list does not include people from the British Virgin Islands. The list covers notable individuals who have garnered international recognition in artistic, cultural, economic, historical, notorious, and political arenas.
Actors and filmmakers
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- Lisa Canning (born 1966), television actress from St. Thomas.[1]
- Omari K. Chancellor, actor born and raised in St. Croix.[2]
- Lilibet Foster, filmmaker raised in St. Thomas.[3]
- Kelsey Grammer (born 1955), actor, born in St. Thomas.[4]
- Janelle James (born 1979), actor, born in St. Thomas.[5]
- Jasmin St. Claire (born 1970), adult film actress, born in St. Croix.[6]
Artists
- La Vaughn Belle (born 1974), artist from St. Thomas.[7]
- Peter Bentzon (1783-1850), silversmith from St. Croix.[8]
- Urania P. Cummings (1899-1978), artist born in St. Thomas.[9]
- Austin Hansen (1910-1996), photographer born in St. Thomas.[10]
- Christine Jowers, dancer and dance critic raised in St. Thomas.[11]
- Fraser Kershaw, philanthropist, film artist from St. Croix.[12]
- Fritz Melbye (1826–1869), marine painter; born in Denmark, lived and painted in the Danish West Indies.[13]
- Ademola Olugebefola (b. 1941), multidisciplinary artist from St. Thomas.[14]
- Camille Pissarro (1830–1903), artist, French Impressionist painter from St. Thomas.[8]
Athletes
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- Raja Bell (born 1976), former professional basketball player born in St. Croix.[15]
- Tombi Bell (born 1979), former professional basketball player born in St. Croix.[16]
- Aliyah Boston (born 2001), professional basketball player, born in St. Thomas.[17]
- Livingstone Bramble (1960–2025), former professional boxing champion; born on St. Kitts & Nevis, raised on St. Croix.[18]
- Jerry Browne (born 1966), professional baseball player from St. Croix.[19]
- Joe Christopher (1935–2023), first baseball player born in the territory to play in Major League Baseball.[20]
- Horace Clarke (1940–2020), professional baseball player, born in Frederiksted, St. Croix.[21]
- Callix Crabbe (born 1983), Major League Baseball Player born in St. Thomas.[22]
- Midre Cummings (born 1971), professional baseball player, born in Christiansted.[23]
- Tim Duncan (born 1976), former professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs, born in St. Croix.[24]
- Emile Griffith (1938–2013), professional boxing champion, born in Solberg.[25]
- Elrod Hendricks (1940–2005), professional baseball player and coach, born in Charlotte Amalie.[26]
- Peter Holmberg (born 1960), Olympic sailor; as of 2016, the first member of the USVI Olympic Team to win an Olympic medal.[27]
- John Jackson (born 1989), former Olympic boxer from the Virgin Islands, convicted on various charges.[28]
- Julian Jackson (born 1960), former professional boxing champion, born in St. Thomas.[29]
- Julius Jackson (born 1987), professional boxer, born in St. Thomas.[30]
- LaVerne Jones-Ferrette (born 1981), professional sprinter and Olympian from the Virgin Islands.[31]
- Milt Newton (born 1965), former professional basketball player; administrator for multiple NBA teams, born in St. Thomas.[32]
- Calvin Pickering (born 1976), professional baseball player born in St. Thomas.[33]
- "Sugar" Ray Seales (born 1952), the only American boxer to win gold in the 1972 Summer Olympics, born in St. Croix.[34][35]
- Valmy Thomas (1925-2010), first man from the Virgin Islands to play in the Major Leagues, from St. Croix.[36]
Educators
- Pamela Balash-Webber (1953-2020), diving instructor and ocean conservationist from St. Thomas.[37]
- Barbara Christian (1943–2000), educator and writer from St. Thomas.[38]
- Olasee Davis, educator born in St. Thomas and working in St. Croix.[39]
- Orville E. Kean (1938 - 2025), mathematician and educator who served as president of the University of the Virgin Islands.[40]
- Alonzo G. Morón (1909 - 1971), educator and first Black president of Hampton Institute, born in St. Thomas.[41]
- Jelani Nelson (b. 1984), American professor from St. Thomas.[42]
- LaVerne E. Ragster (b. 1951), marine biologist and former president of the University of the Virgin Islands.[43]
- Malik Sekou (b. 1964), professor at the University of the Virgin Islands.[44]
- Edith L. Williams (1887-1987), educator and suffragist in St. Thomas.[45]
Entrepreneurs
- Sosthenes Behn (1882–1957), founder of the Puerto Rico Telephone Company and ITT Corporation, born in the Virgin Islands.[46]
- Stede Bonnet (1688 - 1718), buccaneer, active in the Virgin Islands.[47]
- Edith Bornn (1922-2010) first woman to have a private law practice in St. Thomas.[48]
- Ella Gifft (1882-1964), suffragist and entrepreneur in St. Thomas.[45]
- Jean Hamlin (died 1696), buccaneer active in the Virgin Islands.[47]
- Casper Holstein (1877-1944), numbers racketeer and philanthropist born in Christiansted.[49][50]
- William Kidd (c. 1645 – 1701), buccaneer, active in the Virgin Islands.[47]
- Henry L. Kimelman (1921 - 2009), entrepreneur in the Virgin Islands and former ambassador.[51]
- William Leidesdorff, (1810–1848), entrepreneur, born in St. Croix.[8][52]
- Tempest Rogers (1672 or 1675–1704), buccaneer, active in the Virgin Islands.[47]
- Bartholomew Sharp, (c. 1650–1702), buccaneer, active in the Virgin Islands.[47]
Historians
- Arturo Alfonso Schomburg (1874–1938), historian, writer, activist, namesake of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture; born in Puerto Rico to a mother from St. Croix, attended school on St. Thomas.[53]
Medical professionals
- Ianthe Blyden (1899–1984), president of the Virgin Island Nurses' Association.[54]
- Sascha James-Conterelli, nurse-midwife from St. Croix.[55]
- Marcella Nunez-Smith, physician and scientist originally from the Virgin Islands.[56]
- Albert Heinrich Riise (1810–1882), often referred to as A. H. Riise, was a Danish pharmacist and Rum manufacturer from St. Thomas in the Danish West Indies.[57]
- Myrah Keating Smith (1908–1994), the only health provider on St. John for two decades.[58]
Models
- Hannah Jeter (born 1990), Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue model; born and raised on St. Thomas.[59]
Musicians
Reuben Rogers in 2006. - Bennie Benjamin (1907–1989), composer, born in Christiansted, St. Croix.[61]
- Delyno Brown (born 1981), reggae artist from St. Thomas.[62]
- Charles Emanuel (1891-1979), educator, musician, composer, and community activist
- Vanessa Daou (born 1967), international singer-songwriter, dancer, writer, poet, grew up in the Virgin Islands.[63]
- Jon Lucien (1942–2007), vocalist and musician; born on the island of Tortola and raised on Saint Thomas.[64]
- Rich Nice, rapper from St. John.[65]
- Rock City, musical duo also known as R. City, from the Virgin Islands.[66]
- Reuben Rogers (b. 1974), jazz musician from the Virgin Islands.[67]
- Rashawn Ross, (born 1979), trumpeter, arranger, session musician and a member of the Dave Matthews Band. Born in St Thomas.[68]
- Theron Thomas (born 1982), member of musical duo Rock City
Political leaders
- Archie Alexander (1888–1958), mathematician, engineer, former Governor of the Virgin Islands.[69]
- Judah P. Benjamin (1811–1884), first Jewish U.S. Senator; Secretary of State, Confederate States of America, born in St. Croix.[70]
- Lorraine Berry (1949-2010), legislator from St. Thomas.[71]
- Edward Wilmot Blyden (1832–1912), Liberian educator, writer, diplomat, and politician born in St. Thomas.[8]
- Bertha C. Boschulte (1906 - 2004), educator, women's rights activist and politician from St. Thomas.[72]
- Julio Brady (1942 - 2015), judge and politician from the US Virgin Islands.[73]
- Frank Rudolph Crosswaith (1892–1965), socialist and labor leader born in the Virgin Islands.[74]
- Ansetta de Chabert (1908-1976), businesswoman and civic activist.[75]
- Ralph de Magne de Chabert (1890-1955), civic leader, educator, editor, and administrator, born in Frederiksted, St. Croix.[76]
- Eric E. Dawson (1937 - 2017), former U.S. Virgin Islands senator.[77]
- Ron De Lugo (1930–2020), St. Croix politician and former candidate for governor.[78]
- Soraya Diase Coffelt (b. 1958), lawyer judge and former candidate for governor of the Virgin Islands.[79]
- Adlah Donastorg Jr. (b. 1961), legislator and gubernatorial candidate from the Virgin Islands.[80]
- Ray Fonseca (politician) (b. 1959), legislator from the Virgin Islands.[81]
- Rothschild Francis (1891–1963), activist, civil rights leader, councilman and newspaper editor from the Virgin Islands.[82]
- Victor O. Frazer (b. 1943), lawyer and politician from the Virgin Islands.[83]
- Clifford Graham, former member of the Virgin Islands legislature.[84]
- Octavius Cato Granady (1885-1928), African American lawyer and politician, and Afro-Caribbean civil rights activist
- Alexander Hamilton (1755–1804), first United States Secretary of the Treasury, an American "founding father", economist, and political philosopher; born in Nevis, raised on St. Croix.[85]
- Hubert Henry Harrison (1883–1927), orator, political activist
- William H. Hastie (1904–1976), jurist, lawyer, Governor of the Virgin Islands
- Ulises Heureaux (1845–1899), former President of the Dominican Republic (mother born in Saint Thomas)[86]
- Elsie Hill (1883-1970), moved to St Thomas in 1935, fought for women's suffrage in the Virgin Islands.[45]
- Cora Richardson-Hodge, Anguillan politician born in St. Thomas.[87]
- Roy Innis (1934–2017), African-American activist, civil rights leader
- D. Hamilton Jackson (1884–1946), journalist, labor leader, attorney, judge
- J. Raymond Jones (1899–1991), political leader, humanitarian, born in St. Thomas.[88]
- Cyril King (1921-1978), second elected governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.[89]
- Antonio López de Santa Anna (1794–1876), President of Mexico
- Juan Francisco Luis (1940–2011), 24th Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.[89]
- Sidney A. von Luther (1925 - 1985), American politician born in Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas.[90]
- Gabriel Milan (c. 1631–1689), colonial governor
- Henry Millin (1923 - 2004), politician who served as lieutenant governor of the Virgin Islands.[91]
- James O'Bryan Jr. (b. 1956), politician from the Virgin Islands.[92]
- Athniel C. Ottley (1941 - 2022), politician, former lieutenant governor of the Virgin Islands.[93]
- Christopher Payne (1845 - 1925), American who served as U.S. consul to St. Thomas.[94]
- Ralph Moses Paiewonsky (1907 - 1991), governor of the Virgin Islands in the 1960s.[89]
- Barbara A. Petersen, politician in the Virgin Islands.[95]
- Maekiaphan Phillips, indigenous rights activist and kasike of the Guainía Taíno Tribe in the Virgin Islands.[96]
- Osbert Potter (b. 1956), politician in the US Virgin Islands.[97]
- Ruby Rouss (1921-1988), first woman to be president of the Virgin Islands legislature, from St. Croix.[75]
- Roy Schneider (1939-2022), fifth governor of the US Virgin Islands.[89]
- Ariel K. Smith, former Attorney General of the US Virgin Islands.[98]
- Terence Todman (1926–2014), former U.S. ambassador
- Denmark Vesey (1767–1822), slave revolt leader
- Peter Carl Frederik von Scholten (1784–1854), Governor-General of the Danish West Indies from 1827 to 1848
Religious leaders
- Charles Warren Currier (1857 - 1918), Roman Catholic bishop born in St. Thomas.[99]
Writers
- Arona Petersen (1908-1995), author, chef and businesswoman from St. Thomas.[75]
- Doris Jadan (1925–2004), author and environmental activist; lived on St. John from 1955 until her death.[100]
- Audre Lorde (1934–1992), writer, feminist, civil rights activist; born in New York, died on St. Croix.[101]
- Dora Richards Miller (1842 - 1914), American author born in St. Thomas.[102]
- Nicole Sealey (b. 1979), poet born in St. Thomas.[103]
- Adolph Sixto (1859-1930), writer, lecturer and amateur naturalist from St. Thomas.[104]
- Karrine Steffans (born 1978), author
- Tiphanie Yanique (born 1978), writer from the Virgin Islands.[105]
