List of people from Washington, D.C.

This is a list of prominent people who were born in, lived in, or are otherwise closely associated with Washington, D.C., and its surrounding metropolitan area, which includes portions of Maryland and Virginia.

Actors

Gbenga Akinnagbe (born 1978), actor; born in D.C.
Jonathan Banks (born 1947), actor; born in D.C.
Dave Bautista (born 1969), actor and former wrestler of the WWE; born in D.C.
Jon Bernthal (born 1976), actor; born in D.C.
David Birney (1939–2022), actor; born in D.C.
Blair Brown (born 1946), actress; born in D.C.
Billie Burke (1884–1970), actress; born in D.C.
Louis C.K. (born 1967), actor, comedian; born in D.C.
Dave Chappelle (born 1973), actor, comedian; born in D.C., raised in suburban Maryland
Whitney Cummings (born 1982), comedian, actress; born in D.C.
Pat Flaherty (1897–1970), actor; born in D.C.
Matt Frewer (born 1958), actor; born in D.C.
Isabelle Fuhrman (born 1997), born in D.C.
Betty Gabriel (born 1981), actress born in D.C
Ana Gasteyer (born 1967), actress; born in D.C.
Cameron Goodman (born 1984), actress; born in Texas; raised in D.C.
Regina Hall (born 1971), actress; born in D.C.
Alyson Hannigan (born 1974), actress; born in D.C.
Goldie Hawn (born 1945), actress; born in D.C.; raised in Takoma Park, Maryland
Helen Hayes (1900–1993), actress; born in D.C.
John Heard (1945–2017), actor; born in D.C.
Katherine Heigl (born 1978), actress; born in D.C.
Taraji P. Henson (born 1970), actress; born in D.C.
Edward Herrmann (1943–2014), actor; born in D.C.
William Hurt (1950–2022), actor; born in D.C.
Samuel L. Jackson (born 1948), actor; born in D.C.
Archie Kao (born 1973), actor; born in D.C.
Erik King (born 1963), actor; born in D.C.
Michael Learned (born 1939), actress; born in D.C.
James McDaniel (born 1958), actor; born in D.C.
Christopher Meloni (born 1958), actor; born in D.C.
Bridgit Mendler (born 1992), singer and actress; born in D.C.
Michael Nouri (born 1958), actor; born in D.C.
Clifton Powell (born 1956), actor; born in D.C.
Madlyn Rhue (1935–2003), actress; born in D.C.
Eden Riegel (born 1981), actress; born in D.C.
Sam Riegel (born 1976), actor; born in D.C.
Chita Rivera (1933–2024), Broadway musical actress; born in D.C.
Corey Parker Robinson (born 1975), actor; born in D.C.
Yeardley Smith (born 1964), actress; born in Paris, France, raised in D.C.
Josh Stamberg (born 1970), actor; born in D.C.
Ben Stein (born 1944), actor, author, economist, former political speechwriter; born in D.C.; raised in Maryland
Frances Sternhagen (1930–2023), actress; raised in D.C.
Rip Taylor (1934–2019), actor, comedian; born in D.C.
Veronica Taylor (born 1965), actress; born in New York, raised in D.C.
Leigh Taylor-Young (born 1945), actress; born in D.C.
Justin Theroux (born 1971), actor; born in D.C.
Tony Todd (1954–2024), actor; born in D.C.
Robin Weigert (born 1969), actress; born in D.C.
Samira Wiley (born 1987), actress; born in D.C.
Kellie Shanygne Williams (born 1976), actress; born in D.C.
Tom Williamson (born 1990), actor from The Fosters; born in D.C.
Robert Wisdom (born 1953), actor; born in D.C.
Jeffrey Wright (born 1965), Tony Award-winning stage and film actor; born in D.C.
Leonard Wu (born 1986), actor; born in D.C.
Damian Young (born 1961), actor; born in D.C.
Rick Yune (born 1971), actor; born in D.C.

Artists

Inez Demonet
Richard Artschwager (1923–2013), minimalist and pop artist; born in D.C.
Robin Bell (born 1979), art projectionist; lives and works in D.C.
Ned Bittinger (born 1951), portrait painter and illustrator; born in D.C.
F. Lennox Campello (born 1956), visual artist, critic and author; works in D.C.
Allen 'Big Al' Carter (1947–2008), painter; worked and taught art in D.C.
Elizabeth Catlett (1915–2012), sculptor; born in D.C.
Will H. Chandlee (1865–1955), painter and illustrator; born in D.C.
Shanthi Chandrasekar, painter and sculptor; works out of D.C.
Manon Cleary (1942–2011), painter and educator; lived in D.C.
Gene Davis (1920–1985), painter; born in D.C.
Rosetta DeBerardinis, visual artist; lives in D.C.
Inez Demonet (1897–1980), visual artist; born in D.C.
Victor Ekpuk (born 1964), visual artist; lives in D.C.
Joseph Craig English, printmaker; born in D.C.
Sharon Farmer (born 1951), photographer who served as the chief official White House photographer; born in D.C.^[1]
Halim Flowers (born 1980), visual artist; born in Washington, D.C.
Catriona Fraser (born 1972), photographer and art dealer; worked in D.C.
Sam Gilliam (1933–2022), painter; lives in D.C.
Nan Goldin (born 1953), photographer; born in D.C.
Patricia Goslee, painter, lives in Washington, D.C.
Michael Janis (born 1959), glass artist; lives in D.C.
Mark Jenkins (born 1970), street artist; lives in D.C.
Wayson R. Jones, visual artist; works in D.C.
Margaret Sherratt Keys (1856–1942), British-born American artist, china painter, store proprietor; lived in D.C.
Nate Lewis, visual artist; works out of D.C.
Morris Louis (1912–1962), painter; lived in D.C.
Kevin MacDonald (1947–2006), painter; lived in D.C.
Eugene J. Martin (1938–2005), visual artist; born in D.C.
Percy Martin, visual artist; lives in D.C.
Benoit Maubrey (born 1952), born in D.C.
Alexa Meade (born 1986), visual artist; born in D.C.
Benson Moore (1882–1974), painter and sketcher; lived and worked in D.C.
Judith Peck, visual artist, works in D.C.
Michael B. Platt (1948–2019), visual artist and art professor; lived and worked in D.C.
Martin Puryear (born 1941), sculptor; born in D.C.
Paul Reed (1919–2015), painter; born in D.C.
Amber Robles-Gordon, mixed media artist; lives in D.C.
Joe Shannon (born 1937), painter and educator; worked in D.C.
Lou Stovall (1937–2023), printmaker; lived in D.C.
Tim Tate (born 1960), glass and video artist; born in D.C.
Erwin Timmers (born 1964), glass artist; lives in D.C.
Bill Watterson (born 1958), cartoonist; born in D.C.
Frances Wieser (1869–1949), scientific illustrator; born and died in D.C.
Frank Wright (1932–2020), painter; born in D.C.

Athletes

Kevyn Adams (born 1974), hockey player; born in D.C.
Kevin Alston (born 1988), soccer player; born in D.C.
Desmond Armstrong (born 1964), soccer player and coach; born in D.C.^[2]
Jake Atz (1879–1945), baseball player; born in D.C.
Khalid Balogun (born 1998), soccer player; born in D.C.^[3]
Kay Banjo (born 1992), soccer player; born in D.C.^[4]
Mike Banner (born 1984), soccer player; born in D.C.^[5]
Elgin Baylor (1934–2021), basketball player; born in D.C.
Walter Beall (1899–1959), former baseball player; born in D.C.
Lu Blue (1897–1958), baseball player; born in D.C.
Nate Burkey (born 1985), soccer player; born in D.C.^[6]
Jerry Chambers (born 1943), former basketball player; born in D.C.
Billy Chiles (born 1985), soccer player and coach; born in D.C.^[7]
Patrick Clark (born 1995), professional wrestler; born in D.C.
Bonzie Colson (born 1996), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League; born in D.C.
Arthur Cook (1928–2021), Olympic sport shooter; born in D.C.
Derek Cooke (born 1991), basketball player; born in D.C.
Judah Cooks (born 1976), soccer player and coach; born in D.C.^[8]
Micah Cooks (born 1981), soccer player^[9]
Josh Cribbs (born 1983), football player; born in D.C.
Adrian Dantley (born 1956), former basketball player; born in D.C.
Vernon Davis (born 1984), football player; born in D.C.
Vontae Davis (born 1988), football player; born in D.C.
Kevin Durant (born 1988), basketball player; born in D.C., raised in suburban Maryland
Malik Ellison (born 1996), basketball player; born in D.C.
A. J. Francis (born 1990), football player and wrestler; born in D.C.
Lennard Freeman (born 1995), basketball player; born in D.C.
Frank Funk (born 1935), former baseball player; born in D.C.
Luka Garza (born 1998), basketball player; born in D.C.
Paul Goldstein (born 1976), tennis player; born in D.C.
Frank Jackson (born 1998), basketball player; born in D.C.
Khyree Jackson (1999–2024), football player; born in D.C.^[10]
Robin Montgomery
Clay Kirby (1948–1991), baseball player; born in D.C.
Katie Ledecky (born 1997), Olympic swimmer; born in D.C.
Byron Leftwich (born 1980), football player; born in D.C.
Tim Legler (born 1966), former basketball player; born in D.C.
Ricky Lindo (born 2000), American-Panamanian basketball player; born in D.C.
Andrew Luck (born 1989), football quarterback; born in D.C.
Shawne Merriman (born 1984), football player; born in D.C.
Matt Mervis (born 1998), baseball player; born in D.C.
Rollie Miles (1927–1995), Canadian football player; born in D.C.
Don Money (born 1947), baseball player; born in D.C.
Robin Montgomery (born 2004), tennis player; born in D.C.
Josh Morgan (born 1985), football player; born in D.C.
Jon Morris (born 1942), football player; born in D.C.
Bubba Morton (1931–2006), baseball player; born in D.C.
Jonathan Ogden (born 1974), football player; born in D.C.
Jordan Pefok (born 1996), soccer player; born in D.C.^[11]
Jamorko Pickett (born 1997), basketball player; born in D.C.
Jerry Porter (born 1978), former football player; born in D.C.
Curtis Pride (born 1968), former baseball player; born in D.C.
Pete Sampras (born 1971), tennis player; born in D.C.
Gabriel Segal (born 2001), soccer player, born in D.C.^[12]
Harold Solomon (born 1952), former tennis player; born in D.C.
Teez Tabor (born 1995), cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons; born in D.C.
Nikki Teasley (born 1979), basketball player; born in D.C.
James Tillman (1919–2009), Negro league baseball player; born in D.C.
Michael Weiss (born 1976), figure skater; born in D.C.
Delonte West (born 1983), basketball player; born in D.C.
Brian Westbrook (born 1979), football player; born in D.C.
Mike Wilcher (born 1960), former football player; born in D.C.
Caleb Williams (born 2001), football player; born in D.C.
Maury Wills (1932–2022), former baseball player; born in D.C.
Willie Wood (1936–2020), football player; born in D.C.

Entertainers

Pat Buchanan (born 1938), author, syndicated columnist, television commentator; born in D.C.
Connie Chung (born 1946), television journalist; born in D.C.
Stephen Colbert (born 1964), television host, comedian; born in D.C.
Sam Denby (born 1998), YouTuber; born and raised in D.C.
Sarah Urist Green (born 1979), PBS art program creator and former museum curator; born in D.C.
Petey Greene (1931–1984), radio and TV talk show host; born in D.C.
Tim Gunn (born 1953), TV personality and fashion expert; born in D.C.
Jim Henson (1936–1990), creator of the Muppets; lived in D.C. from 1948 until 1961.
King Molasses, drag king
Fulton Lewis (1903–1966), radio and TV commentator; born in D.C.
Patricia Newcomb (born 1930), producer and publicist; born in D.C.
Bill Nye ("Bill Nye the Science Guy") (born 1955), television host, scientist, mechanical engineer; born in D.C.
Maury Povich (born 1939), television talk show host; born in D.C.
Diane Rehm (born 1936), radio talk show host; born in D.C.
Scott Sanders (born 1968), screenwriter and director, born in N.C., raised in D.C.

Journalists

Jim Acosta (born 1971), journalist born in D.C.
Thomas Boswell (born 1947), journalist born in D.C.
John Dickerson (born 1968), journalist; born in D.C.
Susan Ford (born 1957), photojournalist and chairman of the Betty Ford Center; born in D.C.
David Frum (born 1960), journalist, newspaper writer of The Atlantic
Anna Sanborn Hamilton (1848–1927), journalist, author, and teacher; lived, died in D.C.
Douglas Harriman Kennedy (born 1967), journalist born in D.C.
Austin H. Kiplinger (1918–2015), journalist and philanthropist; born in D.C.
Buster Olney (born 1964), sports columnist; born in D.C.
Frank Rich (born 1949), newspaper columnist; born in D.C.
David Simon (born 1960), author, journalist; born in D.C.
A. G. Sulzberger (born 1980), journalist; born in D.C.
Cal Thomas (born 1942), newspaper columnist and author; born in D.C.
Margaret Hicks Williams (1899–1972), government official, feature writer, political expert; lived in D.C.

Military

Frederic Vaughan Abbot (1858–1928), U.S. Army brigadier general, resided in D.C. during retirement^[13]
Alfred E. Bates (1840–1909), U.S. Army major general, lived in D.C. during retirement^[14]^[15]
Upton Birnie Jr. (1877–1957), U.S. Army major general, retired in D.C.^[16]^[17]
Harold W. Blakeley (1893–1966), U.S. Army major general, retired in D.C.^[18]
George S. Blanchard (1920–2006), U.S. Army four-star general; born in D.C.^[19]
Nathan W. Brown (1819–1893), paymaster-general of the U.S. Army, lived in D.C. during retirement^[20]^[21]
William Bryden (1880–1972), U.S. Army major general, lived in Washington, D.C. during retirement^[22]
John Loomis Chamberlain (1858–1948), U.S. Army major general, retired in Washington, D.C.^[23]^[24]
John R. D. Cleland (1925–2017), U.S. Army major general; born and raised in Washington^[25]^[26]
John J. Coppinger (1834–1909), U.S. Army major general; lived in Washington during his retirement^[27]
Samuel T. Cushing (1839–1901), U.S. Army brigadier general; lived in D.C. during retirement^[28]
John M. K. Davis (1844–1920), U.S. Army brigadier general; born in D.C.^[29]
Lester A. Dessez (1896–1981), U.S. Marine Corps brigadier general; raised in D.C.^[30]
Lorenzo D. Gasser (1876–1955), U.S. Army general, retired to Washington, D.C.
Charles Badger Hall (1844–1914), US Army major general, retired in D.C.^[31]
Laurence Halstead (1875–1953), US Army brigadier general, retired in Washington, D.C.^[32]
Cecil D. Haney (born 1955), U.S. Navy admiral who commanded U.S. Strategic Command; born in D.C.^[33]
George Herbert Harries (1860–1934), U.S. Army major general, resided in Washington, D.C.^[34]
Charles L. Hodges (1847–1911), U.S. Army major general, retired in Washington, D.C.^[35]
Martin P. Hottel (1904–1981), U.S. Navy admiral and decorated submarine commander; born in D.C.^[36]
Miles Imlay (1902–1975), U.S. Coast Guard rear admiral, born in D.C.^[37]
Beverley Kennon (1793–1844), commodore in the United States Navy and commander of the Bureau of Construction and Repair; resided in Washington^[38]
Lester Lyles (born 1946), former U.S. Air Air Force general, vice chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, and commander, Air Force Materiel Command
Robert Macfeely (1826–1901), US Army brigadier general, retired in Washington^[39]
Anthony McAuliffe (1898–1975), U.S. Army general, commander of the 101st Airborne Division defending Bastogne; born in D.C.^[40]
John Kemp Mizner (1834–1898), US Army brigadier general, retired in Washington, D.C.^[41]^[42]
Henry C. Newcomer (1861–1952), U.S. Army brigadier general, engineer whose work included Taft Bridge and improvements to Washington Aqueduct; retired to Washington, D.C.^[43]
Edward C. Peter II (1929–2008), U.S. Army lieutenant general, commander of Fourth United States Army; born in D.C.^[44]
Thomas H. Rees (1863–1942), US Army brigadier general, lived in Washington during retirement^[45]
Curtis C. Robinson (1919–2009), pharmacist, U.S. Army Air Force officer, fighter pilot with the Tuskegee Airmen; lived and died in D.C.^[46]^[47]
William B. Rochester (1826–1909), paymaster-general of the United States Army^[48]^[49]
Otho B. Rosenbaum (1871–1962), U.S. Army brigadier general, resided in Washington, D.C. during retirement^[50]
Daniel H. Rucker (1812–1910), U.S. Army brigadier general, resided in Washington, D.C. during retirement^[51]
Joseph P. Sanger (1840–1926), U.S. Army major general^[52]
Charles G. Sawtelle (1834–1913), U.S. Army brigadier general, resided in Washington, D.C. during retirement^[53]
Charles L. Scott (1883–1954), U.S. Army major general; lived in D.C. in retirement; died in D.C.^[54]
Alexander E. Shiras (1812–1875), US Army brigadier general, lived in DC during military service^[55]
William A. Shunk (1857–1936), US Army colonel whose commands included the United States Army Command and General Staff College; lived in D.C. during retirement^[56]
William Sinclair (1835–1905), U.S. Army brigadier general, lived in Washington during retirement^[57]
William Renwick Smedberg Jr. (1871–1942), U.S. Army brigadier general; lived in D.C. in retirement; died in D.C.^[58]
Franklin Guest Smith (1840–1912), U.S. Army brigadier general, resident of Washington, D.C. during retirement^[59]
Culver C. Sniffen (1844–1930), paymaster-general of the United States Army, lived in Washington^[60]
Oliver Lyman Spaulding (1875–1947), U.S. Army brigadier general, 1891 graduate of Central High School,^[61] lived in Washington during retirement^[62]
William F. Spurgin (1838–1904), U.S. Army brigadier general, live in Washington during retirement^[63]^[64]
Donald A. Stroh (1892–1953), U.S. Army major general, raised and educated in Washington, retired to Washington^[65]
Edwin F. Townsend (1833–1909), U.S. Army brigadier general, retired in D.C.^[66]
Karl Truesdell (1882–1955), U.S. Army major general, raised in D.C.^[67]^[68]
Carlos Clark Van Leer (1865–1953), U.S. Army captain and chief of Personnel and Budget for Department of Treasury: lived and died in D.C.^[69]
George Henry Weeks (1834–1905), quartermaster general of the United States Army, retired to D.C.^[70]
Earle Wheeler (1908–1975), U.S. Army general; born in D.C.^[71]
Walter K. Wilson Sr. (1880–1954), US Army major general, lived in DC in retirement^[72]
Eben Eveleth Winslow (1866–1928), U.S. Army brigadier general; raised and educated in D.C.^[73]^[74]
William T. Wood (1854–1943), U.S. Army brigadier general, resided in Washington, D.C. during retirement^[75]^[76]
John E. Woodward (1870–1944), U.S. Army brigadier general, lived in D.C. during retirement^[77]

Musicians

Chuck Brown (1936–2012), musician; lived in D.C.
Tim Buckley (1947–1975), musician; born in D.C.
Vernon Burch (1955–2022), singer; born in D.C.
Darrell Calker (1905–1964), composer and arranger, born in D.C.
Jack Casady (born 1944), musician (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna); born in D.C.
Eva Cassidy (1963–1996), singer; born in D.C.
Clones of Clones, indie-rock band; originated in D.C.
Chris Cutler (born 1947), musician (Henry Cow, Art Bears); born in D.C.
DJ Kool (born 1958), rapper; born in D.C.
Duke Ellington (1899–1974), jazz composer, pianist and bandleader; born in D.C.
John Fahey (1939–2001), musician; born in D.C.
Marty Friedman (born 1962), musician; born in D.C.
Danny Gatton (1945–1994), musician; born in D.C.
Marvin Gaye (1939–1984), singer; born in D.C.
Johnny Gill (born 1966), singer; born in D.C.
Ginuwine (born 1970), singer; born in D.C.
Goldlink (born 1993), rapper; born in D.C.
Dave Grohl (born 1969), musician (Nirvana, Foo Fighters); began career as drummer for D.C.-area bands
Ron Holloway (born 1953), musician; (Dizzy Gillespie, Susan Tedeschi, Gil Scott-Heron); born in D.C.
Shirley Horn (1934–2005), singer; born in D.C.
Lida Husik (born 1963), musician; born in D.C.
Darryl Jenifer (born 1960), musician; born in D.C.
Al Jolson (1886–1950), singer; born in Seredžius, Lithuania; raised in D.C.
Jorma Kaukonen (born 1940), musician (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna); born in D.C.
Damian Kulash (born 1975), musician (OK Go); born in D.C.
Stacy Lattisaw (born 1966), singer; born in D.C.
Ari Lennox (born 1991), singer; born in D.C
Ian MacKaye (born 1962), musician (Minor Threat, Fugazi); born in D.C.
Van McCoy (1940–1979), musician, songwriter and producer; born in D.C.
Mýa (born 1979), singer; born in D.C.
Nonchalant (born 1970), rapper; born in D.C.
Oddisee (born 1985), rapper; born in D.C.
Guy Picciotto (born 1965), musician (Rites of Spring, Fugazi); born in D.C.
James Ray (1941–1963), singer; born in D.C.
Malinda Kathleen Reese (born 1994), singer-songwriter; born in D.C.
Henry Rollins (born 1961), singer-songwriter (Black Flag, Rollins Band); born in D.C.
Tim Rose (1940–2002), singer-songwriter; born in D.C.
rum.gold (born 1994), R&B singer-songwriter; born and raised in D.C.
Hayley Sales, pop singer; born in D.C.
Shaed, band; originated in D.C.
Shy Glizzy (born 1992), rapper; born in D.C.
Richard Smallwood (born 1948), Grammy Award-winning gospel singer-songwriter; born in Atlanta and raised in D.C.
Kate Smith (1907–1986), singer; born in D.C.
Rob Sonic, rapper; born in D.C.
John Philip Sousa (1854–1932), composer; born in D.C.
Billy Stewart (1937–1970), singer; born in D.C.
Mary Timony (born 1970), musician; born in D.C.
Peter Tork (1942–2019), musician; born in D.C.
Wale (born 1984), rapper; born in D.C.
Wax (born 1980), rapper; born in D.C.

Political figures

Kenneth Bacon (1944–2009), Department of Defense spokesman; later served as president of Refugees International^[78]
Michael Bennet (born 1964), U.S. senator from Colorado; grew up in D.C.^[79]
Cory Booker (born 1969), U.S. senator from New Jersey; born in D.C.^[80]
Muriel Bowser (born 1972), mayor of Washington D.C.
Janelle Bynum (born 1975), U.S. representative from Oregon; born in D.C.^[81]
Jean Carnahan (1933–2024), U.S. senator from Missouri, born and raised in D.C.
Mel Carnahan (1934–2000), governor of Missouri, raised in D.C.
Pedro Casanave (c. 1766–1796), fifth mayor of Georgetown in Washington, D.C.
Dereck E. Davis (born 1967), treasurer of Maryland; born in D.C.
John Foster Dulles (1888–1959), U.S. secretary of state; born in D.C.
Omar Fateh (born 1990), Minnesota state senator; born in D.C.
Adrian Fenty (born 1970), mayor of the District of Columbia, 2007–2011; born in D.C.
Dan Goldman (born 1976), U.S. representative from New York; born in D.C.
Don Forsht, West Virginia state delegate; born in D.C.
Al Gore (born 1948), U.S. vice president; born in D.C.
Tipper Gore (born 1948), wife of former vice president Al Gore; born in D.C.
Larry Hogan (born 1956), governor of Maryland; born in D.C.
Hank Johnson (born 1954), U.S. representative from Georgia; born in D.C.^[82]
Abraham Katz (1926–2013), diplomat, United States ambassador to the OECD; lived in D.C.
Sharon Pratt Kelly (born 1944), mayor of the District of Columbia, 1991–1995; born in D.C.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (born 1954), politician, environmental lawyer, author, serving as the 26th United States Secretary of Health and Human Services since 2025; born in D.C.
Ned Lamont (born 1954), businessman and 89th governor of Connecticut; born in D.C.
Eleanor Holmes Norton (born 1937), delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives for Washington, D.C.; born in D.C.^[83]
Amata Coleman Radewagen
Jimmy Panetta (born 1969), U.S. representative from California; born in D.C.^[84]
Bill Posey (born 1947), U.S. representative from Florida; born in D.C.^[85]
Jerome Powell (born 1953), chair of the Federal Reserve and member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors; born in D.C.^[86]
Amata Coleman Radewagen (born 1947), delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from American Samoa; born in D.C.^[87]
Jamie Raskin (born 1962), U.S. representative from Maryland; born in D.C.^[88]
Bobby Scott (born 1947), U.S. representative from Virginia; born in D.C.^[89]
Henry Austin Scudder (1819–1892), Massachusetts state politician and associate judge of the Superior Court of Massachusetts; lived in D.C.^[90]
Brian Sims (born 1978), Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives; born in D.C.^[91]
Adam Smith (born 1965), U.S. representative from Washington; born in D.C.^[92]
Josh Stein (born 1966), governor and attorney general of North Carolina; born in D.C.
Gladys Spellman (1918–1988), former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland; raised in New York and D.C.
Charles W. Swisher, thirteenth secretary of state of West Virginia; died in D.C.
Conrad Tillard (born 1964), politician, Baptist minister, radio host, author, and activist; raised in D.C.
Walter Nathan Tobriner (1902–1979), Washington, D.C., government official; born in D.C.
Larry Warner (1943–2022), Texas state legislator; born in D.C.
Paul Wellstone (1944–2002), U.S. senator from Minnesota; born in D.C.
Rob Wittman (born 1959), U.S. representative from Virginia; born in D.C.^[93]

Scientists

Charles R. Drew (1904–1950), physician, medical researcher; born in D.C.
Danielle Hairston, psychiatrist; educated in D.C.
Michael Hendricks, psychologist, suicidologist, and advocate for the LGBT community; long-time resident of D.C.
Lars Krutak, tattoo anthropologist; long-time resident of D.C.

Writers

Edward Albee (1928–2016), playwright; born in D.C.
Alida Anderson (born 1969), arts researcher, author and professor at American University; born in D.C.
Ann Beattie (born 1947), short story writer and novelist; born in D.C.
Tracy Chevalier (born 1962), novelist; born in D.C.
Katherine M. Cook (1876–1962), educator and government official who specialized in rural education; lived and worked in D.C.
Ella Loraine Dorsey (1853–1935), author, journalist, translator; born in D.C.
Frederick Douglass (1817 or 1818–1895), author, public speaker, political activist, abolitionist; lived and died in D.C.
Jonathan Safran Foer (born 1977), writer; born in D.C.
Mary Downing Hahn (born 1937), author; born in D.C.
Christopher Hitchens (1949–2011), author, journalist, political philosopher; lived in D.C. for most of his writing career
Langston Hughes (1901–1967), writer, poet; lived in D.C. at the start of his writing career
Edward P. Jones (born 1951), author; raised in D.C.
Florence King (1936–2016), author; born in D.C.
Jeannie Blackburn Moran (1842–1929), author, community leader, socialite, and philanthropist; lived in and died in D.C.
George Pelecanos (born 1957), author of detective fiction; born in D.C.
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (1896–1953), writer; born in D.C.
Frederick Reuss (born 1960), novelist known for works such as Mohr and Horace Afoot
David Simon (born 1960), screenwriter; born in D.C.
Paula Vogel (born 1951), playwright; born in D.C.
Walt Whitman (1819–1892), journalist, poet, essayist; lived in D.C. for a decade during and after the American Civil War

Miscellaneous

Robert Askins (1919–2010), suspected serial killer; born in D.C.
Zak Bagans (born 1977), paranormal expert
Vanilla Beane (1919–2022), Black milliner and businesswoman; moved to D.C. in the 1940s
John L. Carroll (1943–2023), federal judge and academic administrator; born in D.C.
Blac Chyna (born 1988), socialite and model; born and raised in D.C.
Ruby Corado (born 1970), transgender activist, founder and executive director of Casa Ruby in D.C.; married in D.C.
Sam Denby (born 1998), YouTuber; born and raised in D.C.
Julie Nixon Eisenhower (born 1948), daughter of President Richard Nixon; born in D.C.
Andrew Fastow (born 1961), chief financial officer of Enron Corporation; born in D.C.
Albert Fish (1870–1936), cannibalistic serial killer and rapist; born in D.C.
Charles Brenton Fisk (1925–1983), organ builder; born in D.C.
Bill France Jr. (1933–2007), CEO of NASCAR; born in D.C.
Bill France Sr. (1909–1992), founder and CEO of NASCAR; born in D.C.
John R. Francis (1856–1913), physician and educator at Howard University; born in D.C.
William D. Gibbons (c. 1825–1886), minister at D.C.'s Zion Baptist Church
Steven B. Gould (born 1966), lawyer and judge from Maryland; born in D.C.
Shauntay Hinton, Miss USA 2002, Miss District of Columbia 2002; educated in D.C.
J. Edgar Hoover (1895–1972), FBI director; born in D.C.
Charlene Drew Jarvis (born 1941), educator and president of Southeastern University; born in D.C.
Kerry Kennedy (born 1959), human rights advocate; born in D.C.
Bruce Levenson (born 1949), businessman, philanthropist, and former owner of the Atlanta Hawks; born in D.C.
J.W. Marriott Jr. (born 1932), chairman and CEO of Marriott International; born in D.C.
Clarence Moore (1865–1912), businessman; D.C. resident from 1890
Queen Noor of Jordan (born 1951), born in D.C.
Perry Redd (born 1964), social activist and organizer, and songwriter; born in D.C.
Vincent Reed (born 1928), former assistant secretary of education under President Ronald Reagan; superintendent of the District of Columbia Public Schools
Tony Ressler (born 1960), billionaire and owner of the Atlanta Hawks; born in D.C.
Andrew Tate (born 1986), American-British media personality, businessman, and former professional kickboxer born in D.C.
Alethia Tanner (1781–1864), educator, businesswoman and community leader; resident from the early 1800s
Lauren Tuchman (born 1986), rabbi and disability rights activist, raised in D.C.
Maryly Van Leer (1930–2011), university president and founder, women's rights activist, born in D.C.
Stanley Woodward, attorney