List of Appalachian Americans
This is a list of notable Appalachian Americans, including both natives of the Appalachian Region and members of the Appalachian diaspora outside of Appalachia. Appalachians are an unrecognized demographic of the United States Census Bureau, but due to various factors have developed a unique culture and Dialect.
Appalachian Americans include Americans from the region of Appalachia in the United States, stretching from the southern to the central Appalachian Mountain range and parts of the surrounding plateau, and descendants of Appalachian Americans.
Folk heroes and figures
- Daniel Boone (1734–1820), pioneer, explorer
- Davy Crockett (1786–1836), frontiersman, soldier, politician
- John Gordon (1759–1819), pioneer, trader, planter, militia captain
- Devil Anse Hatfield (1839–1921), patriarch of the Hatfield family of the Hatfield–McCoy feud
- Belle Starr (1848–1889), notorious outlaw convicted of horse theft
- John Henry, folk hero, steel driver
Music
- Ernest "Tennessee Ernie" Ford (1919–1991), country, pop, and gospel singer and television host
- Doc Watson (1923–2012), guitarist, songwriter, and singer
- Dolly Parton (1946–), singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actress, author, businesswoman, and humanitarian
- Eric Church (1977–), singer-songwriter
- Earl Scruggs (1924–2012), bluegrass musician and banjo player noted for popularizing a three-finger picking style, now called "Scruggs style”
- Loretta Lynn (1932–), country music singer-songwriter
- Luke Combs (1990–), singer, songwriter
- Tyler Childers (1991-), singer-songwriter
Military
- Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (1824–1863), United States military leader serving in the Mexican–American War, and later a prominent Confederate military leader during the American Civil War
- Alvin York (1887–1964), highly-decorated United States soldier serving in World War I, receiving the Medal of Honor as well as numerous other awards from France, Italy, and Montenegro
General Chuck Yeager-(1923-2020) U. S. A. F. Pilot that broke the sound barrier. Served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Awards include: Distinguished Flying Cross (3), Bronze Star, Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star (2), Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit (2) and a Purple Heart. He was inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame.
Politicians
- Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), 16th president of the United States, serving during the American Civil War
- Francis Harrison Pierpont (1814–1899), governor of the Restored Government of Virginia during the American Civil War and of Virginia at the beginning of the Reconstruction era
- Thomas Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924), 28th president of the United States, serving during World War I
- Charles Gates Dawes (1865–1951), banker, general, diplomat, composer, and 30th vice president of the United States under Calvin Coolidge
- Jim Broyhill (1927–2023), businessman, United States representative, United States senator
- Joe Manchin (1947–), United States senator, politician, businessman
Religion
- Francis Asbury (1745–1816), Methodist Episcopal bishop
Sports
- Roy Williams (1950–), college basketball coach, 3-time NCAA champion
- Jerry West (1938–), professional basketball player, NBA champion, Medal of Freedom recipient
- Katie Smith (1974–), retired professional women's basketball player, 3-time gold medalist, Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
- Madison Bumgarner (1989–), professional baseball player (SP), 3-time World Series champion, World Series MVP
Writers, poets, and literature
- Earl Hamner Jr. (1923 - 2016), author, producer
- Emma Bell Miles (1879–1919), writer, poet, artist
- Effie Waller Smith (1879–1960), poet
- Thomas Wolfe (1900–1938), author
- Barbara Kingsolver, (1955–), author