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10 Most Famous people from Washington, D.C.

Washington D.C, also known as the U.S. capital, is a dense city on the Potomac River. Its neighbouring states are Maryland and Virginia.

D.C is defined by impressive and grand neoclassical monuments and buildings. Some of the top government offices of the country are found here, they are The Capitol, White House and Supreme Court.

As the headquarters of the U.S. federal government and several international organizations, the city of D.C is an important world political capital.

It is one of the most visited cities in the U.S. receiving over 20 million visitors annually.

Several people come to Washington DC and become famous for political reasons but there are more famous people than politicians.

There are famous comedians, actors, actresses, scientists, writers and singers who were born in Washington DC.

These talented people are known both in the United States and the world over. In today’s articles, we’ll look at the 10 most famous people from Washington D.C.

1. Taraji Penda Henson – Actress

Photo by the Heart Truth – Wikimedia

Taraji grew up in Washington D.C and is best known for her role as Cookie Lyon in the Television drama series Empire (2015-2020).

Henson studied acting at Howard University and later began her Hollywood career in guest roles on several television shows before making her breakthrough in Baby Boy.

She has had a far-reaching and successful career in television. Her most popular roles were in series such as The Division, Boston Legal and Eli Stone.

In 2011, she was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie. This was from her role in the Lifetime Television Film Taken from Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story.

Other Awards that Taraji has bagged include NAACP Image Award, Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series (Empire, 2015-2020), Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture (Hidden Figures, 2016). 

2. Lucy Burns – Women’s Rights Advocate

Lucy was an American suffragist and women’s rights advocate. She was a fervent activist in the United States. While she was in the United Kingdom, Lucy joined the militant suffragettes.

She became close friends with Alice Paul with whom they formed the National Woman’s Party.

As one of the leaders of the National Woman’s Party in the early 1900s, Burns got arrested and imprisoned six times where she led a hunger strike at the Occoquan Workhouse.

She is remembered as a passionate and zealous advocate for women’s rights. She retired from public life with the passage of the 19th amendment.

3. Connie Chung – Journalist

Photo by Philkon Phil Konstantin – Wikimedia

Connie has worked as an anchor and reporter for the U.S. television news networks NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, and MSNBC.

She is famously known for interviewing popular figures like Claus von Bülow and U.S. Representative Gary Condit.

These two interviews were done after the Chandra Levy disappearance, subsequently, it was after basketball legend Magic Johnson after he went public about being HIV-positive.

Chung was the 2^nd woman to co-anchor a network newscast as part of CBS Evening News in 1993.

She is fondly described as a gentle interviewee who often shoots rapid-fire barrage type of questions. In 2011, Chung was the judge for the Miss Universe 2011 contest.

4. Shirley Horn – Jazz Pianist

Shirley is a jazz artist whose most songs are sung in a husky contralto to her own piano accompaniment. This skill has earned her both critical acclaim and popular renown.

Horn has collaborated with many jazz musicians including Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Toots Thielemans, Ron Carter, Carmen McRae, Wynton Marsalis and several others.

Her ability to complement herself with almost unparalleled independence and ability on the piano while singing has been regarded as incredible.

In the mid-1950s, Shirley Horn led her own group and had her first recorded album in 1960.

She was nominated for 9 Grammy Awards during her career.

5. Ashley Wagner – Figure Skater

Photo by Luu – Wikimedia

Wagner was born in Germany but moved to Alexandria, Virginia before attending West Potomac High School.

She is a figure skater who became the first American woman to reach the podium at the World Championships in a decade when she won silver in 2016.

As a bronze medallist at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Ashley was one of the most celebrated American figure skaters since two-time Olympic medallist Michelle Kwan retired in 2006.

Unlike most skaters, Wagner spins and jumps clockwise. Her signature elements include a Charlotte spiral and a bent-leg layover camel spin with both arms outstretched above her head.

6. Kevin Durant – Basketballer

Kevin Durant plays for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association.

Before becoming a pro-gamer, he played one season of college basketball for the Texas Longhorns and was nominated as the second overall pick by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 2007 NBA draft.

He was sought after while in high school as a prospect who was widely regarded as the second-best player in his class.

While in college, he won numerous year-end awards and became the first freshman to be named Naismith College Player of the Year.

As a pro-basketballer, he has won two NBA championships, an NBA Most Valuable Player Award, two Finals MVP Awards, two NBA All-Star Game Most and Valuable Player Awards among several other accolades.

7. Kenny Lattimore – Singer

Photo by John Mathew Smith – Wikimedia

Kenny rose to fame through a stint session as a vocalist for R&B group Mannequin. After the success of the first session, he was made the lead singer of the group.

As a band, they released a self-titled album for Epic Records in 1989. Their lead single was I Wanna ride which was a reply to the hit single Mercedes Boy by Pebbles.

After a successful career with the band, Lattimore left Maniquin to pursue a solo career, and the group afterwards disbanded.

His cover album released in 2008 was Timeless which was produced by Verve Records. Lattimore owns a record company SincereSoul Records that he established in 2012.

8. Al Gore – Politician

Albert, famously known as Al, is a politician and environmentalist. Additionally, he served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under president Bill Clinton.

He was the Democratic nominee for the 2000 presidential election who lost to George W. Bush in a very close race after a Florida recount.

After his term as vice-president ended in 2001, Gore remained conspicuous as an author and environmental activist.

Some of his work on climate change activism has earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.

Furthermore, Gore is the founder and current chair of The Climate Reality Project and a partner in the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins, heading its climate change solutions group.

9. Bill Nye – Scientist

Photo by Ed Schipul – Wikimedia

Nye is well-known as the host of the science television show Bill Nye the Science Guy (1993–1998), the Netflix show Bill Nye Saves the World (2017–2018), and for his several appearances in popular media as a science educator.

He was born in Washington, D.C. and started his career as a mechanical engineer for Boeing in Seattle.

While working there, he invented a hydraulic resonance suppressor tube used on 747 aeroplanes.

Subsequently, in 1986, Bill left Boeing to pursue comedy. He wrote and performed for the local sketch television show Almost Live!. On this show, he performed regular wacky science experiments.

10. Dave Chappelle – Comedian

Dave Chappelle is with no doubt one of the most famous people from Washington D.C.

He is popularly known for his satirical comedy sketch series Chappelle’s Show (2003–2006).

This series was co-written by Neal Brennan and was aired until Chappelle quit in the middle of production of the third season.

After quitting, Chappelle went back to performing stand-up comedy across the U.S.

Chappelle has received several accolades, like five Emmy Awards and three Grammy Awards as well as the Mark Twain Prize for American Humour.

In 2020, Sticks & Stones bagged Chappelle his third consecutive Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album.