List of Famous people born in Greenville, United States of America
Trey Gowdy
Harold Watson "Trey" Gowdy III is an American television news personality, former politician, and former federal prosecutor who served as the U.S. Representative for South Carolina's 4th congressional district from 2011 to 2019. His district included much of the Upstate region of South Carolina, including Greenville and Spartanburg.
Kevin Garnett
Kevin Maurice Garnett is an American former professional basketball player who played for 21 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Known for his intensity, defensive ability, and versatility, Garnett is considered one of the greatest power forwards of all time. He is one of five NBA players to win both the Most Valuable Player and the Defensive Player of the Year awards. In high school, Garnett was a 1995 McDonald's All-American at Farragut Career Academy and won a national player of the year award. He entered the 1995 NBA draft, where he was selected with the fifth overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves and became the first NBA player drafted directly out of high school in 20 years.
Jaimie Alexander
Jaimie Lauren Alexander is an American actress. She is known for portraying Jessi on the TV series Kyle XY and Lady Sif in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. From 2015 until 2020, she starred in the NBC series Blindspot.
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Louis Jackson is an American political activist, Baptist minister, and politician. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as a shadow U.S. Senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997.
Jesse Hughes
Jesse Everett Hughes is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the frontman of the rock band Eagles of Death Metal, with whom he has recorded four studio albums and a live album.
Edwin McCain
Edwin Cole McCain is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. His songs "I'll Be" (1998) and "I Could Not Ask for More" (1999) were radio top-40 hits in the U.S., and five of his albums have reached the Billboard 200. In all, McCain has released eleven albums, with his first two being released independently.
Lucas Glover
Lucas Hendley Glover is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour. He is best known for winning the 2009 U.S. Open.
Peabo Bryson
Robert Peapo "Peabo" Bryson is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter. He is well known for singing soul ballads including the 1983 hit "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love" with Roberta Flack, and he has contributed to two Disney animated feature soundtracks. Bryson is a winner of two Grammy Awards.
Jesse Jackson Jr.
Jesse Louis Jackson Jr. is a former American politician who served as a Democratic Congressman representing Illinois's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1995 until his resignation in 2012. He is the son of activist and former presidential candidate Jesse Jackson and, prior to his career in elected office, worked for his father in both the elder Jackson's 1984 presidential campaign and his social justice, civil rights and political activism organization, Operation PUSH. Jackson's wife, Sandi Jackson, served on the Chicago City Council. He served as a national co-chairman of the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign. Jackson established a consistent liberal record on both social and fiscal issues, and he has co-authored books on civil rights and personal finance.
Michael E. Thornton
Michael Edwin Thornton is a retired United States Navy SEAL and recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in the Vietnam War. He was awarded the medal for saving the life of his senior officer, Lieutenant Thomas R. Norris, who also earned the Medal of Honor in an unrelated incident.