Famous People Born in New York a to z

In 1951, Barbara Johns led her fellow students in a walkout to protest school segregation. She then started a lawsuit that became part of Brown v. Board of Ed.

African American musician Rick James was a popular performer in the late 1970s and is best known for hits such as "Super Freak", "Mary Jane" and "You and I".

June Jordan was an African American author who investigated both social and personal concerns through poetry, essays, and drama.

Michael Jordan is a former American basketball player who led the Bulls to six national championships and earned the NBA Most Valuable Player Award five times.

Entertainer, author and famous transsexual Christine Jorgensen, made headlines in the early 1950s for having a sex change from a man to a woman.

William Joyce is best known for his involvement in the British Fascist Party during World War II and immigrating to Nazi Germany.

Judith Sheindlin, or Judge Judy as she is known, is a no-nonsense courtroom presence on the TV show Judge Judy.

First female politician,attorney to serve as solicitor general of the United States of America.

Industrialist Henry J. Kaiser capitalized on U.S. mobilization for WWII and grew his ship building company into a multi-billion dollar corporation.

American fashion designer Donna Karan is one of the most influential designers in the world today.

Believe it or not, comedian Andy Kaufman was banned from Saturday Night Live, but beloved for his portrayal of Latka Gravas on the sitcom Taxi.

Actor and comedian Danny Kaye was enormously popular across stage, radio, TV and movie venues for his singing, dancing, impersonations and improvisations.

Harvey Keitel is best known for his work with director Martin Scorsese in the films Mean Streets and Taxi Driver.

The geometric paintings and sculptures of abstract artist Ellsworth Kelly are influenced by the avant-garde movement, including work by Henri Matisse.

Writer, editor, and lawyer Caroline Kennedy is the only surviving child of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

Carolyn Bessette Kennedy married John F. Kennedy Jr. and was considered a trendsetter and fashion icon. She died in a small plane crash in 1999.

American composer Jerome Kern penned the scores to several wildly successful Broadway musicals including Show Boat, which was later performed by the New York Philharmonic.

Alicia Keys is a multiple Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter whose debut album, Songs in A Minor, went platinum five times over.

Television personality and comedian Jimmy Kimmel hosted Comedy Central's game show, Win Ben Stein's Money, and the late night talk show late Jimmy Kimmel Live.

American singer and songwriter Carole King has written or co-written over 400 songs that have been recorded by more than 1,000 artists.

In addition to his career of talk show host on Larry King Live, Larry King has appeared as himself in several movies and television shows.

Fashion designer Calvin Klein is known for his line of menswear and womenswear. He also designs home collections, fragrances and cosmetics.

Alan King was a Jewish-American stand-up comedian who honed his skills in vaudeville, and went on to perform a number of memorable film and television roles.

Ed Koch was an outspoken attorney, author and media commentator who was the mayor of New York City from 1977 to 1989.

Jewish-American baseball pitcher Sandy Koufax starred for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers before elbow arthritis forced an early retirement.

Modernist abstract painter and collage artist Lee Krasner, wife of Jackson Pollock, created the Little Image painting series and the multimedia collage "Milkweed."

Grammy Award-winning rock musician Lenny Kravitz made the albums Let Love Rule, Mama Said and Are You Gonna Go My Way. He's also acted in such films as Precious and The Hunger Games.

Stanley Kubrick was an American filmmaker best known for directing Dr. Strangelove, Clockwork Orange, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining and Full Metal Jacket.

Steve Lacy was a jazz soprano saxophonist known for his work with Thelonius Monk and other jazz greats.

Pop icon Lady Gaga's debut album The Fame included hits "Just Dance" and "Poker Face." Her follow-up, The Fame Monster, was nominated for six Grammys.

Michael Landon was an American actor, writer, director and producer known for his roles in I Was a Teenage Werewolf, Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie.

Estée Lauder started her own beauty company in 1946. Her business, which includes such product lines as Estée Lauder, MAC Cosmetics and Clinique, continues to thrive to this day.

Cyndi Lauper is an American singer-songwriter who rose to fame in the 1980s with a string of pop hits such as "Girls Just Want to Have Fun."

Ralph Lauren is an American clothing designer best known for his sportswear line, Polo Ralph Lauren, which is the centerpiece of his fashion empire.

Stan Lee is a revered comic-book creator who co-launched superheroes like the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange and the X-Men for Marvel Comics.

Jay Leno is the late-night talk show host of The Tonight Show. Fallon announced plans to exit the long-running series in April 2013.

Melissa Leo is an American actress best known for her Academy Award-winning performance in the 2010 film The Fighter.

Actor Len Lesser played Uncle Leo on the sitcom Seinfeld. He also co-starred with Hollywood legends Steve McQueen, Robert DeNiro and Clint Eastwood.

Author Ira Levin wrote some of the gripping novels of the 1960s and 1970s, including Rosemary's Baby and The Boys from Brazil.

Helen Levitt was a photographer, film editor and director known for her captivating portraits of New York urban life.

Al Lewis was an entertainer who was best known for his role as Grandpa, the elderly vampire in a family of monsters, in the 1964 sitcom The Munsters.

Since co-founding Essence magazine, Edward T. Lewis has become one of the most successful and respected magazine publishers in the country.

The first professional African-American and Native-American sculptor, Edmonia Lewis earned critical praise for work that explored religious and classical themes.

Angst-ridden and neurotic, Richard Lewis turned his private pain into a comic persona that served him as a standup comedian and versatile actor, adding author to his credits when he penned a memoir of struggling with sobriety.

Shari Lewis was the host of Lamb Chop's Play-Along, which aired on PBS from 1992 to 1997, and received several Emmy Awards.

Roy Lichtenstein was an American pop artist best known for his boldly-colored parodies of comic strips and advertisements.

John Lindsay was a U.S. congressman and was the mayor of New York City during the 1960s. He is known for his "ghetto walks" and clashes with labor groups.

Laura Linney is an American actress known for performances in such films as Lorenzo's Oil and Hyde Park on Hudson, and for her starring role on the television series The Big C.

Equally versed in comedy and drama, John Lithgow has won raves for his work in World According to Garp, 3rd Rock from the Sun, and Dexter.

Lucy Liu is a TV and film actress known for her work on Ally McBeal and in the Charlie's Angels films.

Ryan Lochte is an American swimmer who has won 11 Olympic medals in the sport, including five golds.

Activist and lawyer Belva Lockwood was the first woman to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Lindsay Lohan is an actress and pop singer who starred in the film Mean Girls and in the TV movie Liz & Dick.

Vince Lombardi was an NFL coach, notably for the Green Bay Packers, a team he led to five championships.

Actress and singer Jennifer Lopez is one of Hollywood’s leading ladies who’s also forged a successful pop and dance music career.

Audre Lorde wrote the poetry collections From a Land Where Other People Live (1973) and The Black Unicorn (1978), as well as memoirs like A Burst of Light (1988).

Actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus is best known for playing Elaine on the sitcom Seinfeld. She has also starred on The New Adventures of Old Christine, and the HBO TV series Veep.

Linda Lovelace is a pornographic actress who had instant success with the 1972 film Deep Throat.

Susan Lucci is an American actress, best known for portraying Erica Kane on the daytime drama All My Children.

Former teen heartthrob beloved for his role in The Karate Kid, actor Ralph Macchio has appeared in movies, theater and on television. He is also a producer.      

New York physician Jeffrey MacDonald was convicted in 1979 for murdering his pregnant wife and two daughters, but questions remain about his guilt.

Bernard Madoff was a stockbrocker who ran his multibillion-dollar firm as a grand scale Ponzi scheme. He is currently serving a 150-year prison sentence.

Taj Mahal is a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and guitarist. His music blends various folk traditions and was influential in the creation of the world music genre.

Alfred Thayer Mahan was an American naval officer and historian who was an exponent of sea power in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Bill Maher is an American comedian, talk show host and political commentator.

Bernard Malamud was an American writer known for his novels and short stories of the Jewish-American life in the first half of the 20th century.

Barry Manilow made the whole world sing with his 1970s hits "I Write the Songs," "Mandy" and "Copacabana (At the Copa)."

Herman J. Mankiewicz was a journalist and screenwriter who won an Academy Award for his work on the film Citizen Kane.

Robert Mapplethorpe, recognized as a giant of late 20th century photography, is best known for his large-scale, highly stylized black and white portraits.

Although she had roles in the remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street and The Social Network, Rooney Mara gained mainstream success when she played heroine Lisbeth Salander in the American version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011). 

Philip Markoff answered a Craigslist ad for massage services, met a masseuse/former call girl, and killed her, becoming known as the "Craigslist killer."

Garry Marshall produced some of the most popular television shows in the 1970s, including The Odd Couple and Mork and Mindy. He also directed Pretty Woman.