Notable Figures
aRTS
Romare Bearden
Collage artist who transformed paper and paint into vivid stories of Black life, memory, music, and community, shaped in part by his Pittsburgh childhood.
George Benson
Pittsburgh-born jazz guitarist and vocalist whose smooth style, crossover hits, and virtuoso playing earned multiple Grammys and global acclaim.
Pearl S. Buck
Nobel Prize–winning author who lived in Bucks County and promoted cross-cultural understanding through literature and activism.
Kevin Hart
A comedian and actor from Philidelphia who has gained praise and recognition for his stand-up and roles in tv and film.
Tina Fey
An Upper Darby native, Fey is an actress, comedian, writer, and producer. Known for her comedic roles in sketch comedy, tv, and film.
Questlove
Philadelphia musician, producer, author, and cultural historian shaping modern music, film, and storytelling through The Roots and beyond.
Fred Rogers
From Latrobe the host of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," which ran from 1968 - 2001.
Taylor Swift
From West Reading, a singer-songwriter, who has become an influential figure in pop culture.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Gospel musician who lived in Philadelphia and influenced the sound that would become rock and roll.
Andy Warhol
Pittsburgh native who became a global pop art icon, redefining modern art and visual culture.
August Wilson
Pittsburgh-born playwright whose works chronicled Black American life through stories rooted in the Hill District.
SPORTS
Roberto Clemente
Pittsburgh Pirates legend remembered equally for athletic excellence and humanitarian service across the Americas.
Sidney Crosby
Penguins captain whose excellence on the ice helped define Pittsburgh’s modern sports era.
Joe Frazier
Heavyweight boxing champion who trained and lived in Philadelphia, embodying the city’s grit and determination.
Franco Harris
Steelers icon whose “Immaculate Reception” became one of the most famous plays in NFL history.
Jason Kelce
Philadelphia sports icon known for leadership, authenticity, and a deep connection to the city and its fans.
Mario Lemieux
Hockey superstar who made Pittsburgh home and later saved the Penguins franchise as owner.
Dawn Staley
North Philadelphia native and pioneering leader in women’s basketball as a player, coach, and mentor.
science
Rachel Carson
Springdale native whose book Silent Spring sparked the modern environmental movement and reshaped conservation policy.
Fei-Fei Li
Carnegie Mellon alum and world-leading AI researcher whose work in computer vision and human-centered artificial intelligence shapes how machines understand the world.
Grace Hopper
Earned her PhD at the University of Pennsylvania and helped pioneer early computer programming languages.
Katalin Karikó
University of Pennsylvania scientist whose mRNA research enabled life-saving vaccines and earned a Nobel Prize.
Jonas Salk
Developed the first successful polio vaccine while living and working in Pittsburgh, saving millions of lives worldwide.
Thomas Starzl
Pittsburgh transplant surgeon known as the “father of modern transplantation,” who performed the first successful liver transplants and transformed organ transplant medicine worldwide.
Drew Weissman
UPenn immunologist and Nobel laureate whose work in mRNA science changed global public health.
Daniel Hale Williams
Advanced medical training through work connected to Pennsylvania institutions and pioneered early heart surgery techniques.
industry
Andrew Carnegie
Built Pittsburgh’s steel empire, fueling America’s industrial growth and later funding libraries, education, and cultural institutions.
Henry Clay Frick
Western Pennsylvania industrialist central to coal, coke, and steel production during America’s industrial expansion.
Milton Hershey
Founded Hershey, Pennsylvania, combining industry and philanthropy into a model company town centered on community care.
George Westinghouse
Pittsburgh inventor whose work in electricity and rail systems revolutionized industry and modern infrastructure.
colonial
Benjamin Franklin
Printer, inventor, diplomat, and civic leader who shaped Philadelphia and helped define the character of a new American nation.
Robert Morris
Philadelphia merchant whose financial leadership and personal credit helped fund the Revolutionary War and sustain the Continental Army.
Thomas Paine
While living in Philadelphia, wrote Common Sense, the pamphlet that inspired colonists to pursue full independence from Britain.
Betsy Ross
Philadelphia upholsterer traditionally credited with sewing the first American flag, a lasting symbol of national unity.
civil rights
W.E.B Du Bois
Taught and researched at the University of Pennsylvania, advancing scholarship and early civil rights thought.
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
Writer, lecturer, and activist who lived in Pennsylvania and advocated for abolition, civil rights, and women’s suffrage.
Mary Harris Jones
Known as “Mother Jones,” organized Pennsylvania miners and became a national symbol of labor rights and worker advocacy.
Lucretia Mott
Quaker minister, abolitionist, and women’s rights advocate whose Philadelphia activism advanced equality and social reform.
Culinary Arts
Leah Lizarondo
Founder of 412 Food Rescue, transforming Pittsburgh through sustainability, technology, and community-driven food access.
Michael Solomonov
Award-winning chef whose Philadelphia restaurants helped establish the city as one of America’s premier food destinations.
Marc Vetri
Influential Philadelphia restaurateur whose culinary leadership elevated the city’s national dining reputation.








































