Top 20 Most Influential People in Missouri | Social Media Handles

Some people gain influence through making newsworthy announcements or divisive opinions that garner a lot of attention. Others, however, exert influence by putting in the effort and getting the work done. If you are searching for the most influential people in Missouri, our list comprises the latter.

It may surprise you to know that some of your idols and famous activists, actors, artists, authors, poets, cartoonists, sports, and business people were born in Missouri.

If you are from Missouri, here are the legends who were also born on your list. Now, to our list of the most famous people in Missouri.

What You Need to Know About Missouri

Missouri state is located in the American Midwest. The states of Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska are its neighbors, and its capital is Jefferson City.

Missouri’s culture combines aspects of Southern and Midwestern American culture. Ragtime, Kansas City jazz, and St. Louis blues are among the musical genres that originated in this region. Kansas City-style barbecue, which is well-known.

Missouri has more neighboring states than any other U.S. state, with the exception of Tennessee.

Also, see: 17 Most Influential People in Nevada

What are the Most Influential People in Missouri?

Here are our top picks of the most influential people the state of Missouri has ever produced:

1. Eminem – Rapper

Born Marshall Bruce Mathers III on October 17, 1972, and popularly known as Eminem, he is one of the most influential people in Missouri.

Also, he doubles as an American rapper, acclaimed as one of the greatest of all time since rap, and has been credited with popularizing the hip-hop music genre in middle America.

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Also, see Eminem Net Worth (Updated 2022)

2. Jack Dorsey – Co-Founder & Former CEO of Twitter

Born Jack Patrick Dorsey on November 19, 1976, and popularly known as Jack Dorsey, he is a philanthropist, an American programmer, and an Internet Entrepreneur.

He doubles as the founder as well as the principal executive officer of a financial payments company, Block, Inc.

Also, he is the co-founder and the former CEO of Twitter, Inc and he is one of the most influential people in Missouri.

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Also, you may want to see this: How Does Twitter Make Money: Twitter’s Business Model

3. Akon – Musician

Born Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam on April 16, 1973, and popularly known as Akon, he is one of the famous people in Missouri.

He is famous for being one of the top Senegalese-American singers and record producers. Also, he doubles as an entrepreneur.

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4. Dale Carnegie – Self-Help Writer, Motivational Guru, Public Speaker

Born Dale Carnegie on November 24, 1888, and died on November 1, 1955, at the age of 67, Dale Carnegie was a famous American writer and lecturer.

He also doubled as a course developer in public speaking and interpersonal skills, corporate training, self-improvement, and salesmanship.

He authored the books How to Win Friends and Influence People, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, and Lincoln the Unknown. Also, he is one of the most influential people in Missouri.

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Also, see: Top 12 Most Influential People in North Dakota | Social Media Handles 2022

5. Brad Pitt – Actor

William Bradley Pitt was born on December 18, 1963, and he is one of the most influential people in Missouri. He is an American actor and film producer.

Also, he doubles as the co-founder of  Plan B Entertainment, a production company that has produced various films including 12 Years a Slave, The Departed, and Moonlight.

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6. Maya Angelou – Author, Civil rights activist, Poet

Born Marguerite Annie Johnson on April 4, 1928, and popularly known as Maya Angelou, she was an American memoirist, a civil rights activist, an author, and a poet.

She published 7 biographies, several books of poetry, and 3 books of essays, and she is credited with a list of movies, television shows, and plays spanning over 50 years.

She is one of the most influential people in Missouri and she is best famous for her series of seven autobiographies I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.

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Also, see: Top 15 Most Influential People In Tennessee | Social Media Handles 2022

7. Joyce Meyer – Author

Born Pauline Joyce Meyer on June 4, 1943, and popularly known as Joyce Meyer, she is the president of Joyce Meyer Ministries, a speaker, and an American Charismatic Christian author. She is one of the influential people in Missouri.

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Also, see: Joyce Meyer Net Worth 2022 | Biography, Income, Career, Cars

8. George Washington Carver – Agricultural Scientist

Born George Washington Carver in 1864, he died on January 5, 1943, at the age of 79. He is one of the famous people in Missouri. He was an American agricultural scientist and was credited as the most prominent black scientist of the early 20th century, according to Wikipedia.

Also, he doubles as the inventor that pushed for alternative crops to cotton as well as methods to prevent soil depletion.

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9. Sterling K. Brown – Actor

Born Sterling Kelby Brown on April 5, 1976, and popularly known as Sterling K. Brown, he is one of the most famous people in Missouri.

He is an American actor and has been listed in  Time magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People of 2018.

He has played  Christopher Darden in the FX series The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story and plays Randall Pearson in the NBC drama series This Is Us.

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You Should Also Read: Top 20 Most Influential People In Utah | Social Media Handles 2022

10. Langston Hughes – Poet, Playwright

Born James Mercer Langston Hughes on February 1, 1901, he died on May 22, 1967, at the age of 66. He was/is popularly known as Langston Hughes, and he is one of the most influential people in Missouri.

He was an American poet, playwright, novelist, social activist, and columnist. Also, he doubles as one of the earliest innovators and promoters of literary art, jazz poetry. He is also widely recognized as the founder of the Harlem Renaissance. He is also notable for having written about the time when “the Negro was in vogue,” which was eventually translated as “when Harlem was in vogue.”

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11. Kevin Kline – Actor

Born Kevin Delaney Kline on October 24, 1947, and popularly known as Kevin Kline, he is one of the most influential people in Missouri. He is an American actor and has won three Tony Awards and an Academy Award.

He has also been nominated for five Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and two British Academy Film Awards. Kline was admitted to the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 2003.

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Also, see: What Is Matt Leblanc Net Worth:| Matt Leblanc Tv Shows 2022

12. Candace Parker – Basketball Player

Born Candace Nicole Parker on April 19, 1986, and popularly known as Candace Parker, She represents the Chicago Sky of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a professional basketball player.

She was picked as the first overall choice in the 2008 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks. [1]

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You Might Want to Read: 15 Highest Paid College Basketball Coaches | Best Countries

13. Kate Spade – Fashion Designer – Kate Spade New York

Born Katherine Noel Brosnahan on December 24, 1962, professionally known as Katherine Noel Valentine Brosnahan Spade and popularly known as Kate Spade, she died on June 5, 2018, at the age of 56.

She was a businessman and fashion designer from the United States. The designer company Kate Spade New York was founded and co-owned by her.

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14. Michael Chandler – Mixed Martial Artist

This great wrestler, Michael Chandler was born on April 24, 1986, and he is one of the most influential people in Missouri.

He is a trained mixed martial artist from the United States. He currently fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s Lightweight category (UFC).

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Also, see: Matt Chandler Net Worth 2022 | Biography, Income, Career, Cars

15. Eddie Griffin – Actor

Born Edward Rubin Griffin on July 15, 1968, and popularly known as Eddie Griffin, he is an actor and comedian from America.

He is most known for playing Tiberius Jefferson “T.J.” Hicks in Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, and Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo, as well as Eddie Sherman in the sitcom Malcolm & Eddie and the main role in the comedy film Undercover Brother.

Also, he also played Richard Pryor on Black Dynamite and as Orpheus in Scary Movie 3 (2003). (2012–2015). On Comedy Central’s selection of the 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time, Griffin came in at number 62.

Eddie Griffin Social Media Handles

Also, see: Eddie Murphy Net Worth 2022 | Biography, Income, Career, Cars.

16. Walt Disney – Cartoonist

Born Walter Elias Disney on December 15, 1901, and popularly known as Walt Disney, he was an American cartoonist, producer, and businessman.

He contributed various innovations to the cartoon production process as a pioneer of the American Animation Business.

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17. Mark Twain – Writer

Born Samuel Langhorne Clemens on November 30,1835, and popularly known as Mark Twain, he was a writer, humorist, businessman, publisher, and lecturer from the United States.

William Faulkner referred to him as “the father of American literature,” and he was hailed as the “greatest humorist the United States has produced.”

He wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and its sequel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the latter of which has been dubbed the “Great American Novel” several times.

He died on April 21, 1910 at the age of 75 and he is one of the most famous people in Missouri.

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Also, see: Venus Williams Net Worth 2022 | Biography, Income, Career, Cars

18. Misty Copeland – Ballet Dancer

Born Misty Danielle Copeland on September 10, 1982, and popularly known as Misty Copeland, she is one of the most influential people in Missouri. She performs with American Ballet Theatre (ABT), one of the top three classical ballet companies in the country. She is an American ballet dancer.

In the 75-year history of ABT, Copeland’s promotion to the principal dancer on June 30, 2015, made her the first African American woman to hold the position.

Misty Copeland Social Media Handles

19. Jon Hamm – Actor

Born Jonathan Daniel Hamm on March 10, 1971, and popularly known as Jon Hamm, he is an American actor and one of the most influential people in Missouri.

He gained fame from playing Don Draper in the period drama television series Mad Men for which he received two Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series, the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, and two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama.

Jon Hamm Social Media Handles

Also, see: Johnny Sins’ Net Worth

20. Andy Cohen – Actor

Born Andrew Joseph Cohen on June 2, 1968, and is popularly known as Andy Cohen, he is also one of the most famous people in Missouri.

He is a writer, producer, and host of discussion shows on American radio and television. Andy Cohen serves as both the presenter and executive producer of Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live!

He also hosts Radio Andy, a pop culture station on Sirius XM. Twice every week, he and John Hill co-host a two-hour live broadcast.

Andy Cohen Social Media Handles

Conclusion

It may surprise you to know how many of the world’s top celebrities were and is from Missouri.

From the long list of the most influential people in Missouri running into many hundreds, we have listed the top 20 we feel you may be surprised to know they were from or were born in Missouri.

We hope you enjoyed running through the list.

FAQs

References

• sos.mo.gov – Some Famous Missourians
• journeyz.co – Most Famous People from Missouri
• theculturetrip.com – Celebrities You Didn’t Know Were From Missouri
• Britannica.com – Missouri
• Wikipedia.com – Missouri

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