Richmond has been home to numerous influential figures across history, sports, arts, and politics.
* **Arthur Ashe**: Legendary tennis champion, civil rights activist, and the first Black man to win Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open. * **Maggie L. Walker**: Civil rights activist and the first African American woman to charter a bank and serve as its president in the US. * **Edgar Allan Poe**: The famed poet and author spent much of his childhood and early career in Richmond. * **L. Douglas Wilder**: The first African American elected as governor of a U.S. state, who also served as Mayor of Richmond. * **Shirley MacLaine & Warren Beatty**: Award-winning sibling actors and filmmakers who were raised in Richmond. * **D'Angelo**: Grammy-winning R&B and neo-soul singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. * **Tom Wolfe**: Celebrated author and journalist known for *The Right Stuff* and pioneering New Journalism. * **Dave Brockie**: Musician and founder of the theatrical heavy metal band GWAR, which was formed in Richmond.