Dearborn is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, United States. It is a city near Detroit, located to the north and east of Detroit, about 7 miles (11.3 km) west of downtown Detroit. According to the 2020 census, Dearborn had a population of 109,976, making it the seventh-largest city in Michigan. Dearborn is most famous for being the home of the Ford Motor Company and its founder, Henry Ford.

The first written record of a settlement in Dearborn dates back to the 18th century, when French Canadian explorers named the area La Belle Fontaine or Place aux Fontaines because of the many springs in the region. The name Springwells was later used as an English version of the French name. The settlement was connected to farming areas near the Detroit River, the Rouge River, and the Sauk Trail. The community grew in the 19th century with the opening of the Detroit Arsenal on the Chicago Road, which linked Detroit to Chicago. In the 20th century, Dearborn became a major center for car manufacturing.

Henry Ford was born on a farm where Ford Road and Greenfield Road now meet. Later, he built his home, Fair Lane, and his River Rouge Complex, the largest factory in his company, in Dearborn. He developed a system to make cars quickly and efficiently, and he placed the headquarters of the Ford Motor Company in the city. Dearborn is home to a campus of the University of Michigan and Henry Ford College. The Henry Ford museum is the largest historic museum in the United States and a top tourist attraction in Metro Detroit.

Most people in Dearborn are American citizens with European or Middle Eastern backgrounds, many of whom are descendants of immigrants who moved to the area in the 19th and 20th centuries. The census lists the largest European groups as German, Polish, Irish, and Italian. In the late 20th century, many immigrants came from the Middle East, mostly Muslims and a smaller number of Christians from Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. Dearborn has the largest Muslim population compared to other cities in the United States and the largest mosque in North America. In 2023, a survey found that 55% of Dearborn residents identified as having Middle Eastern or North African ancestry, making it the first Arab-majority city in the United States.

History

Before European settlers arrived, the area had been home to many groups of First Nations people for thousands of years. Most of the historical tribes in the region spoke languages from the Algonquian family, including the Council of Three Fires, the Potawatomi, and related groups. In contrast, the Huron (Wyandot) people spoke an Iroquoian language. French colonists built a trading post at Fort Detroit and started a settlement there during the colonial period. Another settlement grew on the south side of the Detroit River in what is now southwestern Ontario, near a Huron mission village. French and French-Canadian settlers also established farms in Dearborn during this time. In 1763, France gave up all its land east of the Mississippi River in North America to Great Britain after losing the Seven Years' War.

After the United States won independence in the American Revolutionary War, European Americans began moving to the region in 1786, settling in Detroit and the Dearborn area. As the population grew, Dearborn Township was created in 1833, and the village of Dearbornville was formed in 1836. Both were named after Henry Dearborn, a general in the American Revolution who later became Secretary of War under President Thomas Jefferson. The Town of Dearborn became an official city in 1893. For much of the 19th century, the area was mostly rural and relied on farming.

Industrial growth in Detroit and within the city itself led to Dearborn becoming a city in 1927. Its current boundaries were set in 1928 when Dearborn and the neighboring town of Fordson (formerly Springwells) merged. Fordson wanted to avoid being absorbed into Detroit as it expanded.

According to historian James W. Loewen in his book Sundown Towns (2005), Dearborn discouraged African Americans from living in the city. In the early 1900s, both white and Black people moved to Detroit for factory jobs. Over time, some residents moved to the suburbs. Many people in Dearborn were proud of the saying, "The sun never set on a Negro in Dearborn." Orville Hubbard, the segregationist mayor of Dearborn from 1942 to 1978, claimed it was "against the law for a Negro to live in his suburb." In the mid-1950s, he told the Montgomery Advertiser, "Negroes can't get in here. Every time we hear of a Negro moving in, we respond quicker than you do to a fire."

The area between Dearborn and Fordson was once farmland and remains partly undeveloped. Much of this land was purchased by Henry Ford for his estate, Fair Lane, and for the Ford Motor Company’s headquarters. Later developments in this area included the Ford Airport (later renamed the Dearborn Proving Grounds) and other Ford offices and facilities.

Recent additions to the area include The Henry Ford (a museum and reconstructed historic village), the Henry Ford Centennial Library, the Fairlane Town Center (a large shopping mall), and the Ford Performing Arts Center. Open land in the area is planted with sunflowers and soybeans, a crop Henry Ford enjoyed. These crops are not harvested.

The Arab American National Museum (AANM) opened in 2005 and is the first museum in the world dedicated to Arab American history and culture. Arab Americans in Dearborn include descendants of Lebanese Christians who arrived in the early 1900s to work in the auto industry and more recent immigrants from other Arab countries, many of whom are Muslim.

On February 2, 2024, the Wall Street Journal published an opinion article titled "Welcome to Dearborn, America's Jihad Capital," claiming there were many supporters of Islamic extremism in the area. Mayor Abdullah Hammoud said the article was unfair and led to more online hate speech against the city’s residents. In response, he increased police patrols.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 24.5 square miles (63 km²), of which 24.4 square miles (63 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.26 km²) (0.37%) is water. The city developed on both sides of the Rouge River. A man-made waterfall and low-head dam were built by Henry Ford on his estate to power his factory. The Upper, Middle, and Lower Branches of the river meet in Dearborn. The river is widened and redirected near the Rouge Plant to allow large ships to travel through.

Fordson Island (42°17′38″N 83°08′52″W / 42.29389°N 83.14778°W / 42.29389; -83.14778) is an 8.4-acre (3.4-hectare) island located about three miles (5 km) upriver on the River Rouge from where it joins the Detroit River. It is the only major island in a tributary of the Detroit River. The island was created in 1922 when engineers dug a second channel to redirect the River Rouge, making it easier for large ships to travel. The island is privately owned, has no public access, and is part of the city of Dearborn, which does not have a direct shoreline along the Detroit River.

Dearborn is one of a few cities that own land in other cities. It owns Camp Dearborn, a 626-acre (2.53 km²) property in Milford, Michigan, located 35 miles (56 km) from Dearborn. For a time, the city also owned the Dearborn Towers apartment complex in Clearwater, Florida, but it has since sold this property. Camp Dearborn is considered part of the city of Dearborn. Money earned from camp admissions is added to the city’s budget.

Demographics

In 2020, 54.5% of the population reported Middle Eastern or North African ancestry. The most reported detailed ancestries were:
• Lebanese (20.7%)
• Yemeni (13.2%)
• Arab (8.6%)
• German (8.2%)
• Irish (7.6%)
• English (6.4%)
• Polish (6%)
• Iraqi (4.5%)
• Italian (3.7%)
• African American (2.7%)

As of the 2010 census, the population of Dearborn was 98,153. The racial and ethnic composition was 89.1% White, 4.0% Black or African-American, 0.2% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 0.2% Non-Hispanic of some other race, 4.0% reporting two or more races, and 3.4% Hispanic or Latino. 41.7% were of Arab ancestry (categorized as "White" in Census data).

In the 2000 census, 61.9% spoke only English at home, 29.3% spoke Arabic, 1.9% Spanish, and 1.5% Polish. There were 36,770 households, out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65, and the average family size was 3.42.

In the city, 27.8% of the population was under the age of 18, 8.3% was from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 19.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $44,560, and the median income for a family was $53,060. Males had a median income of $45,114 versus $33,872 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,488. About 12.2% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.4% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 and over.

As of the 2012 estimate, Dearborn's population was thought to have fallen to 96,474, a decrease of 1.7% since 2010. Over the same period, SEMCOG, the local statistics agency of Metro Detroit Council of Governments, estimated the city to have grown to 99,001, or an increase of 1.2% since 2000. SEMCOG's July 2014 estimate listed Dearborn with a population of 102,566.

Dearborn has a large community of descendants of ethnic Europeans who arrived as immigrants from the mid-19th into the 20th centuries. Their ancestors generally first settled in Detroit: Irish, German, Italians, and Polish. It is also a center of Maltese American settlement, from the Mediterranean island of Malta. Also attracted to jobs in the auto industry, some were among immigrant Maltese who first settled in Corktown.

The city has a small African-American population, many of whose ancestors came to the area from the rural South during the Great Migration of the early twentieth century.

The city's population includes 40,000 Arab Americans. Per the 2000 census, Arab Americans totaled 29,181 or 29.85% of Dearborn's population; many are descendants of families who have been in the city since the early 20th century. The city has the largest proportion of Arab Americans in the United States and has been called the "Capital of Arab America." As of 2006, Dearborn had the largest Lebanese American population in the United States.

The first Arab immigrants came in the early-to-mid-20th century to work in the automotive industry and were chiefly Christians from Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria. Other immigrants from the Middle East, such as Assyrians, have also immigrated to the area. Since then, immigrants from Yemen, Iraq, and Palestine, most of whom are Muslim, have joined them. Lebanese Americans comprise the largest group of ethnic Arabs. The Arab Muslim community has built the Islamic Center of America, serving the Arab Shia Muslim community, and the American Moslem Society, serving the Arab Sunni Muslim community. More Iraqi refugees have come, fleeing the continued war in their country since 2003.

Warren Avenue has become the commercial center of the Arab-American community. The Arab American National Museum is located in Dearborn. The museum was opened in January 2005 to celebrate the Arab-American community's history, culture, and contributions to the United States.

In the 2019 U.S. Census estimates, the largest ethnic group were Lebanese Americans, and the second largest were Yemeni Americans. In

Economy

The main office of Ford Motor Company is located in Dearborn. The Dearborn campus includes many places where research, testing, finance, and some manufacturing happen. Ford Land manages the many properties owned by Ford, such as selling and renting space to other businesses, like the Fairlane Town Center shopping mall. DFCU Financial, the biggest credit union in Michigan, was started to help Ford and related company employees.

One of the largest employers in Dearborn is Oakwood Healthcare System, which is now part of Beaumont Health. Other important employers include car parts companies like Visteon, schools such as Henry Ford College, and museums like The Henry Ford. Other businesses with headquarters in Dearborn are Carhartt (clothing), Eppinger (fishing lures), AAA Michigan (insurance), and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers.

According to the city's 2022 financial report, the biggest employers in the city are:

Education

The University of Michigan–Dearborn and Henry Ford College are located in Dearborn on Evergreen Road and are next to each other. Central Michigan University offers classes in Dearborn. Career training schools include Kaplan Career Institute.

Dearborn residents, along with a small part of Dearborn Heights residents, attend Dearborn Public Schools. The school system has 34 schools, including major high schools such as Fordson High School, Dearborn High School, and Edsel Ford High School. The public schools serve over 18,000 students in the fourth-largest school district in the state.

Private schools in Dearborn include Divine Child High School and Elementary School. The high school is the largest private coed high school in the area. Henry Ford Academy is a charter high school located in Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum. Another charter secondary school is Advanced Technology Academy. Dearborn Schools operated Clara B. Ford High School inside Vista Maria, a non-profit residential treatment agency for girls in Dearborn Heights. Clara B. Ford High School became a charter school in the 2007–08 school year.

A small part of the city is within the Westwood Community School District. The areas of Dearborn in this district are zoned for industrial and commercial uses.

The Islamic Center of America operates the Muslim American Youth Academy (MAYA), an Islamic elementary and middle school.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit operates Sacred Heart Elementary School. It previously operated St. Alphonsus School in Dearborn. In 2003, the archdiocese closed St. Alphonsus High School, and in 2005, it closed St. Alphonsus Elementary School.

Global Educational Excellence operates multiple charter schools in Dearborn: Riverside Academy Early Childhood Center, Riverside Academy East Campus (K-5), and Riverside Academy West Campus (6–12).

Dearborn Christian School closed in 2014.

Dearborn Public Library includes the Henry Ford Centennial Library, which is the main library, and the Bryant and Esper branches.

Dearborn's first public library opened in 1924 at the building now known as the Bryant Branch. This was the main library until the Ford library opened in 1969. In 1970, the Mason building became a branch library. The library was renamed in 1977 after Katharine Wright Bryant, who helped plan the library and supported its creation.

In April 1963, Ford Motor Company gave the City of Dearborn $3 million to build a library as a memorial to Henry Ford. The company provided 15.3 acres of land for the library on July 30, 1963, the 100th anniversary of Henry Ford’s birth. The Ford Foundation later gave the library an additional $500,000 for supplies and equipment. The library was dedicated on November 25, 1969. Originally, only the library had offices in the building, but in 1979, the library gave the western side’s meeting rooms to the City of Dearborn Health Department.

The Esper Branch, the smallest branch, is located in the Arab residential quarter of the city. It was dedicated on October 12, 1953. Originally named the Warren Branch, it replaced the Northeast Branch, which opened in a storefront in 1944. In October 1961, it was renamed after city councilman Anthony M. Esper.

Between 1934 and 1943, during and after the Great Depression, the Section of Painting and Sculpture (later called the Section of Fine Arts) of the Treasury Department commissioned murals for federal public buildings in the United States. These often showed local history. In 1938, artist Rainey Bennett painted an oil-on-canvas mural for the federal post offices in Dearborn titled Ten Eyck's Tavern on Chicago Road.

Sports facilities include the Dearborn Ice Skating Center and the Dearborn Civic Center.

Transportation

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, offers train service to Dearborn. It runs the Wolverine train three times a day in both directions between Chicago, Illinois, and Pontiac, passing through Detroit. Passengers cannot check luggage at this location; however, up to two suitcases, along with personal items like briefcases, purses, laptop bags, and infant equipment, may be carried onboard as carry-ons. There is one train stop in Dearborn: the John D. Dingell Transit Center. Amtrak operates on the Michigan Department of Transportation Michigan Line, which runs from Dearborn to Kalamazoo, Michigan. Additional rail lines, including CSX Transportation’s Detroit Subdivision, Canadian National Railway/Grand Trunk Western Railroad’s Dearborn Subdivision, and Conrail Shared Assets’ Junction Yard Running Track, also pass through Dearborn. Most freight traffic on these tracks is connected to the automotive industry.

Dearborn is served by buses from the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) and the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART).

From 1924 to 1947, Ford Airport was located in Dearborn. It had the world’s first concrete runway and provided the first scheduled passenger service in the United States.

In March 2021, SMART Flex, an on-demand public transit service, was launched in partnership with Via Transportation. SMART Flex allows residents and workers in Dearborn, Troy, the Hall Road corridor between Utica and New Baltimore, Pontiac/Auburn Hills, and Farmington/Farmington Hills to book rides using the SMART Flex app.

Arts and culture

• Arab American National Museum
• Automotive Hall of Fame
• The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village
• Fair Lane Estate
• Dearborn Historical Museum
• The Stamelos Gallery at the University of Michigan Dearborn Mardigan Library
• The Alfred Berkowitz Gallery at the University of Michigan Dearborn Mardigan Library

• Crowley Park and Field
• Ford Field Park
• Ford Woods Park
• Hemlock Park
• Levagood Park
• Lapeer Park
• Rouge Gateway Park and Trail

• Ford Community and Performing Arts Center
• Ford-Wyoming Drive-In

• Edward Hotel and Convention Center
• Henry Ford II World Center
• Ford World Headquarters
• Ford Homes Historic District
• Islamic Center of America

Several buildings were designed by architect Albert Kahn for Henry Ford.

• Dearborn Inn
• Ford Engineering Laboratory
• Ford River Rouge Complex

Government

Dearborn uses a mayor-council type of government. In 2021, the Mayor of the City of Dearborn was Abdullah Hammoud. The City Clerk was George T. Darany. The City Council President was Michael T. Sareini.

The Dearborn City Hall Complex was built in 1922 and was used until 2014, when government work moved to the new Dearborn Administrative Center. The old city hall was changed by Artspace Projects to keep affordable and sustainable spaces for artists and arts organizations.

Politics

Dearborn has usually voted for the Democratic Party.

In 2016, Bernie Sanders received the most votes in the Muslim and Arab areas of Dearborn during the Democratic Party's primary elections.

In the 2020 U.S. presidential election, 68.8% of voters in Dearborn chose Joe Biden, and 29.9% chose Donald Trump.

In 2021, Niraj Warikoo of the Detroit Free Press wrote that Yemeni Americans in Dearborn wanted to have more influence in city government.

In the 2022 Michigan elections, east Dearborn (a mainly Arab and Muslim area) showed more support for the Republican Party because of political debates about LGBTQ+ materials in schools. According to Niraj Warikoo of The Detroit News, "Democrats still won the city overall by a comfortable margin."

In the 2024 Michigan Democratic presidential primary, the Uncommitted option received the most votes in Dearborn, Hamtramck, and Dearborn Heights. These cities have many Arab American and Muslim residents who protested against Biden's actions in the Gaza war.

Before the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Mayor Abdullah Hammoud did not support President Joe Biden's re-election because of the government's actions in the Gaza war. In that election, 42.48% of voters in Dearborn chose Donald Trump, 36.26% chose Kamala Harris, and 18.37% chose Jill Stein of the Green Party. Trump became the first Republican to win the city since the 2000 presidential election.

Media

The newspapers in the metropolitan area are The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press. The Dearborn & Dearborn Heights Press and Guide provides local news for Dearborn and the nearby Dearborn Heights. The Arab American News is published in the city of Dearborn.

Timeline

• 1603 – French people claim an unknown area in this region and call it New France.
• July 24, 1701 – Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and his soldiers arrive for the first time at what is now Detroit.
• November 29, 1760 – The British take control of the area from France.
• 1780 – Pierre Dumais clears land for a farm near what later becomes Morningside Street in Dearborn's South End.

• 1783 – The Treaty of Paris ends the American Revolutionary War. Great Britain gives territory south of the Great Lakes to the United States, but the British keep practical control of the Detroit area and other settlements until 1797.
• 1786 – The year when the first permanent settler arrives in present-day Dearborn.
• 1787 – The US government officially creates the Northwest Territory, which includes land north and west of the Ohio River.
• December 26, 1791 – The area around Detroit becomes part of Kent County, Ontario.
• 1795 – James Cissne becomes the first settler in what is now west Dearborn.
• 1796 – Wayne County is formed by the acting governor of the Northwest Territory. Its original area covers 2 million square miles, stretching from Cleveland, Ohio, to Chicago, Illinois, and northwest to Canada.
• May 7, 1800 – The Indiana Territory is created from part of the Northwest Territory. However, the eastern half of Michigan, including the Dearborn area, is not included in Indiana Territory until Ohio becomes a state in 1803.
• January 11, 1805 – The Michigan Territory is officially created from part of the Indiana Territory.
• June 11, 1805 – A fire destroys most of Detroit.
• November 15, 1815 – The current boundaries of Wayne County are drawn, and the county is divided into 18 townships.
• January 5, 1818 – Springwells Township is established by Gov. Lewis Cass.
• October 23, 1824 – Bucklin Township is created by Gov. Lewis Cass. The area runs from Greenfield to approximately Haggerty and from Van Born to Eight Mile.
• 1826 – Conrad Ten Eyck builds Ten Eyck Tavern at Michigan Avenue and Rouge River.
• 1827 – Wayne County's boundaries change to its current size of 615 square miles.
• April 12, 1827 – Springwells and Bucklin townships are officially organized and laid out by gubernatorial act.
• October 29, 1829 – Bucklin Township is split along what is now Inkster Road into Nankin (west half) and Pekin (east half) townships.
• March 21, 1833 – Pekin Township is renamed Redford Township.
• March 31, 1833 – Greenfield Township is created from parts of Springwells Township, including what is now east Dearborn.
• April 1, 1833 – Dearborn Township is created from the southern half of Redford Township south of Bonaparte Avenue (Joy Road).
• 1833 – Detroit Arsenal is built.
• October 23, 1834 – Dearborn Township is renamed Bucklin Township.
• March 26, 1836 – Bucklin Township is renamed Dearborn Township.
• January 26, 1837 – Michigan becomes the 26th state in the Union. Stevens T. Mason is the first governor.
• 1837 – The Michigan Central Railroad is extended through Springwells Township. A small town called Springwells grows near the railroad.
• April 5, 1838 – The village of Dearbornville is incorporated. It later becomes unincorporated in 1846.
• 1849 – Detroit annexes Springwells Township east of Brooklyn Street.
• April 2, 1850 – Greenfield Township annexes part of Springwells Township.
• February 12, 1857 – Detroit annexes Springwells Township east of Grand Boulevard.
• March 25, 1873 – Springwells Township annexes part of Greenfield Township south of Tireman.
• May 28, 1875 – The postmaster general changes the name of the Dearbornville post office to Dearborn post office, renaming the city.
• 1875 – Detroit Arsenal is closed.
• 1875 – Detroit annexes another part of Springwells Township.
• 1876 – William A. Nowlin writes The Bark Covered House to honor the country's 100th birthday.
• June 20, 1884 – Detroit annexes Springwells Township east of Livernois.
• 1889 – The first telephone is installed in Dearborn at St. Joseph's retreat.

• March 24, 1893 – The village of Dearborn is incorporated.
• 1906 – Detroit annexes another part of Springwells Township.
• 1916 – Henry, Clara, and Edsel Ford move to Dearborn.
• 1916 – Detroit annexes more of Springwells Township, forming Dearborn's eastern boundary.
• 1917 – The Rouge "Eagle" Plant opens.
• November 1, 1919 – The first house numbering rule in Dearborn begins. Residents must place a standard plate number on the right side of the main house entrance five feet up.
• December 9, 1919 – Springwells Township is incorporated as the village of Springwells.
• October 16, 1922 – Springwells Township annexes part of Dearborn Township.
• October 16, 1922 – Springwells Township annexes part of Dearborn Township.
• October 16, 1922 – Springwells Township annexes part of Dearborn Township.
• October 16, 1922 – Springwells Township annexes part of Dearborn Township.
• October 16, 1922 – Springwells Township annexes part of Dearborn Township.
• October 16, 1922 – Springwells Township annexes part of Dearborn Township.
• October 16, 1922 – Springwells Township annexes part of Dearborn Township.
• October 16, 1922 – Springwells Township annexes part of Dearborn Township.
• October 16, 1922 – Springwells Township annexes part of Dearborn Township.

Notable people

• Myles Amine – won a bronze medal in freestyle wrestling at the 2020 Summer Olympics for San Marino
• Frankie Andreu – professional cyclist who has competed in the Tour de France multiple times
• Anthony Bass – pitcher for the Miami Marlins
• Najah Bazzy – humanitarian and leader who works to promote understanding between different faiths
• Robert Bierman – author of books
• Dave Brandon – former CEO of Toys "R" Us and chairman of Domino's Pizza
• Claire-Marie Brisson – academic who teaches at Harvard University
• David Burtka – chef and actor married to Neil Patrick Harris
• Brian Calley – 63rd Lieutenant Governor of Michigan
• Garrett Clayton – actor
• Jim Cummins – player in the National Hockey League (NHL)
• Haz Al-Din – political theorist and online content creator
• John Dingell – former leader of the U.S. House of Representatives and longest-serving member of Congress
• Agnes Dobronski – teacher and member of the Michigan legislature
• Kristen Doute – television personality known for appearing on Vanderpump Rules
• Ronnie Duman – auto racer
• Chad Everett – actor who appeared in Medical Center, The Last Challenge, Made in Paris, and Airplane II: The Sequel
• Rima Fakih – Miss Michigan USA 2010 and Miss USA 2010
• Henry Ford – famous automaker and founder of Ford Motor Company
• Edsel Ford – son of Henry Ford and second president of Ford Motor Company, co-namesake of Fordson
• Scott Freidheim – CEO, investor, and author
• Dan Gheesling – winner of Big Brother (U.S.) season 10 and runner-up in season 14
• Russ Gibb – concert promoter and media figure
• George Z. Hart – state senator in Michigan
• Ahmad Harajly – rugby player for USA Rugby
• Orville L. Hubbard – mayor of Dearborn from 1942 to 1978
• Al Iafrate – defenseman in the NHL
• Art James – TV quiz-show host
• Ahmad Musa Jibril – Islamic preacher
• Dakota Joshua – professional ice hockey player
• Ali Kabbani – known as "Myth," YouTube live streamer and professional gamer
• John C. Kornblum – diplomat and former U.S. Ambassador to Germany
• Mei Lin – chef who won Top Chef: Boston
• Derek Lowe – Major League Baseball pitcher who won the 2004 World Series with the Boston Red Sox
• Don Matheson – actor in Land of the Giants
• Nancy Milford – author and biographer
• Alan Mulally – former CEO of Ford Motor Company
• Dorothy Naum – baseball player
• Johnny Pacar – actor in Flight 29 Down, Make It or Break It, and Now You See It…
• Eugenia Paul – actress and dancer
• George Peppard – film actor known for Breakfast at Tiffany's and How the West Was Won
• Tom Price – former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services
• Brian Rafalski – NHL defenseman for the New Jersey Devils and Detroit Red Wings
• Doug Ross – college ice hockey coach
• Soony Saad – soccer player
• Robert Saleh – NFL head coach of the Tennessee Titans
• Scott Sanderson – All-Star Major League Baseball pitcher who played for seven teams over 19 seasons
• Norbert Schemansky – four-time Olympic medalist in weightlifting
• Suzanne Sena – host of the IFC program Onion News Network and former Fox News anchor
• Serena Shim – Lebanese-American journalist
• Jim Snyder – Major League Baseball player and manager
• Edward Stinson – aviation pioneer
• Pat Shurmur – NFL offensive coordinator and former head coach
• Gary Wayne – former pitcher for the Minnesota Twins