Famous People from Florida

Florida is blessed with people, some of who made a mark in their fields and made Floridians all around the world, proud of their nation. These people of Florida are esteemed famous in their country and have earned world-fame. Let us look at some of the famous people of Florida.

Famous People from Florida

Sidney Poitier: Born on February 20, 1927, Sidney Poitier is an Oscar winning Bahamian American actor, film director, author and diplomat. He is the proud receiver of the prestigious Golden Globe, BAFTA and the Grammy awards. He was born in Miami, Florida and spent his childhood in the Bahamas. His parents earned their living by selling their farm produce. When he was 17, he moved to New York City and took up a series of jobs and later decided to join the United States Army. He began taking interest in acting but did not receive a positive response from the audience. Determined to improve his theatrical skills, he continued his pursuit. He managed to appeal the audience in his second effort on stage. He was noticed and offered an important role in 'Lysistrata' of Broadway production. Poitier was the first male black actor to be nominated for and to win the Academy Award for the Best Actor for 'Lilies in the Field'. For the same work, he also received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor. He had a bright directorial career, 'Fast Forward', 'Let's Do It Again' and 'Ghost Dad' being some of his notable works. In 2002, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences conferred on him, the Honorary Award, in recognition of his noteworthy achievements in his career and his goodness as a human being.

Janet Reno: Born on July 21, 1938, Janet Reno was the Attorney General of the United States to serve from 1993 to 2001. She was one of the only two Danish Americans in the cabinet. Janet Reno was born in Miami, Florida and attended a public school in Miami-Dade County, Florida. After majoring in Chemistry from the Cornell University in New York, she became the President of the Woman's Self-Government Association. In 1963, she received her LL.B. from Harvard. In 1971, Reno became the staff director of the Judiciary Committee of the Florida House of Representatives. Later, in 1993, President Bill Clinton nominated her as the Attorney General of the United States and she was confirmed on March 11. After her tenure, she toured the world delivering speeches about the criminal justice system. She strongly believes in the association between the education system and crime in a country. She feels the need for the Government to assist the juvenile courts in working towards solving problems of the disturbed children and adolescents of the country.

Cannonball Adderley: Julian Edwin "Cannonball" Adderley was born on September 15, 1928. He was a jazz alto saxophonist of world renown. He was from Tampa but migrated to New York in 1955. He met with acclaim for his musical work, in the 1950's and the '60s. His playing showed influences of the electric jazz style and the style of doubling on soprano saxophone. He gave several live performances and also appeared on television. 'This Year', Walk Tall' and 'Work Song' are some of the works, which Adderley made popular. He expired in 1975. He finds a place in the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame. He was a winner of the Grammy Award in 1967 and more importantly the winner of the hearts of his fans and followers.

Jacqueline Cochran: She was born on May 11, 1906 in Muscogee, Florida. In the 1930's, Cochran began taking flying lessons at Roosevelt Airfield, Long Island. Within a short period of three months, she could fly an airplane and earned a pilot's license in just two years. By 1938, she was considered the best female pilot in the United States. To list her record-breaking achievements, she was the first woman to break the sound barrier, the first woman to fly, the first woman to fly a bomber across the Atlantic and the first female pilot to fly a jet across an ocean. She was the proud winner of five Harmon Trophies for her exceptional skills as a woman pilot. She made notable contributions to the formation of the wartime Women's Auxiliary Army Camps and the Women Air force Service Pilots. She died, aged 74, in Indio, California. She was indeed the only one of her kind!

Wallace Amos: Wallace Amos, better known as Wally Amos, was born on July 1, 1936 and spent his childhood in Tallahassee, Florida. Later he moved to Manhattan where he joined the Food Trades Vocational High School. Since his young age, he was keenly interested in cooking, especially in improving his aunt’s chocolate cookie recipe. After graduation, he took up a clerical job in the William Morris Agency and later became the first African American talent agent serving that agency. His chocolate cookies were an attraction among his friends as also his clients. On one of his friends' suggestion, Wallace Amos opened a cookie store in Los Angeles. The store was called 'Famous Amos' and it soon became popular throughout the United States. In 1994, he founded the 'Uncle Noname Gourmet Muffins Company', which focused on the production of fat-free muffins. The muffins made a huge sale across the nation. Wally Amos, currently a resident of New York, is truly a self-made man.

This was a list of only a few of the famous people from Florida. They were some of the most celebrated names of Florida, which shall be remembered for years to come.