Famous People From Missouri

Missouri, a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, is situated along the river of the same name. The river Missouri holds the record for being the longest river in the whole of North America and perhaps this is why this state is popular all over the world, not just the USA. It is believed that there are more than 6000 located in this American state. However, the state has several other interesting facts associated with it, apart from its natural wonders. One such fact is that Missouri is home to several famous celebrities who share a special bond with the state. Former American president Harry S Truman, writer Mark Twain, actor Don Cheadle, musician & rapper Eminem as well as pop icon Akon are a few famous celebrities who hail from this American state. Mark Twain’s path-breaking literary works aren’t just a treat to book lovers, but they have also inspired many to pursue a full-fledged career in writing. In fact, each of these celebrities has contributed to the society in several ways. We have compiled a list consisting of names of several celebrities who hail from Missouri.
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 1 
Eminem
(One of the Most Influential and Popular Rappers of All Time)
Eminem
252
Birthdate: October 17, 1972
Sun Sign: Libra

Amongst the biggest rappers of all time, Eminem gained worldwide popularity with the release of albums like The Slim Shady LP and The Marshall Mathers LP. His subsequent albums became huge successes further making him a bigger sensation and one of the bestselling music artists of all time. His fame greatly inspired other white rappers to succeed in popular music.

 2 
Mark Twain
(Lauded as the 'Greatest Humorist' the United States Has Produced)
Mark Twain
48
Birthdate: November 30, 1835
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Died: April 21, 1910

Mark Twain, “the father of American literature,” was one of the world’s greatest 19-th century humorists and authors. His novels The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn were drawn from his childhood experiences in Missouri. In his later life, he sunk into bankruptcy and also recovered.

 3 
John Goodman
(American Actor Best Known for His Role as ‘Dan Conner’ in the TV Series ‘Roseanne’)
John Goodman
42
Birthdate: June 20, 1952
Sun Sign: Gemini

Regarded as one of the finest actors of his generation, John Goodman has contributed to the success of many films and TV series over the years. He has also had a major impact as a humanitarian by appearing in many recovery commercials post-Hurricane Katrina. Once an alcoholic, Goodman has stayed sober since 2007, thereby inspiring many people struggling with alcoholism.

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 4 
Maya Angelou
(American Poet and Civil Rights Activist Known for Her Autobiography ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’)
Maya Angelou
60
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: April 4, 1928
Sun Sign: Aries
Died: May 28, 2014
Poet, author, and civil rights activist Maya Angelou was a champion for black feminism and is best remembered for her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing. The recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and over 50 honorary degrees was also a child sex abuse survivor.
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 5 
Chuck Berry
(One of the Most Influential “Rock 'n' Roll” Performers in Music History)
Chuck Berry
35
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: October 18, 1926
Sun Sign: Libra
Died: March 18, 2017

Chuck Berry was an American singer-songwriter. Referred to as the Father of Rock and Roll, Berry is credited with pioneering rock and roll music. He is also credited with influencing the attitude with which the rock music lifestyle is usually associated. Also revered for his guitaring skills, Berry is often included in lists like the Greatest Artists of All Time.

 6 
Don Cheadle
(Actor and Filmmaker)
Don Cheadle
47
Birthdate: November 29, 1964
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Don Cheadle is best known for his Academy Award-nominated performance as Paul Rusesabagina in Hotel Rwanda and as War Machine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has been a UN ambassador for environment and has won the BET Humanitarian Award for his efforts to end genocide in Rwanda and Darfur.
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 7 
Kate Spade
(Fashion Designer, Founder and Co-Owner of the Designer Brand ‘Kate Spade New York’)
Kate Spade
49
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: December 24, 1962
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Died: June 5, 2018

Kate Spade was an American entrepreneur and fashion designer. Spade is credited with founding Kate Spade New York, a popular luxury fashion design house, which competes with the likes of Michael Kors. Kate Spade is also credited with creating stylish and affordable handbags that caused quite a revolution in the fashion world.

 8 
George Washington Carver
(American Agricultural Scientist and Inventor Who Promoted Alternative Crops to Cotton and Methods to Prevent Soil Depletion)
George Washington Carver
39
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: 1864
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Died: January 5, 1943
Agricultural scientist George Washington Carver is best remembered for promoting crops that were alternative to cotton, such as peanuts and sweet potatoes. He invented ways to prevent soil depletion and developed scores of products made from peanuts, including paints and cosmetics. He won numerous honors, such as the Spingarn Medal.
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 9 
Josephine Baker
(First Black Woman to Star in a Major Motion Picture, the 1927 Silent Film 'Siren of the Tropics')
Josephine Baker
39
Birthdate: June 3, 1906
Sun Sign: Gemini
Died: April 12, 1975
Nicknamed Black Pearl and Creole Goddess, Josephine Baker was the first Black woman to appear in a motion picture. She was a revue dancer, famous for her signature banana costume. A civil rights activist, she helped the French military during World War II. She adopted 12 children of different ethnicities.
 10 
T. S. Eliot
(Best Known as a Leader of the Modernist Movement in Poetry)
T. S. Eliot
74
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: September 26, 1888
Sun Sign: Libra
Died: January 4, 1965
American-born British poet T. S. Eliot is best remembered for his poems The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, The Waste Land, and Ash Wednesday, and his plays such as Murder in the Cathedral. He won the Nobel Prize for literature and became a prominent figure of Modernist poetry.  
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 11 
Langston Hughes
(One of the Earliest Innovators of the Literary Art Form Called Jazz Poetry)
Langston Hughes
38
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: February 1, 1901
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Died: May 22, 1967

Langston Hughes is best remembered as a prominent leader of the Harlem Renaissance. He was one of the first to write jazz poetry. He also wrote plays and short stories. He was a columnist for The Chicago Defender and wrote the iconic poem The Negro Speaks of Rivers.

 12 
Rush Limbaugh
(Conservative Political Commentator and Host of 'The Rush Limbaugh Show')
Rush Limbaugh
86
Birthdate: January 12, 1951
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Died: February 17, 2021
Mostly known for his controversial comments on the LGBT community, sexual consent, and climate change, Rush Limbaugh has hosted The Rush Limbaugh Show, one of the highest-rated in the U.S. He has also hosted a TV show, written several books, including two bestsellers, and won the Presidential Medal of Freedom
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 13 
Tyron Woodley
(American Professional Mixed Martial Artist)
Tyron Woodley
44
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: April 7, 1982
Sun Sign: Aries
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 14 
Jean Harlow
(American Actress Who was the Leading Sex Symbol of the Early 1930s)
Jean Harlow
26
Birthdate: March 3, 1911
Sun Sign: Pisces
Died: June 7, 1937

Jean Harlow was an actress and sex symbol. Nicknamed the Platinum Blonde and Blonde Bombshell, Harlow was famous for her femme fatale screen persona. She became one of the biggest Hollywood stars despite being in the industry for not more than nine years. Her life and career inspired several movies, such as Harlow and Hughes and Harlow: Angels in Hell.

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 15 
Burt Bacharach
(One of the Most Influential Composers of Pop Music in the 20th Century)
Burt Bacharach
12
Birthdate: May 12, 1928
Sun Sign: Taurus
Died: February 8, 2023
Legendary musician and songwriter Burt Bacharach teamed up with lyricist Hal David and created many popular songs from the 1950s to the 1980s, including countless Billboard charters. He has won six Grammys and three Academy Awards for his tracks, and most of his songs were sung by Dionne Warwick. 
 16 
Dick Van Dyke
(Actor, Singer and Comedian Best Known for His TV Sitcom 'The Dick Van Dyke Show')
Dick Van Dyke
38
Birthdate: December 13, 1925
Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Richard Van Dyke is an actor, writer, singer and dancer. He became famous after working on radio and Broadway and later for his role in the television sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show. He tasted more success after starring in musical films such Bye Bye Birdie and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  He has received many awards including Emmy, Tony and Grammy.

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 17 
Evan Peters
116
Birthdate: January 20, 1987
Sun Sign: Aquarius

American actor, Evan Peters, is best known for portraying different characters in eight out of the nine season of the popular horror anthology series American Horror Story. He played the mutant Quicksilver in the superhero films X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, and Dark Phoenix. Peters, whose debut film won him an award, has also appeared in various television commercials.

 18 
Ginger Rogers
(Actress and Dancer Best Known for Her Film ‘Kitty Foyle’)
Ginger Rogers
18
Birthdate: July 16, 1911
Sun Sign: Cancer
Died: April 25, 1995

Ginger Rogers was an American actress, singer, and dancer. Often regarded as an American icon, Rogers played an important role in popularizing the Golden Age of Hollywood. After winning the Academy Award for portraying the title character in Kitty Foyle, Rogers became one of the highest-paid actresses during the 1940s. Her life inspired a musical titled Backwards in High Heels.

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 19 
Redd Foxx
(Comedian)
Redd Foxx
18
Birthdate: December 9, 1922
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Died: October 11, 1991
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 20 
Yogi Berra
(One of the Greatest Catchers in Baseball History)
Yogi Berra
17
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: May 12, 1925
Sun Sign: Taurus
Died: September 22, 2015
Baseball catcher Yogi Berra is remembered for his long-running association with the MLB team New York Yankees. The 18-time All Star had won 10 World Series championships, too. He also won the American League MVP thrice. He was famous for his malapropisms such as “It ain't over 'til it's over.”
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 21 
Harry S. Truman
(33rd President of the United States)
Harry S. Truman
49
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: May 8, 1884
Sun Sign: Taurus
Died: December 26, 1972

Harry Truman was the US president from 1945 to 1953 and his administration successfully guided the US economy through the post-war challenges. He established the Truman Doctrine to contain Soviet geopolitical expansion during the Cold War. He authorised the first and only use of nuclear weapons during a war when he sanctioned bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.

 22 
Misty Copeland
(The First African-American Woman to Serve as the 'American Ballet Theatre' Company's Principal Dancer)
Misty Copeland
35
Listed In: Dancers
Birthdate: 1982
Sun Sign: Virgo
Ballet dancer Misty Copeland is known for her association with American Ballet Theatre and is the first Black woman to become the principal dancer there. She also gained fame as a public speaker and stage performer. Named to Time 100, she has also written a memoir and narrated a documentary.
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 23 
Jon Hamm
(Best Known for His Role of 'Don Draper' in TV Series 'Mad Men')
Jon Hamm
29
Birthdate: March 10, 1971
Sun Sign: Pisces

Regarded as a sex symbol, Jon Hamm is known for his looks as much as for his acting skills. He has been named in lists like People magazine's Sexiest Men Alive and Salon.com's Sexiest Man Living. As far as his career is concerned, he has been an influential actor, having won awards like Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

 24 
Candace Parker
(Basketball Player)
Candace Parker
18
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: April 19, 1986
Sun Sign: Aries
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
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 25 
Michael McDonald
(Singer-Songwriter)
Michael McDonald
16
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: February 12, 1952
Sun Sign: Aquarius
 26 
John Huston
(Director of Classic Movies Like 'The Maltese Falcon', 'The Asphalt Jungle', 'The Misfits' and Many More)
John Huston
5
Birthdate: August 5, 1906
Sun Sign: Leo
Died: August 28, 1987

Director/screenwriter John Huston is known for making his films with nominal editing and featuring novel adaptations and themes of religion, colonialism, and war. He is known for his Academy Award-winning direction in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, and also appeared as an actor in films such as The Cardinal.

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 27 
Don Johnson
28
Birthdate: December 15, 1949
Sun Sign: Sagittarius

A well-known actor, singer, songwriter, producer, and director, Don Johnson is a man of many talents. Also a powerboat enthusiast, he competed at the 1988 Offshore World Cup, which was organized by the American Power Boat Association, and became the world champion.

 28 
Akon
(Solo R&B and Hip-Hop Artist to Hold Both No.1 & No.2 Position at Billboard Hot 100 Simultaneously Twice)
Akon
49
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: April 16, 1973
Sun Sign: Aries

Akon is one of the most successful R&B, hip hop and rap singers in the world. His albums Trouble, Konvicted, Freedom, El Negreeto and Akonda have many chartbusters songs. He has also founded record labels Akonik Label Group, KonLive Distribution and Konvict Mizik. He courted controversy in 2007 for an onstage act involving simulated sex with a 15-year-old girl.

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 29 
Jayson Tatum
(American Professional Basketball Player)
Jayson Tatum
50
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 3, 1998
Sun Sign: Pisces

American basketball player Jayson Tatum was one of the best players in his school basketball team and played for the Duke University’s team, Duke Blue Devils, before being drafted by Boston Celtics of the NBA in 2017. Jayson Tatum is fast becoming one of Celtic’s most impactful player and also has the potential to become an NBA superstar.

 30 
Shelley Winters
(American Actress Best Known for Her Films: 'The Diary of Anne Frank' and 'A Patch of Blue')
Shelley Winters
5
Birthdate: August 18, 1920
Sun Sign: Leo
Died: January 14, 2006

Shelley Winters was an American actress who contributed immensely to all the three major acting mediums in a career spanning almost sixty years. The winner of two Academy Awards, Shelley Winters remained popular throughout her life. She was also known for her much-publicized personal life, which included her four marriages and the romance with actor Farley Granger.

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 31 
Ellie Kemper
(Actress and Comedian Best Known for Her Roles in TV Series ‘The Office’ and ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’)
Ellie Kemper
47
Birthdate: May 2, 1980
Sun Sign: Taurus
Ellie Kemper is best known for her SAG Award-nominated role of Erin Hannon in The Office and her Emmy-nominated role of Kimmy Schmidt in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. She has written comedy skits, contributed to The Onion, and released a book. She has also worked on an audio book.
 32 
Jane Wyman
(Actress)
Jane Wyman
12
Birthdate: January 5, 1917
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Died: September 10, 2007

Jane Wyman was an American actress, dancer, and singer. In an illustrious acting career spanning over 70 years, Wyman received three Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award for Best Actress. One of the leading ladies of Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s, Jane Wyman is also credited with popularizing two-piece bathing suit, a predecessor to the bikini.

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 33 
Taylor Momsen
(Actress & Frontwoman Of The Rock Band The Pretty Reckless)
Taylor Momsen
57
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: July 26, 1993
Sun Sign: Leo

Taylor Momsen is an American model, singer-songwriter, and former actress. She started her career as a child actress and became famous for playing Cindy Lou Who in the comedy film How the Grinch Stole Christmas. She then quit acting to focus on music; over the years, she has been contributing to the success of the rock band The Pretty Reckless.

 34 
Walter Cronkite
(Broadcast Journalist and Longtime Anchor of the ‘CBS Evening News’)
Walter Cronkite
12
Birthdate: November 4, 1916
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Died: July 17, 2009
TV journalist Walter Cronkite, named “The most trusted man in America," is remembered for his 19-year association with CBS Evening News and his catchphrase "And that's the way it is.” His U.S. space program reports made him the only non-NASA person to receive the Ambassador of Exploration award.
 35 
Matt Bomer
(Actor)
Matt Bomer
42
Birthdate: October 11, 1977
Sun Sign: Libra

As a popular actor, Matt Bomer serves as an inspiration to the LGBT community as he publicly came out as gay in 2012. He also practices Transcendental Meditation and works for humanitarian causes. Known for his good looks, Matt Bomer has been featured in lists, such as TV's Sexiest Men and Hot 100.

 36 
John J. Pershing
(Former Military Officer Who Served as the Commander of the American Expeditionary Forces During World War I)
John J. Pershing
10
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: September 13, 1860
Sun Sign: Virgo
Died: July 15, 1948

John J. Pershing was a senior United States Army officer who served as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in World War I. In his later years, he mentored generals who led the United States Army during World War II.  He was promoted to General of the Armies rank, the highest possible rank in the United States Army. 

 37 
James Gunn
(Director Known for His Films: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’, ‘Scooby-Doo’ and ‘The Suicide Squad’)
James Gunn
28
Birthdate: August 5, 1966
Sun Sign: Leo

At the age of 12, James Gunn started making 8 mm zombie films in the woods near his home along with his brothers. What started as a fun activity, eventually helped Gunn establish a career in filmmaking. Apart from filmmaking and acting, he is also interested in music and writing; he founded a band in 1989 and wrote a novel in 2000.

 38 
Kathleen Turner
(Actress Who Has Provided the Voice of ‘Jessica Rabbit’ in the Animated Film ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’)
Kathleen Turner
41
Birthdate: June 19, 1954
Sun Sign: Gemini
Kathleen Turner is best known for her Academy Award-nominated role in Peggy Sue Got Married. She also played Chandler's drag queen father in Friends and voiced Jessica Rabbit in the Disney movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit? She has also delivered Tony-winning Broadway performances and promotes rheumatoid arthritis awareness.
 39 
Sheryl Crow
(One of the Best Selling Pop, Rock Singer-Songwriter with Nine Grammy Awards)
Sheryl Crow
28
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: February 11, 1962
Sun Sign: Aquarius

Sheryl Crow is an American musician, actress, and singer-songwriter. Over the years, Crow has contributed to several film soundtracks, including the iconic theme song for the popular James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies. After being diagnosed with intraductal carcinoma, a form of breast cancer, Sheryl Crow opened the Sheryl Crow Imaging Center by joining hands with her surgeon Kristi Funk.

 40 
Vincent Price
9
Birthdate: May 27, 1911
Sun Sign: Gemini
Died: October 25, 1993

Vincent Price was an American actor who was honored with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Remembered for his iconic voice, Price narrated many animation films and documentaries. His life inspired Tim Burton to direct a stop-motion film titled Vincent. Since he was also an ardent art collector, The Vincent Price Art Museum is named in his honor.

 41 
Sterling K. Brown
(Known for His Role in the TV Series ‘The People V. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story’)
Sterling K. Brown
14
Birthdate: April 5, 1976
Sun Sign: Aries
Sterling K. Brown is best known as Christopher Darden from The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story and Randall Pearson from This Is Us. Named to TIME 100, he also became the first Black actor to win the Golden Globe for the “Best Actor in a TV Drama.” 
 42 
Ed Asner
(Actor, played Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and gained prominence as a political activist.)
Ed Asner
24
Birthdate: November 15, 1929
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Died: August 29, 2021
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
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 43 
Scott Bakula
(Actor best known for his roles in two science-fiction television series: as Sam Beckett on Quantum Leap and as Captain Jonathan Archer on Star Trek: Enterprise.)
Scott Bakula
15
Birthdate: October 9, 1954
Sun Sign: Libra
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 44 
Kevin Kline
(Academy Award-Winning Actor, Who Has Also Appeared in Several Productions of Shakespeare's Plays)
Kevin Kline
24
Birthdate: October 24, 1947
Sun Sign: Scorpio

Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Kline initially studied the piano and even wished to major in music, before he switched to acting. Known for his stellar performances in films such as A Fish Called Wanda, Silverado, and French Kiss. He has also voiced characters in movies such as The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

 45 
Doris Roberts
(American Actress Who Had a Long Career Spanning Seven Decades)
Doris Roberts
13
Birthdate: November 4, 1925
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Died: April 17, 2016

Five-time Emmy Award-winning actor Doris Roberts is best remembered as Marie Barone from the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond and as Mildred Krebs from Remington Steele. She also appeared on various talk/game shows and in films such as The Honeymoon Killers. She was a prominent animal rights activist, too.

 46 
Max Scherzer
(Baseball player)
Max Scherzer
16
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: July 27, 1984
Sun Sign: Leo
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 47 
Jessica Capshaw
20
Birthdate: August 9, 1976
Sun Sign: Leo
Jessica Capshaw, daughter of actor Kate Capshaw and stepdaughter of director Steven Spielberg, is best known for her roles of Dr. Arizona Robbins in Grey's Anatomy and Jamie Stringer in The Practice. She has also been seen in the series Bones and Odd Man Out, and the movie Minority Report
 48 
Dale Carnegie
(Self-Help Writer, Motivational Guru, Public Speaker)
Dale Carnegie
8
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: November 24, 1888
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Died: November 1, 1955
Writer and academic Dale Carnegie is best remembered for his work on courses in areas such as corporate training, self-improvement, and salesmanship. He started his career as a salesperson. He wrote many books, including the international bestseller How to Win Friends and Influence People, and was a successful lecturer, too.
 49 
Robert A. Heinlein
(American Novelist Best Known as the 'Dean of Science Fiction Writers')
Robert A. Heinlein
9
Listed In: Engineers
Birthdate: July 7, 1907
Sun Sign: Cancer
Died: May 8, 1988

Robert A. Heinlein was an American author, naval officer, and aeronautical engineer. Heinlein is credited with pioneering a literary subgenre called hard science fiction as he was among the first to stress the importance of scientific accuracy in fiction. Robert A. Heinlein is one of the most influential science-fiction writers of all time.

 50 
Jack Dorsey
(The Co-Founder & Former CEO of 'Twitter')
Jack Dorsey
60
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: November 19, 1976
Sun Sign: Scorpio

As the co-founder and CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey continues to influence the lives of millions around the world. Also a well-known philanthropist, Dorsey is credited with funding 600 public school projects in Missouri. A prolific donator, Jack Dorsey has donated $24 million as part of various relief efforts. He also donated $10 million to Boston University.