The most famous people from every Detroit high school

By Layla McMurtrie on Sat, Jun 15, 2024 at 12:42 pm

Albert duce, Wikimedia Creative Commons

Detroit’s Cass Technical High School has produced many famous alumni.

For many of the high schools in Detroit — whether they are still running or closed down decades ago — there is a famous person. Some of these celebrities are internationally renowned and have left a lasting impact, while others enjoyed their fame in past decades or have a more niche following like sports or film. Nevertheless, Detroit is a star factory.

Read on for our picks for the most famous people to come from (almost) all of Detroit’s high schools.

Did we get it wrong or miss your school? If you know of a celeb who graduated there, send us an email so we can add them to our list!

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IMDb

Renaissance: Andrew Keenan-Bolger

Andrew Keenan-Bolger is an American actor and filmmaker best known for originating the roles of Crutchie in Newsies and Jesse Tuck in Tuck Everlasting on Broadway. His other Broadway credits include playing Robertson Ay in Mary Poppins, Jojo in Seussical, and Chip in Beauty and the Beast. People from Renaissance can have almost as much pride about their high school as people from Cass, but where are the notable alumni? There’s some, but this is the best we could find.

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Wikimedia Commons

Finney: Maria Ewing

You may only know of this one if you’re a fan of opera. Born in Detroit in 1950, some regarded Maria Ewing as one of the most compelling singing actresses of her generation. She went to Finney High School on the city’s east side, which is now the site of East English Village Preparatory Academy.

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Wikimedia Commons

East English Village Prep: Desmond King

Newly built in 2012 on the site of Finney, EEV Prep has its own set of somewhat famous alumni. NFL player Desmond King set a Michigan high school record with 29 interceptions. Since being drafted in 2017, he has played for the Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, and Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Wikimedia Commons, CBS Television

Redford: Michael Dunn

In the 1960s, Michael Dunn was an actor and singer with dwarfism best known for his role as the recurring antagonist in the television series The Wild Wild West. He moved to Dearborn at the age of 4 and attended Redford High School in Detroit. Redford was demolished in 2012 and became the site of Meijer in 2015.

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Wikimedia Commons

Crockett: Brandon Graham

NFL player Brandon Graham started his football journey in Detroit. He attended Crockett Vocational Tech, which didn’t start participating in Michigan’s athletics or have a proper locker room until after 1996. Since the football field at Crockett had no lights, parents had to shine their car lights on the field during late practices. Still, Graham flourished in his early football career, becoming a Super Bowl champion with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018.

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Wikimedia Commons

Western International: Ken Doherty

Ken Doherty, born John Kenneth Dohertym, was a star athlete, college track and field coach, author, and longtime director of the Penn Relays. He attended Detroit’s Western High School, where he did not initially earn a letter, later joking that he received one at the end of high school for “long and faithful service.” While studying at the University of Michigan, Doherty won the American decathlon championship in 1928 and 1929 and earned a bronze medal at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam.

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Wikimedia Commons, Gordy Records

Murray-Wright: Rosalind Ashford

Born in 1943, Rosalind “Roz” Ashford-Holmes is an American soprano R&B and soul singer. She gained fame as an original member of the Motown group Martha and the Vandellas. It was during her time at Wilbur Wright High School where she developed a strong passion for music, participating in the glee club and mixed choruses. The all-girls school later merged with the all-boys Phillip Murray High School to form Murray-Wright.

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National Basketball Retired Players Association

Kettering: Eric Money

Retired American professional basketball player Eric Money attended Kettering High School in Detroit, where he played alongside future NBA players Lindsay Hairston and Coniel Norman. He helped Kettering win the 1971 Detroit Public School League title. Money was drafted by the Detroit Pistons in the second round of the 1974 NBA draft and began his NBA career at the age of 19.

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Wikimedia Commons

Chadsey: Renaldo Hill

NFL player Renaldo Hill attended Chadsey High School, where he was a four-year starting defensive back before going on to play in the pros from 2001-2010 with the Arizona Cardinals, Oakland Raiders, Miami Dolphins, and Denver Broncos. Chadsey was demolished in 2011.

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Volk Leber Funeral Home

Holy Redeemer: Tom Boisture

Another NFL player and beloved football coach, Tom Boisture began his journey at Detroit's Holy Redeemer High School, before moving on to a career in professional football. He played for several NFL teams including the Detroit Lions, New York Giants, and Cincinnati Bengals before becoming a high school and college coach. He died in 2011.

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