Learn more about notable Winston-Salemites and who helped put the Twin City on the map. From pro basketball player Chris Paul to mayor Allen Joines, we bring you the most influential people from your beloved city.
A Winston-Salem icon, artist, and trailblazer for women artists in the South, Anne Kesler Shields maintained an active art career from her early twenties until her death, resulting in her having been touted as Winston-Salem’s “most accomplished, living native-born artist.”
Andy Griffith is buried on his Roanoke Island estate, where he spent his later years. His grave is on private property, so no visitors are permitted. Learn things about Andy and his legacy you may not have known.
The twin city of Winston-Salem has the longest-serving mayor in the city’s history. Mayor Allen Joines has served the town for 22 years and has been instrumental in many of the changes and growth Winston-Salem has seen. But he has not accomplished this on his own. The government is comprised of many individuals who work to improve our city.
The general public may still best know Paul Schneider as Mark Brendanawicz from Parks and Recreation. Even though that was well over ten years ago, Paul has 40 other movies and TV series to his credit, including a new TV show, Florida Man, beginning April 13, 2023.
Born on March 3, 1923, in Deep Gap, North Carolina, Doc did not let the fact that he was blind nearly since his birth stop him from performing mountain music across the region. The folk music resurgence of the 1960’s brought him a national audience, especially when the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band featured him in their tribute to traditional country root music, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.”
Chris Paul is a professional NBA basketball player from Winston-Salem, NC. He is currently the NBA All-Star point guard for the Los Angeles Clippers and also serves as one of the vice presidents of the National Basketball Players Association.
