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Heroes, stars, athletes: Greensboro has welcomed them all

Sunday, February 17, 2008
(Updated Tuesday, June 10 - 11:17 am)

Most visitors to Greensboro during the past 200-plus years have enjoyed their stays. Certainly, the most famous ones did.

Charles Lindbergh got a hero's welcome. So did Amelia Earhart and Sgt. Alvin York.

Jackie Robinson got three hits. Ben Hogan won the GGO by nine shots. Michael Jordan scored 39 points.

Rachmaninoff got a standing ovation. So did Elvis. And everybody loved Oprah.

Buffalo Bill Cody shot up the town twice. Teddy Roosevelt visited three times. Jefferson Davis took refuge here.

George Washington thanked us. Helen Keller encouraged us. Ella Fitzgerald sang for us. Billy Graham preached to us. And Bob Hope had us all laughing.

But not Richard Nixon. He always felt his campaign stop here in 1960 cost him the election.

Leaving a rally at the coliseum, he bumped his knee on a car door and later had to be hospitalized with a staph infection. He missed two weeks of campaigning. When he showed up for his televised debate with John F. Kennedy, Nixon looked poorly.

But he apparently forgave us. He came back twice.

200 years of famous Greensboro visitors

Here's a list of some of Greensboro's most famous visitors over the past 200-plus years. By no means complete, it shows the city's reach in entertainment, politics, education, sports and business. In some cases, specific dates for visits could not be determined.

Nathanael Greene — The Revolutionary War general leads American forces at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. March 15, 1781.

Henry Lee III — Known as Light Horse Harry, the American officer fights at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse and later becomes the father of Robert E. Lee. March 15, 1781.

Charles Cornwallis — The lieutenant general leads the British forces at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse and later becomes Viceroy to India. March 15, 1781.

George Washington — The nation's first president visits the Guilford Courthouse battlefield and thanks citizens for their support during the Revolutionary War. June 2, 1791.

Andrew Jackson — The future president lives for a year near what is now Gibsonville and practices law in Guilford County. 1798

Eng and Chang Bunker — The original Siamese twins receive visitors at the Village Hotel. Jan. 17, 1839.

Dorothea Dix — The activist for the indigent insane visits the Greensboro jail and pronounces it "well built and well kept." 1848.

Jefferson Davis — Fleeing Union advances on Richmond, the Confederate president and his cabinet arrive by train and for several days make the town the capital of the Confederacy. April 11, 1865.

Nathan Bedford Forest — The former Confederate cavalry officer, railroad executive and Ku Klux Klan leader visits town. Klan notices soon begin to appear in the local newspaper. March, 1868.

Frank James — The brother of the outlaw Jesse James, and an outlaw himself, stays at the McAdoo House. November, 1881.

William Jennings Bryan — The politician and lawyer delivers the commencement address at what is now UNCG and will later run for president. May 23, 1894.

Buffalo Bill Cody — The famed scout and hunter brings his Wild West show to town. Performers likely include sharpshooter Annie Oakley. Oct. 10, 1895.

Frances Willard — A suffragist and temperance reformer visits UNCG during a national speaking tour. Jan. 16, 1896.

The Liberty Bell — The nation's symbol of freedom arrives on a railroad flatcar for residents to inspect. 1896.

Booker T. Washington — The educator speaks at A&T. 1898.

John Philip Sousa — "The March King" and his band appear before a capacity crowd at the Grand Theatre. Jan. 25. 1906.

George M. Cohan — The Broadway star appears at the Grand Theatre and leads his 75-member company in hits such as "Give My Regards to Broadway" and "Yankee Doodle Boy.P Jan. 26, 1906.

Eugene Debs — The famed socialist and former presidential candidate speaks at the courthouse. Jan. 27, 1906.

William Howard Taft — The future Republican president campaigns here during the city's centennial celebration. He defeats William Jennings Bryan, who also speaks during the birthday bash. Oct. 17, 1908.

Woodrow Wilson — The future president stops at the railroad station to shake hands. April, 1910.

Theodore Roosevelt — The former president visits what is now UNCG as the Bull Moose Party candidate. April 22, 1912.

Helen Keller — Almost nothing is known about the visit of arguably the most famous woman of her day. One history of Greensboro lists her as "a distinguished visitor" here, but doesn't provide a date or place. Possibly 1916.

Anna Howard Shaw — The country's first female Methodist minister visits UNCG. April 26, 1917.

Jeanette Rankin — The first female member of Congress appears at UNCG during a national speaking tour. Feb. 22, 1918.

Billy Sunday — The former baseball player turned evangelist speaks at UNCG. Feb. 17, 1919.

Charles Lindbergh — The pilot files his plane, The Spirit of St. Louis, to town and appears at War Memorial Stadium. Oct. 14, 1927.

Will Rogers — Humorist entertains at the National Theatre. March 8, 1928.

Al Smith — The Democratic presidential candidate makes a campaign appearance here. Oct. 10, 1928.

Carl Sandburg — The poet, historian and novelist lectures at UNCG. Feb. 15, 1929.

Bertrand Russell — The Welsh philosopher lectures at UNCG. Dec. 2, 1929.

Edward R. Murrow — The broadcaster, a Guilford County native, appears at UNCG. Oct. 24, 1930.

Marian Anderson — The singer appears at what would become N.C. A&T. 1931.

Amelia Earhart — The pioneer female aviator speaks here on "Women in Aviation." Nov. 8, 1931.

Langston Hughes — The poet holds a reading at Bennett College. Dec. 6, 1931.

Martha Graham — One of the foremost pioneers of modern dance visits UNCG. Nov. 21, 1932.

Sgt. Alvin York — The World War I hero addresses First Presbyterian Men's Club. Nov. 28, 1932.

George Washington Carver — The researcher and educator speaks at UNCG. Dec. 17, 1933.

Richard B. Harrison — The actor and educator speaks at A&T. April 30, 1934.

Wiley Post — The pilot, known for his flight around the world, land his plane, "Winnie Mae," here. 1934.

Etta Moten — The first African-American to perform at the White House, the radio, stage and screen star appears at A&T. November, 1935.

Howard Thurman — The man who established the first integrated church in the U.S. appears at A&T. 1936.

Charlotte Hawkins Brown — The president of Palmer Memorial Institute in Sedalia speaks at A&T. 1936.

Jascha Heifetz — The violin virtuoso performs as a guest of the Civic Music Association. 1937.

Sam Snead — The golfer wins the first Greater Greensboro Open. March 28, 1938.

Arthur Rubinstein — The piano virtuoso performs as a guest of the CMA. 1938.

Sergei Rachmaninoff — The composer, pianist and conductor performs as a guest of the CMA. 1939.

Ben Hogan — The golfing great captures the Greater Greensboro Open by nine shots. March 28, 1940.

Byron Nelson — Golfer wins the Greater Greensboro Open and takes home a check for $1,200. March 24, 1941.

Ella Fitzgerald — Tbe great jazz singer appears at A&T. May, 1941.

Thomas Mann — The Nobel Prize-winning writer lectures at UNCG. Oct. 30, 1941.

Cortez W. Peters — The world's all-time speed typing champion — 225 words per minute with no errors — appears at A&T. 1941.

Mary McLeod Bethune — The founder of what will become Bethune-Cookman University appears at A&T. 1941.

Jane Wyman — The actress and wife of Ronald Reagan appears with actor John Payne on the steps of city hall for a war bond rally. Sept. 15, 1942.

Ted Williams — The Boston Red Sox star, while playing for the Chapel Hill Cloudbusters, hits a home run at Memorial Stadium during his days in preflight school. 1943.

Lon Chaney Jr. — The actor appears at a "War Heroes" bond rally at UNCG's Aycock Auditorium. Jan. 22, 1944.

Bill "Bojangles" Robinson — The famed tap dancer performs at A&T. Jan. 28, 1944.

Charlton Heston — The future actor, while stationed at Overseas Replacement Depot, gets married at Grace United Methodist Church. March 17, 1944.

Josh Gibson — The future Hall of Famer from the old Negro Leagues belts a ninth-innng, game-winning home run for the Homestead Grays against the Goshen Red Wings. 1944.

Adam Clayton Powell Jr. — The Democratic congressman from Harlem, who would become known for the phrase "Keep the faith, baby," appears at A&T. 1945.

Lady Nancy Witcher Astor — The wife of Waldorf Astor and the first woman to serve in the British House of Commons visits Greensboro College, where her mother was a student in the 1860s. March 31, 1946.

Robert Penn Warren — The winner of the Pulitzer Prize for All The King's Men appears at UNCG. March 20, 1947.

Walter Gropius — The founder of the Bauhaus school of design speaks at UNCG. March 11, 1948.

John Crowe Ransom — A poet and academic appears at UNCG. March 11, 1948.

Margaret Mead — The anthropologist speaks at UNCG. Oct. 1, 1948.

Benny Goodman — The "King of Swing" and his band perform at the Sports Arena on East Wendover Avenue. Sept. 16, 1949.

The Three Stooges — The slapstick trio of Shemp Howard, Moe Howard and Larry Fine visit the city's polio hospital. About 1949.

Paul Green — The playwright best known for "The Lost Colony" speaks at the Town Meeting on Books. 1948.

Charlie Justice — Known as Choo-Choo, the North Carolina football great appears at Meyer's Department Store to sign autographs. Jan. 9, 1950.

Eddy Arnold — The country singer appears at the National Theatre. Jan. 30, 1950.

Gene Autry — The cowboy star appears at a dinner given in his honor. March 1, 1950.

Jackie Robinson — The baseball star gets three hits as the Brooklyn Dodgers defeat the Greensboro Patriots in an exhibition game at Memorial Stadium. April 11, 1950.

Pearl Buck — The winner of the Pulitzer Prize for The Good Earth appears at UNCG. Feb. 26, 1951.

Billy Graham — The evangelist begins a six-week crusade at the Greensboro fairgrounds. Oct. 14, 1951.

Saul Bellow — The author and eventual winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature speaks at UNCG. March 20, 1953.

Sonny Jurgenson — The future Duke and NFL quarterback opts to play in the East-West All-Star basketball game. Aug. 6, 1953.

Mickey Mantle — The star center fielder and the world champion New York Yankees take a 7-2 exhibition victory over the Greensboro Patriots at War Memorial Stadium. April 6, 1954.

Bruce Catton — The Civil War historian speaks at the Town Meeting on Books. 1954.

Ronald Reagan — The future president, then a General Electric spokesman, attends a company meeting at the Sedgefield Inn. March 17, 1955.

Robert Frost — The poet who won four Pulitzer Prizes and wrote The Road Not Taken speaks at UNCG, the first of three appearances on the campus. March 19, 1955.

Arnold Palmer — The golfing great plays in his first Greater Greensboro Open and finishes four strokes out of the money. April 14, 1955.

Eleanor Roosevelt — The former First Lady speaks at New Garden Friends Meeting. June 8, 1955.

Woody Hayes — The Ohio State coach lectures at the North Carolina Coaches Association football clinic. Aug. 11, 1955.

Hopalong Cassidy — The cowboy star, William Boyd, appears in the Holiday Jubilee Parade. Nov. 25, 1955.

Gaylord Perry — The future Hall of Famer pitches Williamston High School to the state Class A baseball championship over Colfax High School. 1955.

Elvis Presley — The rock 'n roll performs at National Theatre about 10 days after the release of "Heartbreak Hotel" and about seven months before he appears on the Ed Sullivan Show. He would perform five times at the Greensboro Coliseum. Feb. 6, 1956.

Pat Boone — The pop singer makes an appearance for Sealtest Ice Cream at the King Cotton Hotel. Oct. 5, 1956.

Sam Ervin — The North Carolina senator, who would become famous for pursuing the Watergate case, makes his first speech at UNCG. Oct. 25, 1956.

Louis Armstrong — The trumpeter known as Satchmo performs at A&T. Feb. 15, 1957.

Joan Crawford — The actress appears at the opening of a Pepsi-Cola bottling plant on Spring Garden Street. May 2, 1957.

Martin Luther King Jr. — The civil rights leader speaks at Bennett College chapel although other groups in Greensboro did not welcome him. Feb. 11, 1958.

Andy Griffith — The actor who will make his name as TV's Sheriff Andy Taylor appears at Carolina Theatre. July 5, 1958.

Adolph Rupp — The Kentucky coach lectures at the North Carolina Coaches Association basketball clinic. Aug. 5, 1958.

Roman Gabriel — The future N.C. State and Los Angeles Rams quarterback plays in the East-West All-Star football game. Aug. 8, 1958.

Vince Lombardi — The Green Bay Packer coach and his team stay at the Oaks Motel on Summit Avenue prior to an exhibition game in Winston-Salem. Sept. 11, 1959.

Jimmy Dean — The country singer and future sausage maker appears at WFMY-TV for the station's 10th anniversary celebration. Sept. 22, 1959.

Little Richard — The rock 'n roll star performs at the first concert a the new War Memorial Auditorium. Nov. 8, 1959.

Red Auerbach — The Boston Celtics coach, known for lighting up victory cigars, speaks at the NCCA basketball clinic. Aug. 2, 1960.

Richard Nixon — The presidential candidate campaigns here. He later says that the Greensboro stop cost him the election. While here, he bumped his knee against a car door and was hospitalized with a staph infection. His campaign was put on hold for two weeks and when he showed up for his first debate with John F. Kennedy he was in poor health and performed poorly. Aug. 17, 1960.

John F. Kennedy — The presidential candidate speaks at an airport rally. Sept. 17, 1960.

Lyndon Johnson — The vice presidential candidate makes a campaign stop here. Oct. 10, 1960.

Harry Truman — Little is known about the former president's visit, but he apparently came to Greensboro to campaign for the Kennedy-Johnson ticket. 1960.

Margaret Tynes — The Broadway star performs at A&T, her alma mater, 1960.

Thurgood Marshall — The first African American to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court speaks at Bennett College. 1960.

Jayne Mansfield — The blonde sex symbol begins a nine-day run at the Plantation Supper Club on High Point Road. March 1, 1963.

Jack Nicklaus — The Golden Bear plays in his first and only GGO. April 2-5, 1964.

Joe Paterno — The Penn State coach lectures at the NCCA football clinic. Aug. 6, 1964.

Ed Sullivan — The television show host plays in the Greater Greensboro Open pro-am. March 31, 1965.

John K. Gailbraith — The economist and author of The Affluent Society visits UNCG. April 6, 1965.

Pete Maravich — The future LSU and NBA star plays in the East-West All-Star basketball game. Aug. 3, 1965.

Mick Jagger — With the Rolling Stones, the singer makes the first of three visits to the Greensboro Coliseum. Nov. 12, 1965.

John Hope Franklin — The historian and author of "From Slavery to Freedom" speaks at A&T. 1965.

James Reston — The New York Times reporter, columnist and editor speaks at the Town Meeting on Books. 1965.

Roy Rogers and Dale Evans — The western stars serve as hosts for a televised performance of the circus at the coliseum. Feb. 14, 1966.

Eudora Welty — The Southern author and photographer who would later win a Pulitzer Prize appears at UNCG. March 23, 1966.

Bob Newhart — The comedian appears at the GGO. March 30, 1966.

Bob Hope — The comedian performs at the GGO banquet at the coliseum. March 29, 1967.

Art Buchwald — The humorist delivers the UNCG commencement address. June 4, 1967.

U Thant — The secretary-general of the United Nations speaks at the coliseum complex, an event hosted by Guilford College. July 30, 1967.

Stokley Carmichael — The civil rights activist speaks at A&T. Dec. 9, 1968.

Johnny Carson — The comedian and Tonight Show host performs at the coliseum. April, 5, 1969.

George McGovern — The future presidential candidate delivers the commencement address at UNCG. June 1, 1969.

Letitia Baldridge — The etiquette expert and author speaks at the Town Meeting on Books. 1969.

Perry Como — The singer plays in the GGO pro-am. April 1, 1970.

Bob Knight — The future Indiana coach speaks at the NCCA basketball clinic. July 27, 1970.

Michael Jackson — The singer performs with his brothers, the Jackson Five, at the coliseum. Dec. 29, 1970.

Dizzy Dean — The baseball Hall of Famer and former broadcaster plays in the GGO pro-am. March 31, 1971.

Glen Campbell — The singer performs for GGO fans at the coliseum. 1971.

John Kerry — The future presidential candidate speaks to an anti-war g roup at UNCG. Oct. 25, 1971.

Richard Petty — The NASCAR star has his photo taken at Martin's Studio. Nov. 8, 1971.

Joan Bennett — The actress speaks at the Town Meeting on Books. 1971.

Mickey Mouse — The Disney character is greeted by "Wonder Dog," the airport's unofficial mascot. 1971.

Shirley Chisholm — The presidential candidate speaks at Bennett College. March 20, 1972.

Lawrence Welk — The band leader and his champagne music makers entertain at the coliseum. June 5, 1972.

Roy Acuff — The country music legend hosts an airport rally for President Richard Nixon. November, 1972.

Johnny Mathis — The singer performs with Henry Mancini and his orchestra at the coliseum. Nov. 4, 1973.

Frances Bavier — Aunt Bee from "The Andy Griffith Show" visits a blood drive at WFMY-TV. December, 1973.

Ralph Nader — The activist and politician speaks at UNCG. Feb. 14, 1974.

David Thompson — The N.C. State star leads the Wolfpack to the ACC title over Maryland, a 103-100 victory that many describe as the greatest college basketball game of all time. March 9, 1974.

John Wooden — The legendary UCLA coach brings star center Bill Walton and his Bruins teammates to the Greensboro Coliseum for the city's first and only NCAA Final Four. March 23, 1974.

Phil Ford — The future North Carolina star and NBA assistant coach plays in the East-West All-Star game. July 30, 1974.

Dick Gregory — The author and comedian speaks at A&T. Oct. 29, 1974.

Dan Rather — The future CBS anchor visits the WFMY-TV studios. 1974.

Milton Friedman — The economist who would win a Nobel Prize in 1976 lectures at UNCG. Jan. 23, 1975.

David Halberstam — The author of "The Best and the Brightest" speaks at the Town Meeting on Books. 1975.

Nancy Reagan — She joins her husband Ronald Reagan on a campaign stop at the airport. February, 1976.

Jimmy Stewart — The actor campaigns at the airport with Ronald Reagan. March, 1976.

Gerald Ford — The president visits Guilford Courthouse National Military Park and holds a press conference at Guilford College. March 13, 1976.

Jerry Lewis — The funny man signs autograph for muscular dystrophy patients at the Holiday Inn Four Seasons and then plays in the GGO pro-am. March 30, 1976.

Don Knotts — The actor, best know for his role as Barney Fife on the Andy Griffith Show, plays in the GGO pro-am. March 30, 1976.

Nelson Rockefeller — The vice president makes a campaign stop at the airport. June, 1976.

Moshe Dyan — The former Israeli defense minister lands at the airport en route to High Point. September, 1976.

Julian Bond — The civil rights activist speaks at A&T. Jan. 28, 1977.

Dean Smith — The North Carolina coach speaks at the NCCA clinic. July 25, 1977.

Bob Timberlake — The Lexington artist appears with CBS newsman Charles Kuralt to promote their $600, limited edition art book. Oct. 7, 1977.

Reynolds Price — The Duke University professor and author speaks at the Town Meeting on Books. 1977.

Walter Mondale — The vice president arrives for a luncheon with area Democratic leaders. Jan. 4, 1978.

Mary Leakey — The anthropologist known for her work at Olduvai Gorge in Africa speaks at UNCG. Feb. 27, 1978.

Jim Fowler — The Wild Kingdom co-star appears in a fund-raising telethon for the North Carolina Zoo. April 15-16, 1978.

Yo-Yo Ma — The cellist performs at the Eastern Music Festival. June 23, 1978.

The Lone Ranger — The actor Clayton Moore, wearing his signature black mask and white hat, signs autographs at Carolina Circle Mall. Aug. 12, 1978.

Steve Martin — The "wild and crazy guy" performs at the coliseum. Oct. 3, 1978.

Doris Kerns Goodwin — The author and presidential historian, who would win the Pulitzer Prize in 1995, speaks at the Town Meeting on Books. 1978.

Tom Wicker — The New York Times reporter and author speaks at the Town Meeting on Books. 1978.

Red Skelton — The comedian visits UNCG for several days. March, 1978.

The Goodyear Blimp — The America soars over the Triad for three days. 1979.

Ernest Borgnine — The actor appears in the GGO pro am. April 2, 1980.

Jerry Garcia — He and the Grateful Dead perform for the first of seven times at the coliseum. May 1, 1980.

Cleveland Amory — The author known for his work for animal rights speaks at the Town Meeting on Books. 1980.

Dizzy Gillespie — The trumpet great performs at UNCG. Aug. 28, 1982.

Jessica Mitford — The author of "The American Way of Death" speaks at the Town Meeting on Books. 1982.

Itzhak Perlman — The violinist appears at UNCG. Jan. 19, 1983.

Michael Jordan — The basketball star leads North Carolina to a 72-65 win over Georgia Tech at the coliseum, scoring 39 points, his highest total as a Tar Heel. Jan. 29, 1983.

Maya Angelou — The poet and author lectures at UNCG. Feb. 7, 1983.

Rita Moreno — The singer, dancer and Academy Award winning actress performs for GGO fans. April 2, 1983.

Martina Navratilova — The tennis star plays Pam Shriver at the coliseum. May 4, 1983.

Jim Valvano — The N.C. State coach speaks at the NCCA basketball clinic. July 26, 1983.

Bobby Bowden — The Florida State coach speaks at the NCCA football clinic. July 28, 1983.

Dale Earnhardt Sr. — The NASCAR great visits Wrangler headquarters to sign autographs — September. 1983.

Hank Aaron — The great home run hitter appears at A&T. Sept. 25, 1983.

Vermont Royster — The former Wall Street Journal editor speaks at the Town Meeting on Books. 1983.

Vincent Bugliosi — The co-author Helter Skelter and prosecutor of Charles Manson speaks at the Town Meeting on Books. 1984.

Ron McNair — The astronaut, who would die in the Challenger explosion in 1986, speaks at A&T, his alma mater. 1984.

Wynton Marsalis — The jazz trumpeter appears at the Eastern Music Festival. Aug. 3, 1985.

Willie Nelson — The singing legend holds a press conference to announce his partnership with Wrangler jeans. Aug. 28, 1985.

Linda Carter — The Wonder Woman star appears at the GGO. April 3, 1986.

Mike Krzyzewski — The Duke coach speaks at the NCCA basketball clinic. July 22, 1986.

Tom Wolfe — The author, who will release "The Bonfire of the Vanities" in 1987, speaks at the Town Meeting on Books. 1986.

Charles Kuralt — The "On The Road" broadcaster appears in a show called "North Carolina Is My Home" at the Carolina Theatre. May 28, 1987.

Chris Evert Lloyd — The tennis star plays Martina Navratilova at the coliseum. Dec. 7, 1987.

George H.W. Bush — The vice president makes a campaign stop here. March 5, 1988.

Jane Goodall — Known for her studies of chimpanzees, she receives an honorary degree from UNCG. May 15, 1988.

Andre Agassi — The tennis star plays Ivan Lendl at the coliseum. Dec. 7, 1988.

Ralph Abernathy — The civil rights leader takes part in a Martin Luther King Jr. celebration at UNCG. Jan. 15, 1989.

Barbara Bush — The First Lady delivers the commencement address at Bennett College. May 14, 1989.

B.B. King — The blues great performs at the Carolina Theatre. 1989.

Dolly Parton — The singer and actress appears with Kenny Rogers at the coliseum. April 8, 1990.

Louis Farrakhan — The Nation of Islam leader speaks at A&T. 1990.

Juan Williams — The journalist and author of "Eyes on the Prize" speaks at A&T. Feb. 1, 1991.

Jesse Jackson — The civil rights activist speaks at A&T, his alma mater. March 3, 1991.

Alex Haley — The author of "Roots" speaks at A&T. Nov. 4, 1991.

Charlayne Hunter-Gault — The Emmy Award-winning journalist appears at A&T. 1991.

Mae Jamison — The astronaut, who would become the first African-American woman in space, speaks at A&T. 1991.

Lou Holtz — The Notre Dame coach and future ESPN analyst lectures at the NCCA football clinic. July 2, 1992.

Bill Clinton — The presidential candidate and his wife, Hillary, make a campaign stop at Robinson's Restaurant. Al and Tipper Gore join them. Oct. 26, 1992.

Garrison Keillor — The author, humorist, musician and host of "Prairie Home Companion" appears at the Carolina Theatre. 1992.

Lance Armstrong — The future cycling great competes in the Tour DuPont, which concludes in Greensboro after 11 days and more than 1,000 miles. May 16, 1993.

Pat Summitt — The Tennessee coach speaks at the NCCA basketball clinic. July 27, 1993.

Gladys Knight — The singer performs at A&T. Oct. 22, 1993.

Tony Bennett — The crooner leaves his heart in Greensboro during a performance at the GGO gala. 1993.

Bill Cosby — The comedian performs at the coliseum. Jan. 21, 1994.

Nolan Ryan — The Hall of Fame pitcher helps Wrangler dedicate a new headquarters downtown. March 10, 1994.

Jim Shoulders — The rodeo legend also attends the Wrangler dedication. March 10, 1994.

Chet Atkins — The guitarist performs at the Carolina Theatre. Sept. 23, 1994.

Rosa Parks — The civil rights activist holds a press conference at A&T. Feb. 1, 1995.

Reba McEntire — The country superstar performs at the coliseum. Feb. 17, 1995.

The Olympic torch — Residents carry the flame on a 22-mile route through the city as it heads toward the Atlanta games. July 23-24, 1996.

Richard Simmons — The fuzzy haired exercise guru visits the Good Morning show. 1996.

Ozzie Davis — The actor visits with students at A&T, April 14, 1997.

Johnny Unitas — The NFL Hall of Fame quarterback plays golf at Starmount Forest. July 11, 1997.

Ray Charles — The rhythm and blues legend performs with the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra at Memorial Auditorium. Sept. 13, 1997.

John Berendt — The author of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" speaks at the Town Meeting on Books. 1997.

The Stanley Cup — Hockey's holy grail and the oldest trophy in profession sports makes a stop in Greensboro. Feb. 17, 1998.

Jerry Falwell — The founder of the Moral Majority takes the witness stand in the murder trial of Ronnie Lee Kimble, the son of a fellow Baptist minister and friend. Aug. 19, 1998.

Benjamin Carson — The noted neurosurgeon speaks at A&T. Oct. 28, 1998.

Pat Conroy — The author of the "Prince of Tides" speaks at the Town Meeting on Books. 1998.

Jan Karon — The author of the Mitford Years series speaks at the Town Meeting on Books. 1999.

Paul Anka — The former teen idol performs at War Memorial Auditorium. Feb. 21, 1999.

Larry Gatlin — The Grammy Award winning singer and songwriter visits GTCC to establish the Larry Gatlin School of Entertainment Technology, the first program of its kind in the state offered by a community college. Oct. 15, 1999.

Britney Spears — The singer draws 17,208 to her show at the coliseum. March 29, 2000.

Jim Bakker — The former PTL televangelist speaks at Christ Covenant Church. April 30, 2000.

Aretha Franklin — The queen of soul performs at Memorial Auditorium. June 4, 2000.

Gail Godwin — The novelist and short story writer speaks at the Town Meeting on Books. 2000.

Jimmy Buffett — The singer and his band delight 21,221 Parrotheads at the coliseum. Feb. 17, 2001.

George Jones — The rogue country singer performs at Memorial Auditorium. April 7, 2001.

Elton John — The singer and piano legend joins Billy Joel in a concert that draws 22,089 to the coliseum. April 28, 2001.

James Brown — The hardest working man in show business performs for the 13th, and last, time at the coliseum complex. July 6, 2001.

Jerry Seinfeld — The comedian performs first of two shows at War Memorial Auditorium. May 3, 2002.

P. Diddy — The rap star appears at the coliseum. June 21, 2002.

Bruce Springsteen — The singer performs with The E Street Band before 19,271 at the coliseum. Nov. 16, 2002.

LeBron James — The future NBA star plays at the coliseum before 16,220 fans, a record for a high school basketball game in North Carolina. Jan. 20, 2003.

Ralph Sampson — The former Virginia basketball star attends the ACC 50th Anniversary gala. March 12, 2003.

Lefty Driesell — The former Maryland basketball coach attends the ACC 50th Anniversary gala. March 12, 2003.

Kay Yow — The coach of the North Carolina State women's basketball team attends the ACC 50th Anniversary gala. March 12, 2003.

Coretta Scott King — The widow of Martin Luther King Jr. attends a fund-raising event for Bennett College. Oct. 10, 2003.

Jesse Helms — The retired North Carolina senator appears with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld at a fundraiser at Grandover Resort. Oct. 18, 2003.

50 Cent — The rapper performs at A&T's homecoming. Oct. 25, 2003.

Andy Rooney — The "60 Minutes" commentator appears at a breakfast in his honor at A&T. Nov. 14, 2003.

Wilbur Ross — The billionaire New York financier announces he has merged Cone Mills and Burlington Industries, which he bought out of bankruptcy, into International Textile Group. March 17, 2004.

James Earl Jones — The actor speaks at A&T's commencement. May 8, 2004.

Clay Aiken — The American Idol runnerup hosts an Idol viewing party at the coliseum. May 26, 2004.

Roy Williams — The North Carolina coach speaks at the NCCA basketball clinic. July 19, 2004.

Jim Brown — The activist and former Cleveland Browns star speaks at A&T. Sept. 25, 2004.

Mikhail Gorbachev — The former Soviet Union president speaks at Guilford College. Oct. 6, 2004.

John Edwards — The Democratic candidate for vice president makes a campaign speech at A&T. Oct. 6, 2004.

Cornel West — The Princeton University scholar lectures at A&T. Feb. 3, 2005.

Rita Dove — The U.S. poet laureate headlines Poetry GSO at the Carolina Theatre, April 6, 2005.

Eileen Fulton — The soap opera star delivers the commencement address at Greensboro College, her alma mater. May 5, 2005.

Carly Fiorina — The former CEO of Hewlett-Packard speaks at A&T's commencement. May 7, 2005.

Bob Dylan — The singer, along with Willie Nelson, puts on the first major concert at what was then First Horizon Park. June 11, 2005.

Fantasia Barrino — The High Point native and "American Idol" winner opens at Memorial Auditorium for R&B singer KEM. June 29, 2005.

Dick Vitale — The ESPN analyst comes to town to film a bit part in a basketball movie called "Home of the Giants." Sept. 9, 2005.

Simon Cowell — The acerbic "American Idol" judge, along with Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson, auditions contestants at the Marriott Downtown. Oct. 6, 2005.

Desmond Tutu — The Nobel Peace Prize winning archbishop appears at Guilford College. Nov. 3, 2005.

Will Ferrell — The actor and former Saturday Night Live star hands out awards at the State High School Play Festival at Greensboro College. Nov. 4, 2005.

Bob Dole — The former presidential candidate appears at a fundraiser for Bennett College. Sept. 21, 2005.

Christopher Darden — One of the prosecutors in the O.J. Simpson murder trial speaks at A&T. 2005.

Thomas Friedman — The New York Times columnist and Pulitzer Prize-winning author speaks at A&T. April 5, 2006.

Sandra Day O'Connor — The retired U.S. Supreme Court justice speaks at the dedication of Elon University's new law school downtown. Sept. 19, 2006.

Condoleezza Rice — The secretary of state addresses Southern Baptists, who are holding their national convention here. June 14, 2006.

George W. Bush — The president attends a $1,000-a-plate fund-raising dinner at a Greensboro home. Oct. 18, 2006.

Oprah Winfrey — The media mogul speaks at a fund-raising gala at Bennett College. Oct. 20, 2006.

David McCullough — The author of "1776" and the narrator of the acclaimed "Civil War" series on PBS speaks at War Memorial Auditorium. Nov. 2, 2006.

George Clooney — Twice dubbed "the sexiest man alive" by People magazine, he shoots scenes for his movie "Leatherheads" at Memorial Stadium. May 3, 2007.

Tavis Smiley — The political commentator and talk show host speaks at A&T. Sept. 21, 2007.

Al Sharpton — The civil rights activist speaks at A&T's homecoming. Oct. 22, 2007.

Danny Glover — The actor speaks at a fundraiser for Triad Stage. Oct. 27, 2007.

James Goodnight — The cofounder of software giant SAS Institute in Cary and the 35th richest American ($8.7 billion) speaks to a group of Triad civic and business leaders at Grandover Resort & Conference Center. Jan. 17, 2008.

Dorothy Hamill — The figure skater, who won the Olympic gold medal in 1976, performs with Broadway on Ice at the coliseum. Jan. 27, 2008.

Accompanying Photos

Photo Caption: Theodore Roosevelt visits what is now UNCG as the Bull Moose Party candidate for president on April 22, 1912.

Want to contribute?

During Greensboros bicentennial year, the News & Record wants to compile a list of the citys most famous visitors over the past 200-plus years. We need your help. Check out our abbreviated list below and an extended one at News-Record.com. Then send your suggestions to Don Patterson, News & Record, P.O. Box 20848, Greensboro, 27420 ormailto:don.patterson@news-record.com. Include the visitors name, plus the purpose, place and date of the visit. Well post the best ones online. Remember, were looking for A-list candidates. Please provide your daytime phone number.

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