Nebraskan celebrities: Just a few familiar names from the "Cornhusker State"
Believe it or not, Nebraska is home to several prominent figures in history and pop culture. Whether they claim this state as their home, or they were just born in the state, here are some famous individuals from Nebraska:
Warren Buffett
Arguably one of the most well known investors and businessmen of all time, Warren Buffett was born Aug. 30, 1930 in Omaha, Nebraska, which is also where his company, Berkshire Hathaway, is based. Buffett has earned the title “the oracle of Omaha.” The 91-year-old’s net worth is estimated at 117 billion dollars, making him the eighth wealthiest person in the world.
Sting
Steve Borden, perhaps one of the most iconic professional wrestlers of all time and better known by his ring name Sting, was born March 20, 1959 in Omaha, Nebraska. He is known for his time in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Throughout his career, he’s won a total of fifteen world championships. The 62-year-old continues to perform for AEW as a mentor to wrestler Darby Allin.
Gerald Ford
The 38th president was born July 14, 1913 in Omaha, Nebraska as Leslie Lynch King Jr., before later changing his name to Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. after his stepfather. He served as vice president under Richard Nixon and became president upon Nixon’s resignation in the midst of the Watergate scandal. Ford’s presidency began in controversy, as his first act as president was pardoning Nixon for any wrongdoing. Ford died Dec. 26, 2006 at the age of 93 in Rancho Mirage, California.
Malcolm X
Malcolm Little was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 19, 1925. He fled Omaha to escape from violence by the Ku Klux Klan. He moved from Milwaukee to Detroit to Boston and turned to crime as a way to make ends meet and was later incarcerated. While in prison, he developed a passion for reading and started studying Islam. After being released, he wrote a letter in 1950 to President Harry Truman stating his opposition to the Korean War and started going by Malcolm X. In 1964 on a trip to Mecca, X officially converted to Islam and changed his name to Malik el-Shabazz. He is widely celebrated for his pursuit of racial justice during the civil rights movement. X was unfortunately assassinated in New York City on Feb. 21, 1965 at the age of 39.
By Evan Majors