Contributors to our Panamenian
Culture and Heritage
Panamanians who have made national and international contributions to our culture and heritage. Click here if you would like to suggest a Notable Panamanian to our list.
- Politicians and elected officials
- Artist & entertainers
- Writers, novelist, poets and essayist.
- Entrepreneurs
- Religious personalities
- Public figures
![Graciela Dixon](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Graciela-Dixon.jpg)
![Roberto Morgan](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Roberto-Morgan.jpg)
Roberto Morgan
Publisher and organizer
Publisher and organizer of the Annual Encuentro Folklorico Panameno held in different cities in the United States.
![George Headley](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/George-Alphonso-Headley.jpg)
George Headley
Outstanding Cricketer
Considered one of the greatest cricketers of all time and the best batsmen to play for the West Indies
![George Westerman](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/George-W.-Westerman.jpg)
![Luis Russell](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Luis-Russell.jpg)
Luis Russell
Jazz pianist
Pioneering Panamanian jazz pianist, orchestra leader, composer and arranger.
![Panama Al Brown](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Panama-Al-Brown.jpg)
Panama Al Brown
Boxer
Bantamweight boxer from Panama who made history by becoming boxing’s first Hispanic world champion.
![Irving Saladino](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Irving-Jahir-Saladino-Aranda.jpg)
Irving Saladino
Long jump gold medalist
Won a gold medal in the long jump during 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.
![Jorge Dunn](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Jorge-Dunn.jpg)
![Lorraine Dunn](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Lorraine-Dunn-Davis.jpg)
Lorraine Dunn
Olympic sprinter
At the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, she was Panama’s Flag Bearer in the Opening Ceremonies.
![Princess Angela](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Princess-Angela-of-Liechtenstein.jpg)
Princess Angela
Wife of Prince Maximilian
Wife of the highest ranked black members of a reigning European dynasty.
![Ephraim S. Alphonse](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Rev.-Dr.-Ephraim-S.-Alphonse-Reid.jpg)
Ephraim S. Alphonse
Missionary, Minister
Writer, poet, missionary, minister and subsequent bishop of the Methodist Church (MCCA).
![Miguel Vasquez](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Miguel-Vasquez.jpg)
![Ismael Laguna](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Ismael-Laguna.jpg)
Ismael Laguna
Boxer
Known as “El Tigre Colonense”, Laguna was the Featherweight Champion from 1962-63.
![Nuria Fernandez](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Nuria-White-Fernandez.jpg)
Nuria Fernandez
GM/CEO for VTA
Nuria White Fernandez is the daughter of the late Vilma Peart de White and Edward White of Panama.
![Victor Boa](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Victor-Boa.jpg)
![Eusebio Pedroza](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Eusebio-Pedroza.jpg)
Eusebio Pedroza
Boxer
Boxer who held the World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight championship from 1978 to 1985.
![Juan Williams](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Juan-Williams.jpg)
Juan Williams
Journalist
Writer, poet, missionary, minister and subsequent bishop of the Methodist Church (MCCA).
![Patricio Scantlebury](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Patricio-Scantlebury.jpg)
Patricio Scantlebury
Professional baseball player
First Panamanian to play professional baseball outside of Panama-Negro League (USA)
![Dra. Enitza George](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Enitza-George.jpg)
Dra. Enitza George
Family Medicine
Board Certified Family Practice Physician, a long-distance runner and an athletic trainer.
![Lloyd La Beach](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Lloyd-La-Beach.jpg)
Lloyd La Beach
First Olympic medalist
Former sprinter from Panama, who won two bronze medals at the 1948 Summer Olympics.
![El General](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/El-General.jpg)
El General
Reggae artist
El General (born Edgardo Franco) is a Reggae artist considered by some to be one of the Fathers of Reggaeton.
![Justine Pasek](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Justine-Pasek.jpg)
![Melva Lowe Goodin](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Melva-Lowe-De-Goodin.jpg)
![Mariano Rivera](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Mariano-Rivera.jpg)
Mariano Rivera
Baseball pitcher
Rivera is regarded by baseball experts as one of the most dominant relievers in major league history.
![Gerardo Maloney](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Gerardo-Maloney.jpg)
Gerardo Maloney
Sociologist, writer, educator
Ambassador of the Republic of Panama to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago 2004 -2009.
![Margarita Henríquez](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Margarita-Henriquez.jpg)
Margarita Henríquez
Latin American Idol
Winner of the third season of Latin American Idol, which she won on October 9, 2008.
![Rod Carew](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Rod-Carew.jpg)
![Julio Ernesto Murray](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Rt.-Rev.-Julio-Ernesto-Murray.jpg)
![Roberto Durán](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/roberto-duran.jpg)
![Rubén Blades](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Rubén-Blades.jpg)
Rubén Blades
Singer, Songwriter, Actor
Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, actor, Latin jazz musician and activist.
![Justo Arroyo](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Justo-Arroyo.jpg)
Justo Arroyo
Educator, ambassador, and writer
He is the recipient of multiple national and international awards for his books.
![Mauricio Smith](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Mauricio-Smith.jpg)
![Harley Mitchell](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/HARLEY-MITCHELL.jpg)
![Laffit Pincay Jr.](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Laffit-Pincay-Jr.jpg)
Laffit Pincay Jr.
Jockey
Was once flat racing’s winningest all-time jockey, still holding third place many years after his retirement.
![Marcos G. McGrath](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Marcos-Gregorio-McGrath.jpg)
Marcos G. McGrath
Roman Catholic Archbishop
Roman Catholic Archbishop. McGrath served as Archbishop of Panama until his retirement on April 18, 1994.
![Humberto Robinson](https://panamacybernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Humberto-Robinson.jpg)
Humberto Robinson
Major League Baseball relief pitcher
First Panamanian to be drafted and played for Major League Baseball-April 20, 1955(USA)
BY NAME
A |
L |
|
Jesus Almenas guitarist, composer | Lloyd LaBeach first Olympic medal holder of Panama | |
Pedro Altamiranda singer, composer | Ismael Laguna boxer | |
Ephraim S. Alphonse minister | Vincent Laresca actor | |
Nancy Ames singer | Bobby Lashley professional wrestler | |
Tanya Aparicio pianist | Oscar Willis Layne cyclist | |
Julio E. Linares treasury Minister, foreign minister | ||
B |
Hector Lopez baseball player | |
Ernesto Perez Balladares former president | Victoriano Lorenzo patriot | |
Felipe Baloy soccer player | Los Rabanes music group | |
Nicolas Ardito Barletta former president |
M |
|
Bayano rebel slave | Arnulfo Arias Madrid former president | |
Panama Al Brown boxer | Harmodio Arias Madrid former president | |
Jose Dominador Bazan politician | Carlos Francisco Chang Marin folklorist, painter, musician, journalist, activist, writer | |
Nadia Noemi Franco Bazan writer | Norma Mascoll first female US Director of Engineering and Housing | |
Reginald Beckford sprinter, first gold medalist of Panama | Luis Anderson McNeil former Minister of Labor | |
William Bedford basketball player | Ramiro Mendoza baseball player | |
Ruben Blades singer, actor, minister of tourism | Orlando Miller baseball player | |
Nando Boom reggae artist | Ricardo Miro poet | |
Miguel Bose actor, singer | Mireya Moscoso former president | |
Jordana Brewster actress | Jaime Murrell singer | |
Floyd Britton political dissident | Julio Ernesto Murray bishop | |
Rosa Maria Britton writer | ||
Panama Al Brown first Hispanic world boxing champion | ||
N-P |
||
C-D |
Manuel Chong Neto painter | |
Rod Carew baseball player | Manuel Antonio Noriega dictator | |
Jorge Cham webcomics producer, author | Ben Oglivie baseball player | |
Kenneth Bancroft Clark psychologist, writer | Justine Pasek Miss Universe 2002 | |
Graciela Dixon lawyer | Eusebio Pedroza boxer | |
Billy Cobham drummer | Danilo Perez pianist | |
Irichelle Duran boxer | Laffit Pincay Jr. jockey | |
Roberto Duran boxer | Jose Luis Rodriguez Pitti photographer, author | |
Belisario Porras former president | ||
E-G |
||
El General reggae artist |
S |
|
Guillermo Endara former president | Irving Saladino Panama’s first Olympic gold medallist | |
Martin Torrijos Espino former president | Manny Sanguillen baseball player | |
Alfonso Frazier world champion boxer | Alfredo Sinclair artist | |
Carlos Fuentes writer | Olga Sinclair artist | |
Charles Patrick Garcia businessman, author | Alfredo Smith, Jr. jockey | |
Carlos Garnett jazz musician | Mauricio Smith musician | |
Melva Lowe Goodin author | Rachel Smith Miss USA 2007 | |
Gloria Guardia author | Melissa De Sousa actress | |
Edward Ashton Gaskin Stuart educator, labor leader | ||
H-K |
||
Omar Torrijos Herrera national guard leader |
T-Z |
|
Esteban Huertas independence fighter | Marc Anthony Thompson musician, actor | |
Jorge Illueca diplomat, politician | Consuelo Tomas author | |
Leroy Jackson basketball player | Omar Torrijos former dictator | |
Roberto Kelly baseball player | Urraca chieftain | |
Roberto Vasquez boxer | ||
Juan Williams television correspondent | ||
Ingrid De Ycaza singer | ||
Hilario Zapata boxer | ||
Aaron Zebede actor, producer |
BY OCCUPATION
Artist |
Politics |
|
Carlos Francisco Chang Marín, folk artist | Arnulfo Arias Madrid, former president | |
Chafil Cheucarama, Wounaan carver, illustrator, and painter | Harmodio Arias Madrid, former president | |
Antonio Jose Guzman, artist | Nicolás Ardito Barletta, former president | |
José Luis Rodríguez Pittí, poet, artist | Guillermo Endara, former president | |
Pablo Runyan, painter | Esteban Huertas, independence fighter | |
Alfredo Sinclair, painter | Jorge Illueca, diplomat and politician | |
Olga Sinclair, painter | Julio E. Linares, Foreign Minister (1989–1993) | |
Alicia Viteri, painter | Ricardo Martinelli, former president | |
Darcilyn S’Masdeu, painter,artistic designer | John McCain, American politician, 2008 presidential nominee | |
Mireya Moscoso, former president | ||
Beauty queens and fashion models |
Manuel Antonio Noriega, former dictator | |
Ester Cordet, former Playboy Playmate of the Month | Ernesto Pérez Balladares, former president | |
Justine Pasek, former Miss Universe | Belisario Porras, former president | |
Rachel Smith, former Miss USA | Dudley Thompson, Jamaican Pan-Africanist and politician | |
Martín Torrijos Espino, former president | ||
Business |
Omar Torrijos, former dictator | |
Ursula M. Burns, CEO of Xerox | ||
Pedro Heilbron, CEO of Copa Airlines |
Sports |
|
Roberto Corbin, soccer player | ||
Entertainment |
Manuel Corpas, professional baseball player | |
Erika Ender, musician/composer | Ed Cota, basketball player | |
Sharon Aguilar, musician/composer | Kevin Daley, basketball player and Harlem Globetrotter | |
Pedro Altamiranda, singer/composer | Frank Davis, professional football player | |
Nancy Ames, singer | Jorge Dely Valdés, soccer player | |
Tanya Aparicio, pianist | Einar Díaz, professional baseball player | |
Aloe Blacc, singer | Roberto Durán, world boxing champion | |
Rubén Blades, singer, actor, former Minister of Tourism | Rommel Fernández, soccer player | |
Miguel Bosé, Spanish actor and singer | Gary Forbes, professional basketball player | |
Jordana Brewster, actress | Alfonso Frazer, world champion boxer | |
Rod Carrillo, Latin music producer, label owner | Rubén Garcés, former basketball player | |
Casanova, rapper | Stuart Gray, professional basketball player | |
Billy Cobham, drummer, for Mahavishnu Orchestra | Reggie Grenald, professional basketball player | |
Melissa De Sousa, actress (film The Best Man) | Darius Holland, professional football player | |
La Factoría, Spanish reggae duo | George Headley, cricket player | |
Flex, Spanish reggae artist | Leroy Jackson, professional basketball player | |
Gaitanes, singers, musical producers, composers | Guillermo Jones, professional boxer | |
Carlos Garnett, jazz saxophonist | Bayano Kamani, track and field athlete | |
El General, Spanish reggae artist | Roberto Kelly, baseball player | |
Margarita Henríquez, singer | Kevin Kurányi,German soccer player | |
Lori Heuring, actress | Lloyd La Beach, first Olympic medal winner from Panama | |
Clark Kent, rap music producer | Bobby Lashley, martial arts fighter and wrestler | |
Vincent Laresca, actor | Carlos Lee, professional baseball player | |
Eddy Lover, Spanish reggae artist | Héctor López, professional baseball player | |
Makano, Spanish reggae artist | Jorge Luján, boxer | |
Jaime Murrell, singer | José Macías, professional baseball player | |
Uncle Murda, rapper | Ernesto Marcel, professional boxer | |
Nando Boom, reggae artist | Ramiro Mendoza, professional baseball player | |
Danilo Pérez, jazz pianist, producer, composer | Orlando Miller, professional baseball player | |
José Quintero, Broadway director | Omar Moreno, professional baseball player | |
Los Rabanes, reggae-rock band | Ben Oglivie, professional baseball player | |
J. August Richards, actor | Eusebio Pedroza, former world boxing champion | |
Coco Rodriguez, singer, actress | Jaime Penedo, soccer player | |
Daphne Rubin-Vega, actress and singer | Laffit Pincay, Jr., horse jockey | |
Samy y Sandra Sandoval, singer, musician | Luis Antonio Rivera, soccer player | |
Alexis Texas, American adult film actress | Mariano Rivera, professional baseball player | |
Aaron Zebede, actor, director and producer. | Rubén Rivera, professional baseball player | |
Jorge I. Ledezma Bradley, Musician, Founder of”Musica Viva” | Humberto Valentino Robinson, major league baseball player | |
Davis Romero, professional baseball player | ||
Historical figures |
Carlos Ruiz, professional baseball player | |
Bayano, rebel slave | Olmedo Sáenz, professional baseball player | |
Floyd Britton, political dissident | Irving Saladino, former World and Olympic track and field champion | |
Edward Ashton Gaskin Stuart, educator and labor leader | Manny Sanguillén, professional baseball player | |
Victoriano Lorenzo, patriot | Rennie Stennett, professional baseball player | |
Luis Anderson McNeil, former labor minister | Luis Tejada, soccer player | |
Belisario Porras, former president | Ruben Tejada, professional baseball player | |
Urracá, chieftain | Roberto Vásquez, professional boxer | |
Roberto Wallace, professional football player | ||
Journalism |
Oscar Willis Layne, cyclist | |
Escolastico Calvo, journalist | Hilario Zapata, professional boxer | |
Gwen Ifill, television correspondent and host | ||
Sacha Pretto, Univision news anchor |
Literature |
|
Juan Williams, television correspondent | Rosa María Britton, writer | |
Carlos Fuentes, Mexican writer (born in Panama) | ||
Religious Personalities |
Gloria Guardia, novelist and essayist | |
Ephraim S. Alphonse, Writer, poet, missionary and minister | Ricardo Miró, poet | |
Julio Ernesto Murray, Bishop Episcopal Church | Rogelio Sinán, poet and writer | |
José Luis Rodríguez Pittí, writer | ||
Lawyers |
Consuelo Tomás, writer | |
Harley Mitchell, Retired President of the Panama Supreme Court | ||
Graciela Dixon, Retired President of the Panama Supreme Court | Reverence: Wikipedia: List of Panamanians |