Walking through Woodlawn Cemetery is like flipping through chapters of American cultural, business and political history — celebrated figures of music, art, business and politics all found their final resting place here. It is located in a beautiful landscape, the perfect place to escape the frenzied pace of the city. While there, you can visit some of the notable grave sites. There are so many to choose from, you could spend days wandering the grounds to see them all. For some recommendations, see below for our list of 10 famous people buried at Woodlawn Cemetery.

1. Celia Cruz (1925-2003)

Wikimedia Commons.

Known as the “Queen of Salsa,” Celia Cruz became one of the most iconic Latin music stars. She fled her homeland of Cuba in 1959 following the take over by Fidel Castro. Known for her flashy stage costumes, colorful wigs and her signature cry, “Azucaar,” she became one of the most iconic Latin music stars. She recorded more than 50 albums during her life, received multiple Grammy awards, and left us with timeless hits like “La Vida es un Carnaval” and “Quimbara.”

2. Miles Davis (1926-1991)

Miles Davis. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Miles Davis was a revolutionary jazz trumpeter, composer and bandleader. In the 1950’s, he became the leader of the “cool Jazz” movement and made several celebrated records. His album “Kind of Blue” (1959) is the best selling jazz recording of all time. The music inscribed on his memorial is Davis’ original composition “Solar” recorded in 1954.

3. Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson (1906-1968)

Bumpy Johnson. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Bumpy Johnson was a legendary Harlem crime boss and folk antihero whose life blended the underworld with Black Harlem’s cultural and political movements. Known for his sharp intellect, charisma, and code of honor, Johnson ruled Harlem’s numbers racket and built alliances with mob figures like Lucky Luciano, while also supporting his community — funding scholarships, protecting local businesses, and aiding struggling families. His complex legacy inspired countless portrayals in film and television.

4. Fiorello La Guardia (1882-1947)

Fiorello La Guardia. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Fiorello H. La Guardia, nicknamed “The Little Flower,” was one of New York City’s most beloved and transformative mayors. Serving from 1934 to 1945, he led the city through the Great Depression and World War II with a mix of toughness, integrity, and compassion. A reform-minded Republican who often defied party lines, La Guardia fought corruption, championed public housing and infrastructure, and modernized city services. He worked closely with President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal programs to rebuild New York, expanding parks, airports, and cultural institutions.

5. Robert Moses (1888-1981)

Robert Moses. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

The “master builder” who reshaped New York City and its surrounding region in the 20th century, Robert Moses was both a visionary and a lightning rod for controversy. Holding a vast network of unelected positions, Moses oversaw the creation of hundreds of miles of parkways, bridges, tunnels, and beaches, as well as major projects like the Triborough Bridge, the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, and Jones Beach State Park. His ambitious urban planning transformed how New Yorkers lived and moved — emphasizing the automobile and large-scale infrastructure. Yet his legacy is deeply debated: while he modernized the city’s landscape, he also displaced countless communities, particularly in working-class and minority neighborhoods. Of all the famous people buried at Woodlawn Cemetery, his legacy is the most controversial.

6. Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington (1899-1974)

Duke Ellington. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Duke Ellington was one of America’s greatest composers — a towering figure who elevated jazz into an art form of global prestige. Leading his orchestra for more than 50 years, Ellington created a vast body of work that blended sophistication, swing, and soul, including classics like “Mood Indigo,” “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),” and “Take the ‘A’ Train.”

7. Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902)

Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a pioneering leader of the American women’s rights movement and one of the most influential voices for gender equality in the 19th century. She helped organize the first women’s rights convention at Seneca Falls in 1848 and co-authored the Declaration of Sentiments, demanding suffrage and equal rights for women. Working closely with Susan B. Anthony, Stanton spent decades challenging laws and social norms that limited women’s freedom in education, work, and family life. Though she did not live to see the 19th Amendment ratified, her bold vision laid the intellectual and moral foundation for the modern feminist movement.

8. Rowland H. Macy (1822-1877)

Rowland H Macy. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Rowland H. Macy was an innovative entrepreneur and retail pioneer best known as the founder of the Macy’s Department Store. He started with a chain of dry goods stores in Massachusetts. He later moved to New York and opened a store on Sixth Avenue, marking the start of a retail empire. Macy’s grew into one of the world’s most iconic department stores, later becoming synonymous with the Thanksgiving Day Parade and the holiday spirit of New York.

9. Joseph Pulitzer (1847-1911)

Joseph Pulitzer. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

This pioneering newspaper publisher and champion of a free press became synonymous with excellence in journalism. A Hungarian immigrant who arrived in America with little money, Pulitzer built media empires with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and New York World, transforming them into powerful voices for reform. He revolutionized the industry through bold headlines, investigative reporting, and crusades against corruption — laying the groundwork for modern journalism.

10. Frederick Law Olmsted (1870-1959)

Frederick Law Olmsted. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

America’s foremost landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted was a visionary who helped define how cities could coexist with nature. Best known as the co-designer of Central Park and Prospect Park, Olmsted believed that access to green, open spaces was essential for public health, democracy, and community well-being. Olmsted’s work established landscape architecture as a profession and forever changed how Americans experience urban life.

You can find the full list of famous people buried at Woodlawn Cemetery here.