David or Dave Nelson may refer to:

Academia

* David Nelson (abolitionist) (1793–1844), founder of Marion College and Mission Institute, Presbyterian minister * David Robert Nelson (born 1951), American physicist, professor of biophysics at Harvard University * David L. Nelson (born 1956), American human geneticist * David Nelson (mathematician) (born 1938), English mathematician

Arts and entertainment

* Dave Nelson (trumpeter) (1905–1946), American jazz trumpeter *

David Nelson (musician) David Brian Nelson (born June 12, 1943) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He is perhaps best known as a co-founder and longtime member of the New Riders of the Purple Sage. Career Nelson started his musical career playing folk a ...

(born 1943), American guitarist *

David Nelson (actor) David Oswald Nelson (October 24, 1936 – January 11, 2011) was an American actor. He was the older brother of musician Ricky Nelson. Early life Nelson was born October 24, 1936, in New York City, the elder son of entertainment couple Harriet ...

(1936–2011), American actor, director, and producer * David Nelson, member of

The Last Poets The Last Poets is a poetry collective and musical group that arose in the late 1960s as part of the African-American civil rights movement and black nationalism. The name was inspired by revolutionary South African poet Keorapetse Kgositsile who ...

* Dave Nelson, guitarist with

Nektar Nektar (German for ''nectar'') is an English progressive rock band formed in Hamburg, West Germany in 1969, by guitarist and lead vocalist Roye Albrighton, keyboardist Allan "Taff" Freeman, bassist Derek "Mo" Moore, and drummer Ron Howden. H ...

* Dave Nelson, character on the

sitcom A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...

NewsRadio ''NewsRadio'' is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from March 21, 1995, to May 4, 1999, focusing on the work lives of the staff of a New York City AM news radio station. It had an ensemble cast featuring Dave Foley, Stephen R ...

played by

Dave Foley David Foley (born January 4, 1963) is a Canadian actor, stand-up comedian, director, producer, and writer. He is known as a co-founder of the comedy group The Kids in the Hall, who have appeared together in a number of television, stage and fil ...

Law and politics

* David Aldrich Nelson (1932–2010), United States federal judge * David Sutherland Nelson (1933–1998), United States federal judge *

David Nelson (Alaska politician) David Nelson (born August 13, 1996) is an American politician who is a member of the Alaska House of Representatives from the 18th district. A Republican, he previously represented the 15th district from 2021 to 2023. He was defeated by Democr ...

(born 1996), Alaska state representative * David Nelson (Oregon politician) (born 1941), Oregon state senator * David Nelson (Idaho politician), Idaho state senator * David R. Nelson (politician) (born 1942), Massachusetts state representative * David D. Nelson (born 1956), United States Ambassador to Uruguay, 2009–2011 *

David Nelson (Utah activist) David Keith Nelson (April 7, 1962 – June 11, 2024) was an American LGBT and gun rights activist. He founded or helped found several LGBT-related nonprofit organizations in Utah and helped direct others. His work with the Democratic Party enc ...

(born 1962), American activist for the protection of equal rights for LGBT people

Sports

Dave Nelson David Earl Nelson (June 20, 1944 – April 22, 2018) was an American professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball for the Cleveland Indians, Washington Senators / Texas Rangers, and Kansas City Royals from 1968 through 19 ...

(1944–2018), American baseball player and sportscaster * Dave Nelson (Australian footballer) (1910–1986), Australian rules footballer *

Dave Nelson (basketball) David Nelson (born ) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He played two years of college basketball for the Fort Lewis Skyhawks before playing eight seasons in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) between 198 ...

(born 1956), American basketball player * Dave Nelson (curler) (born 1974), American curler * David M. Nelson (1920–1991), American football coach *

David Nelson (footballer) David Nelson (3 February 1918 – 27 September 1988) was a Scottish professional football player and manager, who played in the Football League for Brentford, Queens Park Rangers, Arsenal, Fulham and Crystal Palace as a wing half. Career A wing ...

(1918–1988), Scottish professional footballer * David Nelson (gamer) (born 1974), American electronic sports player * David Nelson (hurdler) (born 1967), British athlete and medallist in athletics at the 1990 Commonwealth Games * David Nelson (rugby league) (1962–2001), English rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s * David Nelson (running back) (born 1963), American football running back *

David Nelson (wide receiver) David Alan Nelson (born November 7, 1986) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida Gators, where he was a member of two BCS Nati ...

(born 1986), American football wide receiver * David Nelson Stergakos (born 1956), Greek-American basketball player

Other

David Nelson (botanical collector) David Nelson (died 20 July 1789) was gardener-botanist on the third voyage of James Cook, and botanist on under William Bligh at the time of the famous mutiny. Nothing is known of his ancestry or early life. In 1776, while working as a gardener ...

(died 1789), British botanical collector, crewmember of HMS ''Bounty'' *

David Nelson (VC) Major David Nelson VC (3 April 1887 – 8 April 1918) was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Militar ...

(1886–1918), Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross * David Nelson (software developer) (born 1993), American software developer * David Nelson, inventor of the

current-feedback operational amplifier The current-feedback operational amplifier (CFOA or CFA) is a type of electronic amplifier whose inverting input is sensitive to current, rather than to voltage as in a conventional voltage-feedback operational amplifier (VFA). The CFA was invente ...

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