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Richard Potter (1783–1835) was an American magician, hypnotist and ventriloquist. He was the first American-born magician to gain fame in his own country and was African-American.

Richard Potter became a well-known magician in the New England area from 1811 to his death in 1834. As a performer he obscured most of his early life and encouraged speculation. Evidently he went to Hopkinton schools. Various accounts differ on the reason but agree that he went to Europe and joined John Rannie, a Scottish ventriloquist and magician. Rannie came to the United States in 1800.