Well, 12 months ago I was part of the "non-photographic public" and I couldn't have told you who any of them were! Now I know who Ansel Adams, Annie Leibovitz and a few of the others are but couldn't tell you much about their work ... except for Adams, about whose work I know a very, VERY little.
This is true of all art, up to a point. I'm not real sure about the "... and you" bit. There are famous works of art that we can all say "That's a so-and-so", but there are other famous works of art that we would likely say "I know that picture/painting/sculpture but I have no idea who made it"!
My education in these things is only slowly being informed by contact with this community and its appreciation of artistic talent among photographers past and present. If I were still a member of the "non-photographic public" I'd be none the wiser, despite my connections to many things to do with art and culture in other areas of my life.
I guess it depends on the circles in which you move; your social source of reference. I agree with Scotty that the common perception of photographic artists is "How much talent can it take to push a button?" There is an enormous disconnect between the photographic art that IS valued and the photographic artists who created it being recognised IMHO.