“Dick Gregory believed that within a well-delivered joke lies power.”
“Dick Gregory, the pioneering black satirist who transformed cool humor into a barbed force for civil rights in the 1960s, then veered from his craft for a life devoted to protesting and fasting in the name of assorted social causes, health regimens and conspiracy theories, died Saturday in Washington. He was 84.”
~Couresty of The New York Times
“It is with enormous sadness that the Gregory family confirms that their father, comedic legend and civil rights activist Mr. Dick Gregory departed this earth tonight in Washington, DC. The family appreciates the outpouring of support and love and respectfully asks for their privacy as they grieve during this very difficult time. More details will be released over the next few days”
~ Courtesy of Christian Gregory, Son
“Born Richard Claxton Gregory in St. Louis, the Midwest native married his wife, Lillian Smith, in 1959. The couple had 11 children (one of whom died in infancy). His comedy career began in the mid-1950s when he was drafted into the U.S. Army. But after being discharged two years later, Gregory would move to Chicago where he became known among a collective of the up-and-coming black comedians including Nipsey Russell and Bill Cosby.
By 1961, Gregory’s comedy caught the attention of Hugh Hefner who hired him to perform at the Chicago Playboy Club. Often using comedy as a form of social activism, Gregory was a notable voice in the civil rights and black power movements. He also ran for mayor of Chicago in 1967 and launched a presidential bid in 1968 (he ran as a write-in candidate from the Freedom and Peace Party). In 1978, Gregory joined Gloria Steinem and other feminists to lead the National ERA March for Ratification and Extension in Washington D.C.
His extensive resume includes more than a dozen books, hundreds of television appearances, and countless accolades including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which he received in 2015. He is also noted among Comedy Central’s list of “The 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time.”
~Courtesy of VIBE Magazine
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~(Courtesy of Facebook of Dick Gregory)
“I never believed in Santa Claus because I knew no white dude would come into my neighborhood after dark.” ~Dick Gregory
In 1998 Gregory spoke at the celebration of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and President Clinton were in attendance. Not long after that, the President told Gregory’s long-time friend and PR. Consultant, Steve Jaffe, “I love Dick Gregory, he is one of the funniest people on the planet.” They spoke of how Gregory had made a comment on Dr. King’s birthday that broke everyone into laughter when he noted that the President made Speaker Newt Gingrich ride “in the back of the plane,” on an Air Force One trip overseas. In 2001, Gregory announced to the world that he had been diagnosed with a rare form of Cancer.
He refused traditional medical treatment – chemotherapy –and with the assistance of some of the finest minds in alternative medicine, put together a regimen of a variety of diet, vitamins, exercise, and modern devices not even known to the public, which ultimately resulted in his reversing the trend of the Cancer to the point where today he was 100% Cancer free. Gregory’s going public with his diagnosis has helped millions of his fans around the world to understand what Cancer specialists have been trying to explain for decades, which is that “Cancer is curable.” Gregory was honored recently at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., by a sold out house and a tribute hosted by Bill Cosby, with special tributes by Mrs. Martin Luther King Jr., Stevie Wonder, Isaac Hayes, Cicely Tyson, Mark Lane, Marion Barry and many more.
His most recent book, Callus On My Soul, (Longstreet Press, Atlanta, Ga.) which became a best-seller within weeks of publication, is an autobiography that updates his earlier autobiography (Nigger), because as Dick says, “I’ve lived long enough to need two auto biographies which is fine with me. I’m looking forward to writing the third and fourth volumes as well.”
In 2001, Gregory escaped death once again when a massive tree fell on his car in a storm in Washington D.C. crushing it completely, causing him to have to be extricated from the car by emergency crews. One witness said, “I knew the driver and his passengers had died when I saw the tree fall.” Gregory said, “I knew that God had more work for me to do when I saw the tree falling. ” He saved his own life by driving into the oncoming lanes of traffic. The word of the accident circulated the globe immediately in the media, underscoring the power, influence, and support that Gregory has earned from people of all nations.
Gregory gave the Keynote Address for Black History Month at Bryn Mawr College on February 28, 2013. His takeaway message to the students was to never accept injustice.
Once I accept injustice, I become injustice. For example, paper mills give off a terrible stench. But the people who work there don’t smell it. Remember, Dr. King was assassinated when he went to work for garbage collectors. To help them as workers to enforce their rights. They couldn’t smell the stench of the garbage all around them anymore. They were used to it. They would eat their lunch out of a brown bag sitting on the garbage truck. One day, a worker was sitting inside the back of the truck on top of the garbage, and got crushed to death because no one knew he was there
Doctor’s at George Washington Hospital refused to release Gregory for a few days causing his first-ever “State of the Union Address” to African Americans to be delayed by a month. Gregory gave the first “State Of The Union” address live on the Internet from Los Angeles on April 21st. Now the Internet address is the latest offering on a 3 CD set. Dick Gregory 21st Century “State Of The Union”
~Legacy Courtesy of Dick Gregory Official Website.
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“May You Rest In Peace and The In The Arms of Our Lord Above”
