Dick Gregory - Wikipedia

Richard Claxton Gregory (October 12, 1932 – August 19, 2017) was an American comedian, civil rights activist, social critic, writer, conspiracy theorist,[1][2][3][4] entrepreneur,[3][4] and occasional actor. During the turbulent 1960s, Gregory became a pioneer in stand-up comedy for his "no-holds-barred" sets, in which he mocked bigotry and racism. He performed primarily to black audiences at segregated clubs until 1961, when he became the first black comedian to successfully cross over to white audiences, appearing on television and putting out comedy record albums.[5]

Gregory was at the forefront of political activism in the 1960s, when he protested the Vietnam War and racial injustice. He was arrested multiple times and went on many hunger strikes.[6] He later became a speaker and author, primarily promoting spirituality.[5]

Gregory died of heart failure at a Washington, D.C., hospital at age 84 in August 2017.[5]

Gregory was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Lucille, a housemaid, and Presley Gregory.[7][8] When he was nine years old, he was the victim of a rac[9]ist attack for touching a white woman's leg while shining her shoes.[8] At Sumner High School, he was aided by teachers, among them Warren St. James; he also excelled at running. Gregory earned a track scholarship to Southern Illinois University (SIU),[10] where he set school records as a half-miler and miler.[11] He was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. In 1954, his college career was interrupted for two years when he was drafted into the United States Army. At the urging of his commanding officer, who had taken notice of his penchant for joking, Gregory got his start in comedy in the Army, where he entered and won several talent shows. In 1956, Gregory briefly returned to SIU after his discharge, but dropped out because he felt that the university "didn't want me to study, they wanted me to run."[12]