|
Richard Claxton "Dick" Gregory (born October 12, 1932 in St. Louis, Missouri) is a comedian, social activist, writer and entrepreneur.
"Not poor, but broke" upbringing in St Louis, college track star, two years in the Army. Worked as a comedian in small black clubs by night; post office by day. His big break happened when he was hired by Hugh Hefner for a three-year run in the Chicago Playboy club in 1961, after Gregory wowed the southern white audience with the following opener:
- Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I understand there are a good many southerners in the room tonight. I know the South very well. I spent twenty years there one night.
- Last time I was down South I walked into this restaurant and this white waitress came up to me and said, "We don't serve colored people here." I said, That's all right. I don't eat colored people. Bring me a whole fried chicken."
- Then these three white boys came up to me and said, "Boy, we're givin' you fair warnin'. Anything you do to that chicken, we're gonna do to you." So I put down my knife and fork, I picked up that chicken and I kissed it. Then I said, "Line up, Boys!" [1] (http://www.duckprods.com/projects/dickgregory/)
In a few years he was nationally known, appeared on TV; his autobiography nigger was the best selling book in America (7 million copies sold). He became more involved in struggles for social justice, civil rights, anti-Vietnam war activism, economic reform, health food issues, anti-drug issues, alternate history (conspiracy theories), and others; he went on several hunger strikes.
Dick Gregory unsuccessfully ran for president of the United States in 1968 as a write-in candidate. He wrote Write Me In, about that political campaign. In recent years he has been a figure in the health food industry.
Gregory married his wife, Lillian, in the 1960's; they have ten children. As of 2005, he resides in Plymouth, Massachusetts
Quotes
- "It's a funny thing. The Kerner Report say the riots were caused by "white racism" and the newspapers cried "Extraordinary." I called it the same thing, "white racism," and newspapers cried "Extremist."" (Write Me In!)
- "Think of the federal tax money which is raised from the sale of cigarettes-- money which is used to continue the slaughter, burning and maiming of innocent prople. If youth all over America would decide to smoke their last cigarette and mail the empty pack back to the manufacturer with the message: "I will not smoke again until the war is over in Vietnam," the tobacco industry would kick the President's door in. (Write Me In!, p 57)
Books
- nigger: an autobiography, by Dick Gregory with Robert Lipsyte, Pocket Books, (Simon and Schuster), 1964. (one account says 1963 (http://www.dickgregory.com/about_dick_gregory.html)) ISBN 06717135608
- Write me in!, Bantam, 1968.
- From the Back of the Bus
- What's Happening?
- The Shadow that Scares Me
- Dick Gregory's Bible Tales, with Commentary, a book of Bible-based humor. ISBN 0812861949
- Dick Gregory's Natural Diet for Folks Who Eat: Cookin' With Mother Nature!
- (with Shelia P. Moses), Callus on My Soul : A Memoir ISBN 0758202024
- Up from Nigger
- No More Lies; The Myth and the Reality of American History
- Dick Gregory's political primer
- (with Mark Lane), Murder in Memphis: The FBI and the Assassination of Martin Luther King
- (with Mel Watkins), African American Humor: The Best Black Comedy from Slavery to Today (Library of Black America)
- Robert Lee Green, Dick Gregory, daring Black leader
- African American Humor: The Best Black Comedy from Slavery to Today (editor) ISBN 1556524307
External links
|
