Table of Contents
Who Was Dick Gregory?
Dick Gregory was a pioneering comedian and influential figure in both entertainment and social activism. Rising to fame in the early 1960s with his sharp, socially conscious humor, he made history as one of the first African American comedians to break into the mainstream, performing at the prestigious Playboy Club. Gregory’s comedy tackled racial issues head-on, addressing the civil rights struggles of the time with wit and insight, paving the way for future comedians like Richard Pryor and Bill Cosby.
Beyond his work in comedy, Gregory was deeply involved in the Civil Rights Movement. He actively participated in protests, marches, and political causes, and even ran for public office. Later in life, he shifted focus to health and fitness, becoming a well-regarded lecturer and advocate for wellness, while continuing to speak out on social and political issues.
Early Life
Born Richard Claxton Gregory on October 12, 1932, in St. Louis, Missouri, Gregory grew up in extreme poverty. His father abandoned the family, leaving his mother to work as a maid to provide for their six children. Gregory learned early on to use humor as a defense mechanism against the hardships and bullying he faced, a skill he honed and later turned into a career. In his autobiography, he reflected on his childhood, noting that by making others laugh with him, he gained a sense of control over his environment.
Gregory was also an accomplished athlete, becoming a track star in high school and using his platform to protest against segregation. He went on to attend Southern Illinois University on a track scholarship, and in 1954, he was drafted into the U.S. Army. It was during his military service that he began performing stand-up comedy, winning a talent contest and earning a place in the Army’s entertainment division. This marked the beginning of his career as both an entertainer and activist.
Stand-Up Career
After returning to the United States, Gregory began working as an emcee in various Chicago clubs, sharpening his comedic skills on the circuit while also juggling odd jobs. His trailblazing style of satirical humor boldly addressed racial issues and sociopolitical topics drawn directly from contemporary headlines. Gregory’s breakthrough moment arrived in 1961 at Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Club in Chicago, where he performed as a last-minute replacement for a room full of white executives from the segregated South. Despite the potentially hostile environment, Gregory was a resounding success, becoming a crossover star. Reflecting on that night in a 2000 interview with The Boston Globe, Gregory said, “It was the first time they had seen a Black comic who was not bucking his eyes, wasn’t dancing and singing, and telling mother-in-law jokes. Just talking about what I read in the newspaper.”
His performance at the Playboy Club was extended for several weeks, and soon, Gregory became a national comedy headliner. That same year, he made television history on The Tonight Show Starring Jack Paar. Gregory, making a stand for equality, insisted on being invited to sit on the couch and chat with the host like his white counterparts—a privilege previously denied to Black entertainers. Gregory became the first African American guest to do so, establishing himself as a recurring guest on the show.
In addition to his television success, Gregory released several popular comedy albums, including In Living Black and White (1961) and Dick Gregory Talks Turkey (1962).
Civil Rights Activism
Gregory was a prominent figure in the Civil Rights Movement throughout the 1960s, forging close relationships with pivotal leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Medgar Evers. His activism frequently led to his arrest, and during one imprisonment in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963, Gregory recounted that he had received “the first really good beating I ever had in my life.”
Gregory remained deeply committed to political activism, even running for public office. In 1967, he ran an unsuccessful campaign for mayor of Chicago against incumbent Richard Daley. The following year, he ran as a write-in candidate for U.S. president with the Freedom and Peace Party, during the heated election between Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey. Though his bids were unsuccessful, Gregory’s activism and political engagement solidified his role as a significant force for social change.
Later Years and Death
In his later years, Gregory became deeply committed to health and fitness, adopting a vegetarian diet and addressing nutritional issues within African American communities. His passion for social justice extended into academia, where he became a sought-after university lecturer. Additionally, Gregory frequently undertook hunger strikes to raise awareness of global and domestic issues such as the Vietnam War, women’s rights, apartheid in South Africa, police brutality, and American Indian rights.
In the mid-1980s, Gregory ventured into the weight-loss industry by launching the Slim/Safe Bahamian Diet. However, he encountered legal and financial difficulties, eventually filing a lawsuit against his business partners. These challenges led to significant financial hardship, culminating in the loss of his family’s 40-acre farm in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Gregory also gained attention for his outspoken support of various conspiracy theories regarding the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, and Robert Kennedy, as well as events such as the crack cocaine epidemic and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Although he distanced himself from stand-up comedy for a time—avoiding clubs that served alcohol—he later returned to performing. In 1996, he starred in the critically acclaimed Off-Broadway production Dick Gregory Live!
A prolific author, Gregory published several books, including his seminal work Nigger: An Autobiography (1964). In the foreword, Gregory addressed his deceased mother: “Wherever you are, if ever you hear the word ‘nigger’ again, remember they are advertising my book.” In a 2002 interview with NPR, Gregory discussed the book’s controversial title, saying, “I said, let’s pull it out of the closet, let’s lay it out there, let’s deal with it, let’s dissect it. It should never be called ‘the N-word.’” His other notable works include No More Lies: The Myth and the Reality of American History (1971), Dick Gregory’s Natural Diet for Folks Who Eat: Cookin’ With Nature (1973), and his memoir Callus on My Soul (2000).
In 1999, Gregory was diagnosed with lymphoma but opted for alternative treatments and dietary changes rather than chemotherapy. His cancer went into remission, but he passed away on August 19, 2017, at the age of 84.
Personal Life
Gregory married Lillian Smith in 1959. The couple had 11 children, though tragically, one son, Richard Jr., died in infancy. Gregory openly credited his wife for being the primary emotional support for their children, given the demands of his career.