The Legacy of Dick Gregory

One of the greatest benefits that a celebrity has is a platform to speak out against the injustices of society.  Comedian, social activist, writer, and entrepreneur, Dick Gregory, born Gregory Richard Claxton, can be noted as doing this over the course of his life.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1932, Gregory advocated for social justice at an early age, organizing a student-led march at Sumner High School to protest segregated schools. Not only was he was a community organizer, but he was also an athlete. He earned a track scholarship to Southern Illinois University Carbondale, yet his college career was interrupted after he was drafted into the military in 1954. His involvement in the military is where he would start his comedic work, both performing and winning army talent shows. Upon his return to the states, he dropped out of college, as he felt they did not want him to learn, but rather used him for his athletic abilities.  

Gregory got his big break in 1961 in the Chicago night scene when he replaced white comedian “Professor” Irwin Corey, per the request of Hugh Hefner at the Chicago Playboy club. After performing at the club for a few shows, he won over white audiences that even included southerners. The success earned him a contract to perform at the club for three years.

Gregory drew his material from current events, poking fun at racial issues such as segregation, and would be the first African-American comedian to produce satire based on this concept. This strategy enabled him to sell out shows at numerous night clubs in Chicago, becoming a national headliner, earning television appearances, and selling comedy albums.

With substantial success and national attention, Gregory partnered with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), becoming heavily involved in the Civil Rights Movement. On numerous occasions, he faced jail time as a result of his activist work, and even endured police brutality. But he did not let this defeat him. When the Mississippi government blocked the Federal surplus commodity program to areas where SNCC was registering black voters, Gregory chartered a plane with food to feed those communities. He not only protested on behalf of African Americans, but he also protested against the Vietnam War, world hunger, and drug abuse.

This coming Monday, May 2, our program Theater Talks: Turn Me Loose, will cover the new play, starring Scandal’s Joe Morton, about the extraordinary life and career of Dick Gregory.  This event is currently sold out, however you may still tune in via LiveStream to join the discussion with Morton, director John Gould Rubin, and producer Ron Simons.