Dick Gregory’s Legacy

The legendary comic that put activism above all else has been such a vital denominator when it comes to the black culture. Not only was this man smart but he had a comical viewpoint for looking at such detrimental areas in our life, such as politics.

"I’ve always believed that every other month we hear about the compromise of bank records, I think that’s the CIA and the FBI. Now let me tell you why I’m saying this. I don’t believe no insignificant pip-squeak is going to be able to pull this off month after month and we can’t find out what’s going on," Dick Gregory said.

Richard Claxton Gregory, also known as Dick Gregory, born October 12, 1932, St. Louis Mo., and died August 10, 2017, in Washington, D.C. Gregory was an Arican American, civil rights activist, as well as a spokesman for health issues whose career began to flourish and becom recognizable in the 1960’s for having this type of comedic outlook on these issues that almost proved to be relentless in itself, it was not only brute and funny but the comedy he brought to light dealt heavily with attacking the racial prejudice at home. He also had a plan to make the households of African Americans a safe one by working on the health aspect of it all, hammering down on his nutrition business in the 1980’s further pushing the longevity of the African American community simply but the diets we keep and pass down from generation to generations.

Mr. Gregory was born into poverty and was forced to begin working early in order to simply support a small portion of his family. Leaving for the army in 1953, where he was able to witness his own talent and hosted the army’s comedy routines in the military shows. He returned to Southern Illinois University shortly thereafter and had a comedic breakthrough right there in Chicago where a one night gig turned itself into a six-week stint that landed him a profile in the Time magazine as well as a Television appearance on “The Jack Pear Show.” No matter how many appearances. Television shows, radio interviews or concert routine his number one priority was to spread the awareness of targeted poverty, racial discrimination and segregation leading him to be arrested for civil disobediences repeatedly just for being one to stand in the midst of adversity, using his platform to push a healthy agenda that encourages a positive perspective of the future.

Mr. Gregory was not one to shy away from his goals or aspirations. Not only did he run for governor of Chicago in 1966, but he pushed himself even further to run for president of the United States in 1968. There are unlimited amounts of interviews with Gregory stating that his son was killed while elections were happening for Gregory to become mayor, when he received the phone call about his son and his death and later asked what his response was, he mentioned “what is there that can be done now, they have already killed him.” The killer expecting Gregory to drop from the race or to have some type of leverage over Gregory and the family failed miserably and was a disappointing death in its own, Gregory pressed on and kept his emotions hidden on the surface because he believes no one should be more in control of your happiness than yourself. The 1970s happened to be the end of Gregory’s comical outlook and focused strictly on politics and the issues evolving with it, race relations such as capital punishment, drug abuse, violence and world hunger. He dedicated himself to his own health, led by example in a sense and became a vegetarian and also promoted his hunger fasts, which help people to gain a sense of discipline or control over the uncontrollable things that occur in life.

All in all, Dick Gregory had an unforgettable impact in this world and with the people that inhabited it. He found it important to spread the word of health and happiness no matter the extent of trouble that particular issue bought to his life. He relentlessly lived day by day to enlighten the lives of others and for that he was scrutinized and repeatedly humiliated but he pushed on, for his entire life. He fought the fight that the African American community tries to stay away from, and he fought until the day he died and for that the legacy of Dick Gregory will continue to live on.