Mary’s “Did You Know?”: Dick Gregory
RICHARD CLAXTON GREGORY, was born October 12, 1932 in St. Louis, MO. We know him as DICK GREGORY, the comedian, activist, and now he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.Dick Gregory has at last been recognized for his sacrifices, hunger strikes, activism, and his comedic talents. He has used his celebrity status to advance social causes in which he so strongly believes. He’s always a willing listener, is generous in sharing his knowledge, and is an overall a great guy.
I have met Mr. Gregory on several occasions, and he’s always been open and friendly. He even shared some of his vegetarian lunch with me on a flight from Chicago once.
The first Black comedian to earn more than $1 million a year, in the early 1970’s Dick Gregory left that lucrative career to focus his efforts on such social justice issues as race relations, world hunger, drug abuse, health care, and more. He uniquely used his comedic background to convey his messages on the issues for which he continues to fight today.
SOURCES: Wikipedia, Variety.com, Biography.com
(Contributing Writer: Mary Bates-Washington)