Dick Gregory

Dick Gregory
Gregory in 1964
Born	Richard Claxton Gregory (1932-10-12)October 12, 1932 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Died	August 19, 2017(2017-08-19) (aged 84) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Occupations	Comedian actor writer activist social critic
Years active	1954–2017
Spouse	Lillian Smith ​ (m. 1959)​
Children	11
Comedy career
Medium	Stand-up film television books
Subject(s)	American civil rights American politics American culture African-American culture racism race relations vegetarianism healthy diet
Notable works and roles	In Living Black and White (1961) Nigger: An Autobiography by Dick Gregory (1964) Write Me In! (1968)
Website	www.dickgregory.com

Richard Claxton Gregory (October 12, 1932 – August 19, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, writer, activist and social critic.^[1][2] His writings were best sellers. Gregory became popular among the African-American communities in the southern United States with his "no-holds-barred" sets, poking fun at the bigotry and racism in the United States. In 1961 he became a staple in the comedy clubs, appeared on television, and released comedy record albums.^[3]

Gregory was at the forefront of political activism in the 1960s, when he protested against the Vietnam War and racial injustice, and advocated for animal rights. He was arrested multiple times and went on many hunger strikes.^[4] He later became a speaker and author.^[3] Gregory died of heart failure, aged 84, at a Washington, D.C., hospital in August 2017.^[3]