Dick Gregory

One of the first African-American comedians to cross over to mainstream white audiences, Dick Gregory was also one of the fiercest sociopolitical satirists of his day; using the nightclub stage as his soapbox, he provocatively explored the racial inequities of the civil rights era with compassion, acute insight, and blunt, direct humor. Born October 12, 1932 in St. Louis, Gregory spent his childhood shining shoes in order to help feed his family; in high school, he made headlines for leading a march against scholastic segregation. After pursuing a career in comedy, Gregory co...