Born on October 12, 1932
Born in St. Louis, Dick Gregory grew up at 1803 N. Taylor Ave. shining shoes to help feed his family. At Sumner High School, he led a march against conditions in segregated schools and set a state record in track. As a star comedian in the early 1960s, he used biting racial satire and shunned the stereotypes of early black comics. Prompted by Martin Luther King Jr., he became a civil rights and anti-war leader, running for president in 1968 and fasting for human rights both here and abroad. Bringing wit and dedication to countless causes for decades, Dick Gregory started the “Campaign for Human Dignity” in 1992 to fight crime in St. Louis neighborhoods.
