Dick Gregory: Comedian and Civil Rights Activist Dies at 84

Dick Gregory was an American comedian and activist. Born on October 12, 1932, in St. Louis, he broke racial barriers in comedy in the 1960s.

He was one of the first Black stand-up comedians to perform for white audiences and was a friend of Martin Luther King Jr. He took part in civil rights marches, fasted for causes and ran for president in 1968. He wrote several books, including the memoir Callus on My Soul.

He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Gregory died of heart failure in Washington, D.C., on August 19, 2017, at age 84.

Achievements: Hollywood Walk of Fame, civil rights activist.

Birth: October 12, 1932 - St. Louis, Missouri.

Profession: Comedian and activist.

Interesting Facts: He ran for president as a write-in candidate in 1968.