Comedian and civil rights activist Dick Gregory's million-copy-plus bestselling memoir--now in trade paperback for the first time."Powerful and ugly and beautiful...a moving story of a man who deeply wants a world without malice and hate and is doing something about it."--The New York TimesFifty-five years ago, in 1964, an incredibly honest and revealing memoir by one of the America's best-loved comedians and activists, Dick Gregory, was published. With a shocking title and breathtaking writing, Dick Gregory defined a genre and changed the way race was discussed in America.Telling stories that range from his hardscrabble childhood in St. Louis to his pioneering early days as a comedian to his indefatigable activism alongside Medgar Evers and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Gregory's memoir riveted readers in the sixties. In the years and decades to come, the stories and lessons became more relevant than ever, and the book attained the status of a classic. The book has sold over a million copies and become core text about race relations and civil rights, continuing to inspire readers everywhere with Dick Gregory's incredible story about triumphing over racism and poverty to become an American legend.
NAACP 2017 Image Award Winner With his trademark acerbic wit, incisive humor, and infectious paranoia, one of our foremost comedians and most politically engaged civil rights activists looks back at 100 key events from the complicated history of black America. A friend of luminaries including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Medgar Evers, and the forebear of today’s popular black comics, including Larry Wilmore, W. Kamau Bell, Damon Young, and Trevor Noah, Dick Gregory was a provocative and incisive cultural force for more than fifty years. As an entertainer, he always kept it indisputably real about race issues in America, fearlessly lacing laughter with hard truths. As a leading activist against injustice, he marched at Selma during the Civil Rights movement, organized student rallies to protest the Vietnam War; sat in at rallies for Native American and feminist rights; fought apartheid in South Africa; and participated in hunger strikes in support of Black Lives Matter. In this collection of thoughtful, provocative essays, Gregory charts the complex and often obscured history of the African American experience. In his unapologetically candid voice, he moves from African ancestry and surviving the Middle Passage to the creation of the Jheri Curl, the enjoyment of bacon and everything pig, the headline-making shootings of black men, and the Black Lives Matter movement. A captivating journey through time, Defining Moments in Black History explores historical movements such as The Great Migration and the Harlem Renaissance, as well as cultural touchstones such as Sidney Poitier winning the Best Actor Oscar for Lilies in the Field and Billie Holiday releasing Strange Fruit. An engaging look at black life that offers insightful commentary on the intricate history of the African American people, Defining Moments in Black History is an essential, no-holds-bar history lesson that will provoke, enlighten, and entertain.
by Dick Gregory
Rating: 4.3 ⭐
"An introduction to natural foods written with an eye to good health and an ear for the witty line. Even for those not ready to replace sirloin with soy bean, Gregory's discourse on the typical mistreatment of the digestive tract should be informative- it certainly is amusing. There are sections on Gregory's various fasts, suggested diets for putting on and taking off weight, and even a discussion of natural food substitutes for your favorite alcoholic concoction. Good fun and a good guide for those who feel they are what they eat."
A comedian, actor, civil rights activity and nutrition guru, Gregory is renowned for his biting satire. Now, more than 30 years after his bestselling book "Nigger, " Gregory has put his provocative life story down on paper, recounting his unique experience and discussing a host of other luminaries--from Rosa Parks to Hugh Hefner. 25 photos.
Dick Gregory is a comedian, social satirist, Negro, pioneer. In little more than a year he has climbed from $10 a day car washer to $5000 a week headlinerdoing what some said he shouldn't do, most said he couldn't do, but what Gregory knows he must do -- tell the truth about segregation so that it brings smiles instead of hurt, and insight, even to the insensitive. His method: "Once I get them laughing, I can say anything."Library of Congress Catalog No. 62-14714
The African-American comedian and civil rights activist offers his views on American history and race relations in the United States.
dick gregory - political analyst and commentator offers an antidote from presidetal biographies. he explores the labyrinth of the electroral process
Here is the Dick Gregory of the devastating wit and pointed humor known to millions. Here, too, is the impassioned social reformer, speaking out on such subjects as respect for law, order and justice; violence and police brutality; the breakdown of Negro families; civil disobedience and other vital issues [excerpted from back cover blurb]
A soulful, generation-defining collection of thought-provoking, agitating, and liberating works from Dick Gregory, the activist and author of sixteen books, including the classic bestseller An Autobiography and the 2017 NAACP Image Award Winner, Defining Moments in Black Reading Between the Lies. A true renaissance man, Richard Claxton “Dick” Gregory was one of the pioneering satirists of his generation, a reformer and brilliant spokesperson for the downtrodden and forgotten who dedicated his life to speaking unadulterated truth—and to improving ordinary lives. A revered human rights and environmental activist, fearsome and uncompromising social critic, lauded bestselling author, and beloved nutrition guru, Gregory aimed not only to educate souls, but to liberate them. His words shaped a generation and remain vital for our own turbulent times, offering wisdom to enlighten and inspire a new activist age. This carefully curated anthology of selected writings reflects and celebrates Dick Gregory’s wisdom and his vision. Divided into three sections—Body, Mind, and Spirit—it includes previously unavailable transcriptions and excerpts taken from his sixteen books, fifteen albums and audio compilations, and more than 1,200 hours of archival video, including lectures, interviews, and comedic performances. It is a breathtaking tour through the life of one of America’s most prophetic and relevant cultural icons. The Essential Dick Gregory is a pointillistic portrait of a man who gave up a lucrative entertainment career to fight injustice on the front line of battle—leading protests and hunger strikes to end the Vietnam War and apartheid in South Africa; supporting civil rights, feminism, and Native Americans,; and addressing hunger, poverty, and police brutality. This compelling volume will challenge your beliefs, allow you to see life in unexpected ways, and dare you to make the world a better place.
Contemporary commentaries humorously interpret stories in the Old and New Testaments
Published during Gregory's 1968 run for US president: " . . . the traditional Easter Egg roll on the White House lawn will be replaced by a watermelon roll . . . all White House invitations will be handled by Eartha Kitt . . .".
A pictorial satirist perspective on the Rights and treatments of African American during and before 1965.
Best-selling author Mark Lane, the first to question the investigation into the murder of President John F. Kennedy, and activist and author Dick Gregory combine their unique perspectives in a look at the assassination of Martin Luther King. James Earl Ray's guilty plea allowed the government to sidestep a trial, and yet his hearing, conducted without any challenge by a defense attorney, raised many questions. In Murder in Memphis , Lane and Gregory examine these questions and Dr. King's police protection was removed on the day of the assassination. Why? And by whom? Why was the same FBI squad that J. Edgar Hoover directed to destroy Dr. King responsible for the investigation into the murder? How and why was the most reliable witness prevented from testifying in court? Through exclusive documents and interviews with former FBI agents, security guards, eyewitnesses, and James Earl Ray himself, Lane and Gregory present the case to the American people so they can decide for themselves.
by Dick Gregory
by Dick Gregory
by Dick Gregory
by Dick Gregory
An early contribution to race on TV by the noted Black comedian. A clean, unmarked copy with slight bottom corner curling. In a Mylar sleeve.
by Dick Gregory
by Dick Gregory