Dick Gregory was born in St. Louis, Missouri and was raised by his single mother. He worked shining shoes and had Pepsi and Twinkies for dinner if he was lucky. His keen observation of people and the world around him is where he found comedy or comedy found him. Gregory has been quoted as saying that his family was so poor that they could only spell the word poor with one o, Po.

Gregory's mother's smile has a special place in his heart. No matter how bad things seemed, his mother could smile and make it all better. The strength that she passed on to him has helped him through the good and bad.

When he speaks about his being poor it is heartbreaking, yet he turned it around and made people laugh with him and not at him. Before Gregory hit the stage, he was quite an impressive athlete. Gregory excelled in distance running, and was a popular student in school because of his abilities.

Gregory's comedy was biting and radical, his jokes were centered around real life. He poked fun at segragation, politics, social issues and any where he could find a zone to make his audience laugh and think at the same time.

Gregory became well known as a comedian on the 'Chit'lin Circuit' and achieved stardom during the height of the civil rights era. He became an activist, giving speeches, marching, and donating money for the movement.

Dick Gregory is still fighting for human dignity. He has written several books on the subject of racism from his point of view. The rawness of his truth makes people stand and listen.