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.