Dick Gregory will speak about “Entertainers in the Civil Rights Movement” at 4 p.m. today at the Kellogg Center as the second part for the College of Osteopathic Medicine’s “Slavery to Freedom: An American Odyssey” series.
Gregory is a social activist, nutritional consultant and author who began his comedy career in the early 1960s in Chicago. He began work with the civil rights movement when he led protests against segregation in schools and lunch counters in the south.
Last year, he finished his second autobiography, “Callus on My Soul: A Memoir,” which discusses race issues in the United States.
Professor George Rowan from MSU’s Department of Resource Development, said he thinks Gregory will be helpful in connecting past history to the present for those who attend the event.
“I think what he will do is make people realize the value of their own lives, not only from the past but in the present,” Rowan said. “He focuses on self-concept and self-awareness and making people feel as though they are responsible for their own welfare.
“I think he will really ignite people and make them think about just how much they can accomplish if they put their minds to it. He will be a great catalyst and motivation for people who want change.”
Gregory visited MSU in November as part of a Black Student Alliance program.
Nikki O’Brien, coordinator for African American Student Affairs in the Office of Racial Ethnic Student Affairs, said she enjoys every opportunity to hear Gregory because of the way he delivers his speeches.
“I always like to have him come to campus because he brings a combination of some very serious issues in a very humorous way so students are better able to digest the information he has,” she said. “I think he is good for students because he has lived through a lot of different phases. He can expose students to the civil rights movement in a way they will never be able to touch because they weren’t born yet.”
O’Brien said she thinks Gregory’s dedication to activism makes him a good choice for the lecture series.
“He has experienced a level of activism in the community that students don’t get exposed to anymore,” she said. “That’s really important to help inspire student leaders now and help motivate those not in leadership positions who have yet to find their passion.”
Other speakers in the four-part lecture series are civil rights leader Dorothy Cotton at 4 p.m. on Feb. 21 in the Kellogg Center Auditorium and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright 4 p.m. on Feb. 28 in Big Ten Room B of the Kellogg Center.
