Dick Gregory, civil rights activist and comedic legend, dies at 84

Monday, August 21, 2017
WASHINGTON -- Dick Gregory, a civil rights activist and comedian, died Saturday in Washington D.C., according to his official Instagram account. He was 84.

He had been hospitalized with a "serious, but stable medical condition," according to his son Christian Gregory. Christian Gregory had posted details about his father's illness on his dad's Instagram account.
[Ads /]

Gregory had fallen ill on Aug. 9, was hospitalized for a short time and then released before going back on Aug. 12, according to a post.
[Ads /]
Gregory started his career as a comedian while serving in the military in the 1950s. He then went on to to appear on television. During the 1960s, Gregory began fighting for civil rights.
Copyright © 2026 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.