Defining Moments in Black History, Dick Gregory
Defining Moments in Black History, Dick Gregory
24 Rating(s)
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Defining Moments in Black History
Reading Between the Lies

Author: Dick Gregory

Narrator: James Shippy

Unabridged: 7 hr 37 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: HarperAudio

Published: 09/05/2017


Synopsis

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.

About Dick Gregory

Richard “Dick” Claxton Gregory was an African American comedian, civil rights activist, and cultural icon who first performed in public in the 1950s. He was on Comedy Central’s list of “100 Greatest Stand-Ups” and was the author of fourteen books, most notably the bestselling classic Nigger: An Autobiography. A hilariously authentic wisecracker and passionate fighter for justice, Gregory is considered one of the most prized comedians of our time. He and his beloved wife, Lil, have ten kids.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Raymond on November 12, 2017

This was Dick Gregory's last book that he wrote. It came out a few weeks after he passed away. I would consider this to be his parting gift to his fans. I would not read this book if you are unfamiliar with who Gregory is and his way of telling the "truth". Reading this book was like reading your cr......more

Goodreads review by Andre on July 23, 2017

If you have ever seen, heard or read Dick Gregory then you already know he will bring some information that you probably were unaware of, or at the very least he will provide a different angle to things you may be familiar with. And that is mostly what he does here in this book, takes us on a sojour......more

Goodreads review by Ilana (illi69) on April 14, 2020

Interesting telling of African American history by a very good storyteller. I liked Gregory's point of view and the way he highlighted that whiteness is a social construct rather than a skin colour. Maybe as a person with white skin, I need to hear that lately, since the racism debate has become so......more

Goodreads review by Lulu on November 26, 2018

The Most Defining Moments in Black History According to Dick Gregory by Dick Gregory (Nonfiction/Humor = 3.5/5 ⭐️) Dick Gregory was known for his comedic political commentary and his last book was no different. He is like that old uncle who comes to family gatherings and knows everything about everyth......more

Goodreads review by Joshua on February 05, 2021

"So this word 'nigger' was one of the most well-used words in America, particularly among black folks. And I said, `Well, let's pull it out the closet. Let's lay it out here. Let's deal with it. Let's dissect it.' Now the problem I have today is people call it the N-word. It should never be called t......more