Dear Dick Gregory; I recently read your first autobiography "Nigger." The title caught my attention during a shopping trip at my local Goodwill. I must tell you I am not comfortable using that term, I have no problem saying honky, since I am a whitey. With over 7 million copies sold of your autobiography, it must have something important to say to every one who reads it. I have discovered it does. Your words moved me. Your wit and charm oozed throughout the pages.
Now, I emphasize "first" autobiography because I have since learned that you have written another, "Callus On My Soul" which I'll have to read one day soon. I hope one day you write another, then another.
Once I brought the book home and read the first page I was hooked. Like an addict, I wanted more. I read the entire book within a few hours. Your storytelling is epic. Your childhood memories are detailed and made me irate at times.
Racism never should have existed. I wish I had a magic wand that could make all recollection vanish from our memory bank. It shouldn't make no difference what our skin color is. On the battlefield it doesn't matter so therefore it shouldn't matter in our daily lives. We all bleed red.
Your childhood could have taken you down the wrong path. But, luckily that didn't happen. No matter what you encountered you held your head high. You didn't back down. I was impressed.
While battling struggles in my life I also found that laughter has a way to sooth the soul. I was born in 1963. I can't relate to much of your story, but I felt your
pain, anguish. excitement, anxiety, determination and enthusiasm.
Even though your story was written in 1964 I learned so much from you, your lovely mother Lucille and beautiful wife Lillian. I wish I had the patience of Lillian. I admired her courage and the strength she gave you. Lucille told you to always wear a smile. People respected you more if you smiled through the aggravation and didn't frown. You took this advice one step further and become a comedian. Kudos to you!
I cried along with you when your mother and son died. I cheered when you and Lillian married. I was not a fan of Big Pres. Even though you were accused of being an absent father, you were nothing like your dad. You were fighting to make the world a better place. You were protesting for rights of Negroes.
You were a man with a voice that needed to be heard. I didn't know until after I finished the book that you and Lillian went on to have ten children. Bless her heart for tending to so many children and they are all respected citizens of our country. A job well done by you both.
I wonder if our world would be different now if you would have won the
presidency when you ran. I voted for Obama twice, I think he's doing a fine job.
Michelle is doing even better. Just like Lillian and yourself, they make one heck of a team.
I'm not a political junkie. I just had an eerie feeling reading some parts of your book regarding racism that made me say DAMN, some things never change. There is still hate and bigotry in our world. After 50 years! That's a shame. Luckily it's not as intense as it was back then. Begone with hating and bring on the loving!
As a whitey I was raised to keep my distance from the black people. I don't blame my father for that. It's how he was raised. I'm happy to say that as I got older my dad lightened up a bit. He passed away in 1983, so he never had a chance to welcome the first black president of the United States. I often wonder what his reaction would have been. I think he would have liked our POTUS.
Well, Mr Dick Gregory, you took a licking many times, but you kept on ticking. I commend you for your thick skin, your bravery, your kind heart, honesty and most of all for not giving up when times were hard. The struggles you encountered during your life could have held you back, but you continued to move forward. You are a hero to many. Wishing you continued good health and many more years of having your voice heard. Keep on laughing!
Opening message to momma:
"Dear Momma - Wherever you are, if you ever hear the word "nigger" again, remember they are advertising my book."
