On August 19, activist and comedian Dick Gregory died at age 84. Gregory attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale, as noted in his obituary in the Washington Post:
He was accepted at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, where he was captain of the cross-country and track teams and continued winning championships.
After his sophomore year, he left college and spent two years in the Army, where he entertained G.I.s in talent contests. His prowess at joke-telling spurred his desire for a show-business career. He eventually made his way to Chicago, holding down brief jobs at the post office and elsewhere.
While at SIUC in the early 1950s, Gregory was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and a star athlete. Check out the classic photos below:
Dick Gregory was initiated into Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc in the early 50s. He was also a star athlete. pic.twitter.com/AWizqebKcj
— Philip Lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) August 20, 2017
