Dick Gregory to speak in Springfield

Springfield's higher education community will jointly celebrate Black History Month on Friday, Feb. 25, with a public talk by activist Dick Gregory. Gregory will speak at 7 p.m. in the South Auditorium at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, 801 N. Rutledge St., Springfield. His speech is free and open to the public.

SIUC alum Dick Gregory first hit the national spotlight for his biting stand-up comedy that focused on social change. Gregory is shown here May 4, 1961 at Shryock Auditorium opening for jazz great Dizzy Gillespie.

Lincoln Land Community College, University of Illinois at Springfield and the SIU School of Medicine are sponsoring Gregory's visit.

Gregory entered SIUC in 1951 on an athletic scholarship and excelled as a middle-distance runner. He was captain of the track and cross country team in 1953. His studies were interrupted in 1953 when he left to serve in the Army. Gregory returned to SIUC in 1955 and left again in 1956, a few credits shy of a degree in business administration.

In 1987, he received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the University.