--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know who Dick Gregory is; I knew what…" description: "\"I know who Dick Gregory is; I knew what his accomplishments are. I certainly knew him as a comedian and an activist.\" — Joe Morton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff4/joe-morton-3905_comedian_i-know-who-dick-gregory-is-i-knew-what-h_2622003.png" --- # I know who Dick Gregory is; I knew what his… ![“I know who Dick Gregory is; I knew what his accomplishments are. I certainly knew him as a comedian and an activist.” quote by Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff4/joe-morton-3905_comedian_i-know-who-dick-gregory-is-i-knew-what-h_2622003.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff4/joe-morton-3905_comedian_i-know-who-dick-gregory-is-i-knew-what-h_2622003.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff4/joe-morton-3905_comedian_i-know-who-dick-gregory-is-i-knew-what-h_2622003.png) > “I know who Dick Gregory is; I knew what his accomplishments are. I certainly knew him as a comedian and an activist.” [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledging Gregory's achievements as a comedian and activist highlights the power of humor in social change. **In simple terms:** Comedy fuels activism. Key Takeaway Use humor for impact. Themes activism comedy social change legacy Mood inspirational respectful Type historical cultural When to use this quote - public speaking - media campaigns - community outreach Key Concepts civil rights history entertainment industry Questions to Reflect On - How does comedy affect activism? - What are limits of humor in protest? A Different Perspective Humor can trivialize issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedian/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [I enjoy Chris Rock. Bill Burr. Wanda Sykes. I enjoy the legends. But no one is like Richard Pryor. Before I knew what a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-james/i-enjoy-chris-rock-bill-burr-wanda-sykes-i-enjoy-the-legends-but-no/) [Janelle James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-james/) > [Dick Gregory will be greatly missed. Humbly, and in his stead, 'Turn Me Loose' carries on to be his voice and his inspiration for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/dick-gregory-will-be-greatly-missed-humbly-and-in-his-stead-turn-me/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [The most frightening thing about playing Dick Gregory is I've never done stand-up before, and I had to learn how to be a stand-up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/the-most-frightening-thing-about-playing-dick-gregory-is-i-ve-never/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [Dick Gregory used every syllable, every metaphor, every joke, every march, every incarceration, every hour of his life, to embarrass this country into providing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/dick-gregory-used-every-syllable-every-metaphor-every-joke-every/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [When I first saw Dick Gregory on television, growing up in Queens, it was startling and amazing, because nobody else was doing what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/when-i-first-saw-dick-gregory-on-television-growing-up-in-queens-it/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [From the very beginning I knew I had to be a comedian, and thus preferred being one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-s-narayana/from-the-very-beginning-i-knew-i-had-to-be-a-comedian-and-thus/) [M. S. Narayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-s-narayana/) > [I certainly knew who was there before me - Nat King Cole, Lena Horne, Dorothy Dandridge, Billie Holiday - not only because that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-uggams/i-certainly-knew-who-was-there-before-me-nat-king-cole-lena-horne/) [Leslie Uggams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-uggams/) > [I certainly knew my father. He just didn't happen to be my biological father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-certainly-knew-my-father-he-just-didn-t-happen-to-be-my-biological/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I realize now that I was a feminist and the minute I heard the word I certainly knew it meant me, but at that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/i-realize-now-that-i-was-a-feminist-and-the-minute-i-heard-the-word-i/) [Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/) > [I certainly knew the hard side of urban life, stop-and-search.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/i-certainly-knew-the-hard-side-of-urban-life-stop-and-search/) [David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/) > [I certainly knew from an early age... how to tell stories; how to create pictures in other people's heads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-certainly-knew-from-an-early-age-how-to-tell-stories-how-to-create/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“But only this-that people who are utterly ignorant will believe anything-which you certainly knew before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-perkins-gilman/but-only-this-that-people-who-are-utterly-ignorant-will-believe/) [Charlotte Perkins Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-perkins-gilman/) > [Dick Gregory and Richard Pryor laid the groundwork for us as Indian-Americans. How can we add our story to their groundwork is the question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hasan-minhaj/dick-gregory-and-richard-pryor-laid-the-groundwork-for-us-as-indian/) [Hasan Minhaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hasan-minhaj/) > [There are many styles of standup, but the comedians I like are people like Dick Gregory and Richard Pryor. Because Richard Pryor told the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-murphy/there-are-many-styles-of-standup-but-the-comedians-i-like-are-people/) [Charlie Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-murphy/) > [Dick Gregory was a great comedian who went and got arrested, did hunger strikes, protests. It never hurt his career to be outspoken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-rogan/dick-gregory-was-a-great-comedian-who-went-and-got-arrested-did/) [Joe Rogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-rogan/) ## More by Joe Morton > [I guess on one hand I believe it doesn't matter if there is life after death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/i-guess-on-one-hand-i-believe-it-doesn-t-matter-if-there-is-life/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [I love doing theater. Despite the fact that out of theater, film, and TV, theater is the hardest thing to do. It's the least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/i-love-doing-theater-despite-the-fact-that-out-of-theater-film-and-tv/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [My father was in the military; he was a captain. His service was to quote-unquote integrate the Armed Forces overseas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/my-father-was-in-the-military-he-was-a-captain-his-service-was-to/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [The more you know about the world, the more resources you have in terms of things that can inform your character or the circumstances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/the-more-you-know-about-the-world-the-more-resources-you-have-in/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [Basically, the actor's job is to pay attention to the script.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/basically-the-actor-s-job-is-to-pay-attention-to-the-script/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [One of the beauties of working in Shondaland is that they make an effort to get to know who you are, so they're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/one-of-the-beauties-of-working-in-shondaland-is-that-they-make-an/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [I think the greatest lesson that power has to teach us is, once you've had it, once you are a part of it, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/i-think-the-greatest-lesson-that-power-has-to-teach-us-is-once-you-ve/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [Republicans in the South... are trying to find ways, not so much to block black and brown people from voting, but to block black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/republicans-in-the-south-are-trying-to-find-ways-not-so-much-to-block/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [You make up your mind what part you want to read for and why. 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It has to do with being the stranger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/race-prejudice-has-nothing-to-do-with-color-it-has-to-do-with-being/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [It's important to know, whether you're pro or anti the current president and what he's doing, that he's doing what he thinks is for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/it-s-important-to-know-whether-you-re-pro-or-anti-the-current/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [I think that, unfortunately, it appears that Donald Trump is trampling all over the Constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/i-think-that-unfortunately-it-appears-that-donald-trump-is-trampling/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [I think many villains have the burden of not being very human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/i-think-many-villains-have-the-burden-of-not-being-very-human/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [The argument for '12 Years a Slave' was that - yes, it's a beautiful film. Beautifully shot, beautifully acted. It's a real story, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/the-argument-for-12-years-a-slave-was-that-yes-it-s-a-beautiful-film/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) [Explore all 119 Joe Morton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) ## More Comedian quotes > [I would say most comedians have a very cynical worldview of the way the world can work. 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We need to make people laugh more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-davies/the-only-difference-between-a-comedian-and-someone-else-we-need-to/) [Greg Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-davies/) > [When a soldier of the night's watch dies they say, "And now his watch is over." That's what they say when a comedian dies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-williams/when-a-soldier-of-the-night-s-watch-dies-they-say-and-now-his-watch/) [Brad Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-williams/) > [My mom is two people to me. She's my mom number one, and then she's this lady most comedians know as being a legendary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauly-shore/my-mom-is-two-people-to-me-she-s-my-mom-number-one-and-then-she-s/) [Pauly Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauly-shore/) > [If I had a choice, I would rather watch a comedian not involve themselves in politics at all but be hilarious than someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-richardson/if-i-had-a-choice-i-would-rather-watch-a-comedian-not-involve/) [Jon Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-richardson/) > [I wouldn't mind gigging around the same era as Jesus, after he gives his speech about the meek and how blessed they are and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jefferies/i-wouldn-t-mind-gigging-around-the-same-era-as-jesus-after-he-gives/) [Jim Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jefferies/) > [If someone doesn't like a comedian that's fine; a lot of people probably don't like my standup, and that's fine. But I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-norton/if-someone-doesn-t-like-a-comedian-that-s-fine-a-lot-of-people/) [Jim Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-norton/) > [It's very rare that an older comedian sort of slips into an old-school clunker. You know, you don't hear too much of that anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-ross/it-s-very-rare-that-an-older-comedian-sort-of-slips-into-an-old/) [Jeff Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-ross/) > [I was a kid, and I would watch standup comics do the 'Tonight Show,' and if Johnny Carson liked you, he'd wave you over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-koy/i-was-a-kid-and-i-would-watch-standup-comics-do-the-tonight-show-and/) [Jo Koy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-koy/) > [Gary Greenberg is a thoughtful comedian and a cranky philosopher and a humble pest of a reporter, equal parts Woody Allen, Kierkegaard, and Columbo.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gideon-lewis-kraus/gary-greenberg-is-a-thoughtful-comedian-and-a-cranky-philosopher-and/) [Gideon Lewis-Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gideon-lewis-kraus/) > [For me, comedians are like the epitome for everything great, and they terrify me. I just want to be them. I want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/for-me-comedians-are-like-the-epitome-for-everything-great-and-they/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [No matter what town we went to, if there was a comedian playing, I'd go watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltrip/no-matter-what-town-we-went-to-if-there-was-a-comedian-playing-i-d-go/) [Michael Waltrip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltrip/) > [I'm a comedian who happens to be Latino. What's the difference? The difference is, my special will air on Comedy Central, not Telemundo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-iglesias/i-m-a-comedian-who-happens-to-be-latino-what-s-the-difference-the/) [Gabriel Iglesias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-iglesias/) [Browse all 1,775 Comedian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I know who Dick Gregory is; I knew what his accomplishments are. 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