{"id":346386,"date":"2017-08-20T11:30:09","date_gmt":"2017-08-20T11:30:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=346386"},"modified":"2017-08-20T11:30:09","modified_gmt":"2017-08-20T11:30:09","slug":"us-comedian-and-activist-dick-gregory-dies-aged-84","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/08\/us-comedian-and-activist-dick-gregory-dies-aged-84\/","title":{"rendered":"US comedian and activist Dick Gregory dies aged 84"},"content":{"rendered":"
US comedian and civil rights activist Dick Gregory has died at the age of 84, his family has announced.<\/p>\n
Gregory died at hospital in Washington DC after being admitted with an undisclosed illness.<\/p>\n
The family shared the news of their “enormous sadness” in a post on social media on Saturday.<\/p>\n
From the 1960s Gregory mocked racism in his stand-up routines. He was among the first US black comedian to perform regularly in front of white audiences.<\/p>\n
“It is with enormous sadness that the Gregory family confirms that their father, comedic legend and civil rights activist Mr Dick Gregory departed this earth tonight in Washington, DC,” his son, Christian,\u00a0wrote on Instagram.<\/p>\n
He added that the family “appreciates the outpouring of support and love” but requested that their privacy be respected “during this very difficult time”.<\/p>\n
US civil rights activist Jesse Jackson paid tribute to Gregory on Twitter:<\/p>\n