Dick Gregory & Black Distance Running Hall of Fame
Channel: black marathoners
Date: 20/08/2017

This video is from the 2017 Black Distance Hall of Fame for Dick Gregory's acceptance. His brother Ron Gregory, was inducted as well into the Hall of Fame. Ron, along with his family attended and accepted their awards this year in St. Louis. This clip was shown during the Hall of Fame for Dick's acceptance speech.

Credits: 
Interviewer: Executive Director and Co-founder, Anthony Reed 
Videographer: Director, Board Member, Alexandria Williams 
Editing: 52 Visuals

For more information about the Black Distance Hall of Fame, the Black Marathoners and or to use this video, please visit BlackMarathoners.org.

Below is a bit of background into the video and significance. 

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Dick Gregory, 2017 National Black Distance Running Hall of Fame Honoree, passed away on August 19. He was inducted, along with his brother, Ron, in their hometown of St. Louis during the NBMA’s Annual Summit. The National Black Marathoners Association (NBMA) started the Hall of Fame to recognized Black American runners for their, often overlooked, accomplishments. We say, “If we don’t recognize and celebrate our own accomplishments, then who will?”

St. Louis is also my hometown. In the 1960’s, I did not have any Black distance running role models. In the 1970’s, I read his autobiography and learned that he was collegiate All-American distance runner. He became my first Black role model. He solidified this position when he ran from LA to NYC, while averaging over 40 miles a day, in 1976. He was a fitness and nutrition guru.

The NBMA voted Dick into the Hall of Fame around May 2016. However, there was one condition. We would never reveal an inductee’s name, until we talked with them. (We did not want them to find out through the news media.) After seven months of searching, we finally contacted him.
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Since he was not sure whether he would be able to attend the Hall of Fame Banquet, he offered to do a FIVE-minute video interview, during a December engagement in Dallas. This was a very special moment for me. After more than 40 years, I was going to interview my first role model. Board member and FitHair Expert, Alexandria Williams was the videographer to capture this moment. 

About TWENTY minutes into the interview, he was interrupted. They told him that he was need elsewhere. He looked at the person and said, “I’m the star. I do what I want to do. And I want to stay here and talk to this man about running!!!” He talked for another TWENTY minutes. Alex probably has the only video of him talking about distance running.

Dick ran when Missouri high school track meets (and other athletic competitions) were segregated. As a Sumner High School student, Dick fought against segregation in sports. His brother best summed up Dick’s high school running career. “He ran with shackles, but paved the way Black high school athletes.”

Dick will be missed.  - Tony Reed Executive Director & Co-Founder of the National Black Marathoners Association