When Dick Gregory (born Richard Claxton Gregory) passed away on August 20, 2017 he left a wonderful legacy behind that will always be remembered by millions. *Scroll down for new photo of all their children*
Aside from being a civil rights/political activist and comedian, he has another legacy that will continue to live on- his 10 children. He and his wife of 58 years, Lillian Smith, actually had a total of 11 children, but sadly, one of their sons, Richard Gregory, died just two months after is birth.
Their other ten children are all still with us to this day, thankfully. As we reported a while back, Mr. Gregory admittedly was not very hands on with his children, because he was constantly working, or out on the streets protesting and fighting for the equal rights of the less fortunate.
That fight is the reason why -in classic Dick Gregory fashion- Mr. Gregory admitted, in a 2000 the Boston Globe interview, that he did not regret not being as instrumental of a father as he could have been to his children. Check out excerpts of Gregory’s was brutal honest below:
On Choosing To Fight For Justice Instead Of Fully Raising His 10 Kids
via TBG: [Through all of] the protests, the rallies, the walking, the running – what of the 10 children? Mostly, they’ve only had Lil,’ their mother. “It was never in my psyche that I’m going to be a great father,” Gregory says. “Mine was: I’m going to be a great fighter for the liberation, whatever it takes.”
So Lil’ blows out the birthday candles. Lil’ talks to the children about broken love affairs. Lil’ checks on the grandchildren. “People ask me about being a father and not being there,” Gregory says. “I say, `Jack the Ripper had a father. Hitler had a father. Don’t talk to me about family.”
Gregory’s Wife & Kids Speak On His Absence Throughout The Years
His Wife
via TBG: “I know other people look at it and say, `Boy, this is kind of strange.’ But it works for us,” [Lillian] says. There have been rewards, she says: the children, her travels all over the world with him. And sometimes, there’s just the hell that can be love.
His Daughter
via TBG: “Children adapt quickly,” says Michele, the oldest daughter. “It seemed normal that he was supposed to be out of the house. Years later we probably would have appreciated it if he would have been home more.”
His Son
Via TBG: Christian, a chiropractor who lives in Washington, sees his father the most. “He’s been so busy being Dick Gregory,” Christian says, “he has forgotten about Richard Claxton.” It is said with more than a little affection.
Although some may or may not agree with Dick’s style of parenting, the fact of the matter still remains. As of today, all of Mr. and Mrs. Dick Gregory’s kids have been as successful as Dick foresaw when they were still in diapers. All of them are said to have college degrees; and they all love and honor their parents.
May Dick Gregory continue to rest peacefully after a beautiful job well done.
