Comedian, civil rights activist Dick Gregory gives Black History Month keynote speech

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You don’t go to school to learn how to make a living; you go to school to learn how to live, civil rights activist and comedian Dick Gregory told a crowd of about 800 people at his Black History Month keynote speech.

“The number-one cause of death in America today is sleep deprivation, and I learned that when I went to college,” Gregory said Tuesday night in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium. “Take care of yourself. If you don’t have no money tonight, you’re not going to die. If you didn’t eat today, you’re not going to die. If I hold your nose and mouth for 30 seconds, you’re dead; why? The most important thing on this planet is oxygen — and it’s free.”

Multicultural Academic Student Services hosted the event as part of their celebration of Black History Month. University President George Ross introduced Gregory, calling attention to the comedian’s legacy as a civil rights activist.

Gregory focused his speech around thanking Martin Luther King Jr. for his accomplishments.

“Thank you, Dr. King,” Gregory said repeatedly. “I think about when Dr. King started the movement, and it was just 12 years. It’s hard to believe as close as I was to movement, he was just here for 12 years; it seemed like he was here for a lifetime.”

In 12 years, one person organized a movement based on a universal God and changed the entire planet, Gregory said.

Livonia junior Abbey Wenk said she felt motivated by his speech.

“It made me think of the past and why (the civil rights movement) happened and what we can do now,” she said.

Instead of attending their usual Tuesday night meetings, the Organization for Black Unity met in the auditorium for Gregory’s speech.

“It’s important for us to come to as many black history events that we can,” said OBU President and Ypsilanti senior Jenee Graham. “It’s the month we can celebrate our heritage.”

Although Gregory’s speech focused on serious topics, humor was prominent throughout his speech as well.

“I was there when we used to call it Negro History Week,” he said. “And now it’s a month. We didn’t know any better that you guys give us a month — and it’s February with all those damn days missing.”