Last night in Thomas Great Hall, I saw Dick Gregory deliver the Keynote Address for Black History Month at Bryn Mawr College.

He is an American comedian, social activist, writer and more, and the event is one I will never forget as the social phenomena he spoke of were brilliantly laced with comedy.

Mr. Gregory is the first African American to have run for President of the United States, by doing so in 1968 as a write in candidate of the Freedom and Peace Party. He was also the first African-American stand-up comedian to appear before both black and white audiences.

Dick Gregory is an outspoken Feminist, having marched with Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, Bella Abzug, Margaret Heckler, Barbara Mikulski, for the National ERA March for Ratification and Extension in 1978. As he spoke to the massive audience gathered in Thomas Great Hall last night, he talked about sexism in tandem with racism, proclaiming that women today should be outraged that with Ph.D’s, we make only 87 cents to every dollar that a man with a Master’s makes.

Throughout the evening, there wasn’t a minute I wasn’t doubled over in laughter. And while I feel as though the majority of his jokes are not blog appropriate, I’m sure one can get a sense of his humor with a quick YouTube search.