I don't know about ya'll, but when I woke up to news of Dick Gregory's passing last month, I felt like I just found out my grandfather (or some other male elder in my family) had passed. With information of his homegoing celebration being released by his family, and after reading a recent unearthed interview with Gregory on HipHopDX, it got me thinking about Gregory's life and how he personified a term us millennials coined—"woke"—long before we (and possibly our parents) were even thought of.

As a millennial, I'm sure most familiarize Dick Gregory from when videos, like the above, would go viral on social media. Some would write off Dick Gregory as just being crazy, but those of us who knew of Gregory and and his work as a social activist, knew he wasn't just talking for shock value.

I learned of Gregory through my family because I'm from the south, and like most southern families, have living relatives that were around pre-civil rights era (but segregation and Jim Crow was sooo long ago, right? smh). I decided to write this post because in light of Gregory's passing and the current state of the world, I feel it's imperative that parents educate their children on who Dick Gregory was, and what he stood for. His books should be required reading, if not in schools, in your household. Community organizations, local activist and those WWI (aka woke with influence), should hold workshops, teach classes and encourage others to learn about the work of Dick Gregory.

For the sake of practicing what I preach, here's a quick rundown on the many contributions of Baba Dick Gregory.

• As a comedian, he paved the way for icons such as Richard Pryor and Bill Cosby by being one of the first black comedians to be embraced by white audiences.
• He was a fixture in the Civil Rights Movement in the early sixties, alongside Martin Luther King Jr.
• He ran for mayor of Chicago in 1967.
• He ran for President of the United States in 1968 as a write-in candidate.
• He's the author of 17 books, his first being the 1963 autobiography, Nigger.

In addition to the above points, Dick Gregory frequently gave keynote addresses and lectures at universities and institutions all across the country. Some you can find on YouTube, and I suggest you do your due diligence and take the time to look at those. He was a true champion for equality in this country and his work should be celebrated, and his legacy honored. Statues should be erected of this man next to the likes of Dr. Martin L. King, Malcolm X and Huey P. Newton. And let us not forget that he was also a huge advocate for healthy eating due to his own health issues. These are just a few of the many reasons Dick Gregory became a force, and beloved figure, in American history.

It was only fitting (and quite symbolic) that one of his final messages via his Instagram, that went viral after news of his passing broke, ended with the hashtag #staywoke. Let that message from Dick Gregory serve as parting words, or better yet, a call-to-action, for you if you're thinking about sleeping while 45 is in office.

Dick Gregory will be laid to rest on September 16th at City Of Praise Family Ministries in Landover, MD. Visit www.dickgregorytribute.com for important details and updates.