Dick Gregory’s War on Drugs | Folks

This episode of the series “Folks” from October 8, 1989, focuses on activist Dick Gregory’s anti-drug campaign at the A.B. Palmer Community Park in Shreveport, Louisiana. Sonya Masingale first reports on the event that led to Gregory’s crusade, the riots at the park following the shooting death of a black man by a white woman over a drug transaction in September 1988. Masingale then leads a panel discussion at A.B. Palmer Community Park with Dick Gregory, Chief Charles Gruber of the Shreveport Police Department, and Reverend James Green of Union Mission Baptist Church in Shreveport. They discuss: why Dick Gregory chose to start his campaign against drugs in Shreveport; the drug problem in Shreveport; the importance of the community working together to combat the problem; and what will happen when Gregory leaves Shreveport.

[@virginiachavez7605]

This Never GRows OLd !! Thank You Dick Gregory for the words and action.

[@dashhound5216]

I love you Dick. You have inspired me to seek truth beyond my selfish desires. May God keep you.....

[@futu-ri-kentimeportalri-ke7551]

Mr. Gregory never ceases to encourage someone as inspired as me.

[@j.montcliff377]

He didn't even care about his own family.

[@BlackestSheepB.Barker]

I found him thru Prince speaking of his work. The Corporation that is the US, is a "Plantation" just like Mr. Gregory said. The Beast truly seeks to swallow all of us, we must come together and reject the lying Media and their division. I can dream..

[@futu-ri-kentimeportalri-ke7551]

@@BlackestSheepB.Barker Def. they take the the 'WE' out of our 'po-w-er' and you're left with close to 'poor'.

[@j.montcliff377]

@@BlackestSheepB.Barker Dick Gregory said a lot of things, to get blk ppl to give him money

[@yogijaya2897]

What a legend....

[@costamesa7564]

Legendary race hustler and liar!

[@tiwanatkinson6066]

YESSIR....THIS IS EPIC.......❤

[@thomasgarner2033]

Dam my city we gotta do better Yall everything brother Gregory said is still going on til this day ✍🏾🙏🏽

[@BlackestSheepB.Barker]

We have to come together, all of us.

[@kedrichubbard2392]

people have to be liberated is his message and us who judge need to lead to liberate others or at least try

[@EvanAlmighty76]

This needs to start in all major cities across America. We all need to sing and heal the sick. But it takes all of us not just one or the soup will taste bad. It's all a game, and we all are losing.

[@tiwanatkinson6066]

PEEEEEERRRRRRRRIIIIIIOOOOOOOD POOH 🎉❤

[@seedat2006]

At the highest level, Who's behind the flying and shipping of the drugs in to America in the first place.Connect the dots People.

[@RobertaFierro-mc1ub]

Dick Gregory was a big health nut. This was in the early seventies. He always tried to make the world a better place. He had a sterling reputation. He was never involved in any scandals. He was a good man.

[@WalterTheMarketer]

Amazing.

[@BlackestSheepB.Barker]

Start in the communities, then clean out the State, the Country, then ALL of DC. The problem is top down, the solution is bottom up people.

[@sea9994]

I hope the photo 📷 I took was him. He was in Michigan and it was taken outside the Presbyterian ⛪ in Flint. That woukd be a beautiful thing to have done in Flint for a reset. Having a great role model that prince admired to have published as a reminder and tribute to a veteran for color shouldn't matter healing should. ❤💙💜. But I am average he told me if it was him that would be the best photo I took that day.. I approcate his viewpoint as a veteran of Vietnam who was drafted.

[@nicholassparks5342]

That looks like a beautiful city , I believe that all people will make the cities that much better if we all play our part and be good children and adults. It's a beautiful comparison that was said while drug dealers are out selling, they are our children and we should not be afraid of them. Thank you.

[@JAM-3535]

That music Thats begins is amazing what genre is that. It sounds like jazz but through a vcr

[@enigmaticladypisces3169]

Yes!! I love it too 💙

[@EricFortuneJr.]

22:55 Sounds just like Cleveland Brown.

[@valoriepickron2680]

I love Brother Dick Gregory and have since I first heard him speaking live with Prince. He is a wise man whom speaks truth and I have great respect for him ..,.,

[@valoriepickron2680]

YA’LL, YOU HAVE TO ADMIT HE L👀KS JUST LIKE THE CHARACTER GRADY OFF THE T.V. SHOW SANFORD AND SON! 😂😅😅

[@Masterquismoney]

💯👑✊🏼

[@bibleboy5722]

🙏

[@sea9994]

I may have meant him if so he said my 📷 would be the best one I took that day when I asked him ❤💙💜.

[@kedrichubbard2392]

im from baton rouge not too far from here

[@georgeduncan8946]

People R smoked out & think its not am issue 😵😵 &cant see whats coming and prople r so distracted..god help them 😢😢😢😢

[@lindagoins736]

IF THE DRUG PLAGUED TOWN/ PARK SEEN A HERO IN MR. GREGORY... ONE MUST KNOW THAT THE SHOOTINGS AND KILLINGS THAT ARE BEGINNING TO ESCALATE SHOWS DIFFERENT... WHAT WAS DONE THEN WITH MR. GREGORY ( AND THOSE WHO STOOD BY HIM)WHO SET AN EXAMPLE HAS TO CONTINUE FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR KIDS AND FAMILIES. ( THATS LOVE & RESPECT FOR WHATS RIGHT)TO ENSURE THE WORKS ARE NOT IN VAIN.

[@tomabernathy2368]

Dick Gregory's own son is addicted to crack, so I'd say Dick failed

[@365handle]

@@tomabernathy2368 if this is true, Dick never introduced his kids to drugs, what he did was inspire these folks on how to take their city back from the pushers. We all have our faults and Dick never failed him, his son failed himself. The many achievements he’s made and folks he has inspired knows him, I doubt you get this understanding.

[@BlackestSheepB.Barker]

It is NOT about the mans personal life. It is about his message. I wish black people as a whole would listen to this man. We must all work on ourselves, and work on our own races dilemmas, so hopefully, one day in the future, we can come together and throw off the financial elite collectively destroying all of us.

[@BlackestSheepB.Barker]

@@365handle . I get it

[@user-qw7yc9tz4b]

CEDAR GROVE HGC

[@jenniferseco6338]

After all the Talking and doing by Dick Gregory in 1989, truly Black Americans are not doing enough to stop Americans from dieing from O.D. we need more from our Congress if not it will destroy USA not MAGA.

[@j.montcliff377]

Dick Gregory was an absent father

[@kedrichubbard2392]

no disrespect but guy with mustache gives me a cleveland brown vibe

[@d.cannuscio3151]

The massive irony here is, if Dick Gregory had been home raising his sons instead of doing this - his own son might not have ended up on crack.

[@365handle]

Not irony at all.. you have no idea why his son is on crack. The games you play make you sound just as ridiculous as the comment. Obviously he have 10 kids and they are doing well. Let’s say dick wasn’t out fighting against drugs, does it makes sense to you about what he has done for Shreveport?? You’ve reach and lost. Thanks to Dick Gregory for what he has done for his people period. His son is a man who can get help himself when he’s ready.

[@sea9994]

Unless you walked in another person's shoes you do not understand what they went thru.. He would have bee. A excellent president and was for a day.

[@gmx1100]

@@365handle His kids are not doing well.

[@infamoustoker765]

Spoken like a true brainwashed Christian. I bet you believe Columbus discovered America. You probably still pray to white jesus too.