Tricks: Black Power; Money; Chicago Trial; Panthers

Annotation — 1968 Chicago Seven / Eight Songs

Dick Gregory - an American comedian and social activist, who in 1968 ran for president for the Freedom and Peace Party. He was born 12 October 1932 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, and died 19 August 2017 in Washington, DC, USA.12 He released a bunch of political comedy and spoken-word records, largely focused on Civil Rights, many of which referred to the Vietnam War, including Dick Gregory On: (1969), The Light Side: The Dark Side (1969), Dick Gregory's Frankenstein (1970), and At Kent State (1971) about the Kent State shooting in Ohio, where four student were killed. This record, released on Poppy (# PYS-60,004) had two tracks related to the Chicago '68 Vietnam War demonstration, in the Civil Rights context. The first track "Tricks: Black Power; Money; Chicago Trial; Panthers" called it a "trick trial", and stressed the importance of it, with regards to justice and equality. While the older generation were concerned with law and order and making money, he called on young people to remember its importance: The second track "Bobby Seale / The Real Criminals" of course focused on the co-founder of the Black Panthers, Bobby Seale, noted to have been "shackled to a chair, hands cuffed…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Civil Rights Songs

Dick Gregory - an American comedian and social activist, who in 1968 ran for president for the Freedom and Peace Party. He was born 12 October 1932 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, and died 19 August 2017 in Washington, DC, USA.12 He released a bunch of political comedy and spoken-word records, largely focused on Civil Rights, many of which referred to the Vietnam War, including Dick Gregory On: (1969), The Light Side: The Dark Side (1969), Dick Gregory's Frankenstein (1970), and At Kent State (1971) about the Kent State shooting in Ohio, where four student were killed. This record, released on Poppy (# PYS-60,004) had two tracks related to the Chicago '68 Vietnam War demonstration, in the Civil Rights context. The first track "Tricks: Black Power; Money; Chicago Trial; Panthers" called it a "trick trial", and stressed the importance of it, with regards to justice and equality. While the older generation were concerned with law and order and making money, he called on young people to remember its importance: Sources1dickgregory.com (archived copy)↩2Callus on My Soul: A Memoir (Dick Gregory, 2003)↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Notes

2LP gatefold recorded at Bronx Community College; producer Kevin Eggers.

About the artist

Dick Gregory (born 12 October 1932, St. Louis, Missouri; died 19 August 2017, Washington, D.C.) was a comedian and civil rights activist who ran for president in 1968 for the Freedom and Peace Party. [Wikipedia]

Themes

Chicago Seven · Bobby Seale · Civil Rights

In collections

1968 Chicago Seven / Eight Songs · Civil Rights Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]