One of the first black stand-up comedians to find success with white audiences, who used humour to break down racial barriers, has died aged 84.
Pioneering American stand-up comedian and civil rights activist, Dick Gregory, who made his advocacy work a key component of his on-stage persona has died at the age of 84.
Gregory made his mark in the early 1960s as a rare African-American comedian who was successful in nightclubs geared to white audiences. One important break famously came in 1960 when he was invited by Playboy founder Hugh Hefner to perform at his Playboy Lounge in Chicago.