Comedian Richard Pryor had a statue erected in his honor recently in his hometown of Peoria. Pryor was a very successful stand-up comedian and actor who used humor to bring attention to the troubles of being an African-American man during the 20th century.

Pryor was born on December 1, 1940 to Gertrude and LeRoy Pryor and had a less than conventional childhood. He spent a significant portion of his childhood growing up in his grandmother’s brothel, and frequented the local movie theaters to escape this environment. After working multiple jobs in Peoria, he spent two years in the U.S. Army, where he developed a knack for performing in theaters. This helped him realize that his true calling was comedy, and he then spent time in New York and Las Vegas to sharpen his skills.

He began in the film industry with a role in the 1967 movie The Busy Body, followed by many other roles spanning a 13 year period. He flourished as a stand-up comedic, though his raunchy and foul-mouthed delivery style did not play well with all crowds.  He performed his comedy routine frequently in front of sold-out theaters, and many of them, like Richard Pryor: Live and Smokin’, were recorded and sold after the fact.

Peoria’s statue in his honor is over 9 feet tall and was unveiled before hundreds of people on Sunday, May 3.

Learn more:
Richard Pryor statue unveiled in his Illinois hometown - WGN News
Richard Pryor - IMDb.com