As a young boy, I would sneak out of my bedroom and listen to the laughter of my father. The record he was listening to was low but his laughter was loud and echoed through the house. His laughter alone made me so happy, it sounded like freedom, like celebration unshackled from any restraint, like his joy was let free with no concern for propriety. Amidst his laughter I heard a voice that is now so unmistakable to me: that of Richard Pryor.
As I grew older I made out his jokes and would smile and laugh too. Eventually growing even older, I would sit with my dad and brother and listen to Pryor, feeling like a privileged adult even though I was a bit shy of manhood. I did find out though that Richard Pryor was more than a comedian. He offered social commentary, he offered truth telling and he challenged in a way that sometimes only comedians can; turning things upside down and sideways, making them a humorous spectacle but also moving us to think, react and reconsider.
I think for my dad, an IBM executive, there was a bit of rebellion in his love for Richard Pryor too. His commentaries on race, culture, on our great nation and the unfinished business of society, meant something truly special for my father.
And also, when my dad laughed next to me to some rude joke, I felt like I was reaching for adulthood while he seemed to find joy in feeling like a kid again. I was proud to see Richard Pryor displayed so prominently in the @NMAAHC. #APeoplesJourney #NMAAHC
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