CHRIS DICKERSON TRIUMPHS BEYOND PREJUDICE
Nothing predestined him to succeed in the field of bodybuilding, yet despite the prejudices of the time, Chris Dickerson has managed to establish itself as one of the most influential figures of muscle culture .
HIS MOTHER, AN INSPIRING MODEL:
Chris Dickerson was born on August 25, 1939, in the heart of Alabama, as an African-American parent. It comes at a time when segregation and racism towards African Americans is still alive today. After the economic crisis of 1929 and despite the New Deal, discrimination remains in terms of access to employment and the division of labor. With the advent of the Second World War, some African-Americans enlisted in the army to gain some economic security. But here …show more content…
She explains to him that some can remind him of his skin color, but that the determination gets rid of all the prejudices. And beyond words, Mahala Ashley Dickerson will embody this strength by becoming the first black woman lawyer in Alabama and later, the second black woman admitted to the Indiana Bar in 1951.
Mahala Ashley Dickerson will be a true model of success for her son . Chris will then acquire this foolproof determination that will prove, over the years, his best ally towards the path of …show more content…
So fascinated, that he goes to enroll in the gym of Bill Pearl , Los Angeles. He wants to learn directly from the master and also better know the man. In front of the energetic obstinacy of Chris, Bill Pearl then decides to train it .
TENACIOUS OPTIMISM FOR A PLACE IN BODYBUILDING:
Chris starts intense training at the age of 24. He is aware that the path is going to be tough. Chris is black and homosexual and racism and homophobia are more than ever present. In addition, Chris is smaller than bodybuilders.
Chris knew perfectly well that he would have problems because of his skin color and his sexual orientation. However, he had a mental strength that could face such criticism of himself. Nevertheless, he had some reservations about his size that had a direct impact on his bodybuilder features.
But despite these factors, Chris's optimism was stubborn. So tenacious that he presented himself two years later, in 1965, at his first competition: Mr. Long Beach. In his first appearance, he won the 3 th spot. Chris is more than happy with his ranking.
This first experience pushed him the following year to register for 12 competitions on the East Coast. The result is amazing because it wins them