PRYOR

In the first major museum exhibition dedicated to his life and legacy, Peoria celebrates arguably the most famous Peorian of all time, Richard Pryor.

Part of the Peoria Riverfront Museum’s Peoria Plays America series, this self-curated exhibition traces Pryor’s extraordinary journey from Peoria, Illinois, to the forefront of American comedy and popular culture. Through never-before-seen photographs, artwork, objects, new acquisitions and archival material, discover the people, places and experiences that shaped the man, and the groundbreaking career that changed the face of comedy forever.

From images taken by renowned photographer Henry Diltz at the peak of Pryor’s career to the worldwide debut of an artistic homage by artist Felandus Thames, as well as recollections from his daughter Dr. Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor, the exhibition tells the full story of the man and the indelible mark he made.

Born and raised in Peoria, Pryor left his hometown for the bright lights of Hollywood, but Peoria never left him. The people and experiences of his early life became part of the raw material for an audacious new kind of comedy: vulnerable, fearless and brutally honest. With an unparalleled ability to find humor in the deeply personal, Pryor transformed his own experiences into incisive observations about race, class, relationships and American life.

Pryor became a Grammy and Emmy Award winner, a celebrated actor and entertainer, a prolific writer and producer, and the first Black person to host Saturday Night Live. His uncompromising approach to storytelling helped redefine what stand-up comedy could be, inspiring generations of comedians and entertainers who followed.

Before he became an American icon, Richard Pryor was a young, talented boy from Peoria, Illinois.

Now, Peoria tells his story.

Sponsored by America 250 Donors, Visionary Society, Friends of Bronzeville to Harlem and Illinois Arts Council.