Eric Jerome Dickey grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. Abandoned by his mother, he was raised by a loving couple that lost their own son. Eric stuttered as a child and had few friends. Alone, he would play in the backyard shed at his childhood home on Kansas Street. He armed himself with a towel that served as his cape. This seemingly ordinary length of cotton turned him from a little boy into a superhero. With toys lined up around him, he surveyed his kingdom and vowed to protect it from all threats. His imagination came to life. This was the birth of the “Dickey Universe” and his masterful storytelling (and love of superheroes).

I was a reader and fan of Eric’s work before I called him a friend. His stories supersede race or culture, position in life or background. Anyone could both find and lose themselves in the characters and worlds he created.

Eric loved to assign nicknames (even to himself). I was forever “Motown.” Together, we’d celebrate his triumphs and commiserate in his tribulations. He explained the barriers he, and others, faced in the publishing industry, and in life, just because he was black. In a resigned voice, he’d say, “Motown, it’s not your world.” His frustration masked his hurt, but it didn’t diminish his resolve. Where Eric saw problems, he created solutions. He always used his platform to amplify other underserved writers and provided the support and promotion they wouldn’t otherwise receive.

Eric was an agent of positive change. Despite his immense success, Eric never lost his humility nor forgot his roots. He wore his humble beginnings as a badge of honor. He paved his own path to success through hard work, discipline, and a ton of ambition.

The little boy, who donned a towel as his cape, grew up to become the most impactful black writer of the past 25 years. He sold over 10 million books, was a New York Times bestselling author, and NAACP Image Award recipient. I’m incredibly proud of Eric’s accomplishments, and even more proud of the man he was. I am honored to be his friend.

On January 3, 2021, the world lost a gifted and loving man to his long-term battle with cancer.

Through the mission of Griot Initiative, Eric’s spirit lives on. We discover, support and promote sidelined storytellers in ways that change lives for the better. There are so many around us, just like that little guy from Memphis, who are destined for great things.

Griot Initiative honors Eric’s life and legacy.

Love never dies,

“Motown” (Christina Pattyn)