About Chris Dickerson
Born: August 25, 1939
Birthplace: Montgomery, Alabama, USA
Residence: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
Height: 5′ 6″ (170 cm)
Competition Weight: 184 lbs (83.5 kg)
Actual Weight: 195 lbs (88.5 kg)
Chris Dickerson (born Henri Christophe Dickerson on August 25, 1939, in Montgomery, Alabama), was born to Mahala Ashley Dickerson as the youngest of triplets. His family moved from Alabama to Indianapolis, Indiana when his mother re married a lawyer named Frank Beckwith. Chris traveled widely and lived in Los Angeles, Palm Springs California, New York City and now he retired in Florida.
A special mention to his father Henry Dickerson. “It was I who was named after him, given the French equivalent Henri Dickerson,” says Chris. “He was a good, kind, and relatively accomplished man during these days when Black men were held back and so often the last to be hired, and the first to be fired. My father moved to Cleveland, Ohio after he and my mother divorced, and there became the Head of the Transportation Department for the Cleveland Trust Bank”.
Chris Dickerson’s career spanned 30 years and included approximately 50 contests. Over the decades, he built a dense and symmetrical physique augmented by a dramatic style of posing.
Dickerson earned third place at the 1965 Mr. Long Beach (California), his first contest; he placed fourth at the 1994 IFBB Masters Olympia, his last contest.
Two particular achievements stand out in Dickerson’s long career: in 1970, he became the first black AAU Mr. America, and by winning the IFBB Mr. Olympia in 1982, at age 43, he became the most senior winner of the sports most prestigious contest.
Chris was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 2000. Aiding Dickerson throughout his career was 1999 Hall of Famer Bill Pearl. In addition to the 1982 IFBB Mr. Olympia, Dickerson won nine other IFBB pro shows in the late 70s and early 80s, making him one of the most successful competitors of all time.
Something of a Renaissance man, Dickerson studied music and is an accomplished opera singer no wonder, then, that his posing routines were always pure theater. Dickerson lives today in a section of Fort Lauderdale, called Wilton Manors where he continues to train at the Gold’s Gym about 4 days per week, conduct seminars, and correspond with current athletes.
Mr. & Masters Olympia Results
1979 – IFBB Mr. Olympia: 4th (LightWeight)
1980 – IFBB Mr. Olympia: 2nd
1981 – IFBB Mr. Olympia: 2nd
1982 – IFBB Mr. Olympia: 1st
1984 – IFBB Mr. Olympia: 11th
1994 – IFBB Masters Olympia: 4th
Titles Won
1966 – AAU Junior Mr. USA
1966 – AAU Junior Mr. USA (Most Muscular)
1966 – AAU Mr. Atlantic Coast
1966 – AAU Mr. New York State
1967 – AAU Mr. California
1968 – AAU Mr. USA
1970 – AAU Junior Mr. America
1970 – AAU Junior Mr. America (Most Muscular)
1970 – AAU Mr. America
1970 – AAU Mr. America (Most Muscular)
1970 – NABBA Mr. Universe (Short)
1971 – NABBA Mr. Universe (Short)
1973 – WBBG Pro Mr. America
1973 – NABBA Pro Mr. Universe
1974 – NABBA Pro Mr. Universe
1979 – IFBB Canada Pro Cup
1980 – IFBB Canada Pro Cup
1980 – IFBB Florida Pro Invitational
1980 – IFBB Grand Prix California
1980 – IFBB Grand Prix Miami
1980 – IFBB Grand Prix New York
1980 – IFBB Night of Champions
1981 – IFBB Grand Prix California
1981 – IFBB Grand Prix Louisiana
1981 – IFBB Grand Prix New York
1981 – IFBB Grand Prix Washington
1981 – IFBB Night of Champions
1982 – IFBB Mr. Olympia
1994 – IFBB Olympia Masters 50+
Chris Dickerson Gallery
Chris you are the best ever! I am proud to be gay because of you. ThNk you for being my idol as a man first to end a body builder.