Chris Dickerson – the first Black Mr. America and first openly gay man to be Mr. Olympia has died at the age of 82.
Dickerson according to reports, died after a reported heart ailment. His friend, Bill Neylon, told the Washington Post Chris had died at a hospital in Fort Lauderdale, FL on December 23 after struggling with severe complications to his heart.
Neylon also added that Chris prior to his death, had been staying in a rehabilitation center in Florida.
Dickerson who is 5’6″ inches tall was a pioneer in the bodybuilding industry . He won the crown of Mr. America in 1970 and Mr. Olympia in 1982. Some of his other most notable wins were victories at Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness Grand Prix competitions in multiple states.
The legendary bodybuilder had a storied career spanning more than three decades … winning 50 titles during that time.
In 2020, he had suffered a broken hip, experienced a heart attack and contracted COVID-19 before his passing, Bill Neylon further revealed.