Richard Pryor's daughter shares why she hid her parentage.

Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor, daughter of the late comedian Richard Pryor, has shared why she kept her famous father's identity private for many years. As a history professor, she considered revealing her parentage a personal 'big reveal,' not out of shame but to protect herself from the world's intrusive questions about her father and family.

Recently, Pryor reversed her stance on separating her personal and professional lives. She introduced a new course at Smith College, "Richard Pryor's America." Surprisingly, many of her students, including African-American students, had little to no knowledge of the comedian's significant contributions to comedy and American history.

The course became a profound learning experience for both Pryor and her students. She guided them to research their own family histories and connect them to her father's work, leading to startling and exciting discoveries. Pryor expressed joy in teaching the class and plans to offer it again.