Born in Newark, New Jersey, Dickerson first attended Howard University where he studied architecture, before relocating to New York to attend New York University's film program at the Tisch School of the Arts, where he would meet fellow student Spike Lee.
Born in Newark, New Jersey, Dickerson first attended Howard University where he studied architecture, but also took a film class with Haile Gerima as he already was interested in movies. He later relocated to New York to attend New York University's film program at the Tisch School of the Arts, where he would meet fellow student Spike Lee.