| “ | „ | |
| ~ Charles M. Schulz on Franklin |
Franklin (non-canonically Franklin Armstrong, see Surname) is a supporting male character in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz. Introduced on July 31, 1968, Franklin was the first African-American character to appear in the strip.
History
In 1968, a Los Angeles schoolteacher named Harriet Glickman wrote to Schulz asking to introduce a black character. At the beginning, Schulz gently said no to her request. He noted that he and other fellow cartoonists were afraid of “patronizing” the African American community. But Glickman wasn't discouraged and kept in touch with him and changed Schulz mind at last. In July 1, 1968, Schulz wrote Glickman and said "I have drawn an episode which I think will please you". In July 31, Schulz introduced his first black character Franklin.[1]
Franklin first meets Charlie Brown at the beach. He mentions that his father is a soldier fighting in Vietnam and helps Charlie Brown build a sand castle. Afterwards, Charlie Brown invites Franklin to visit his neighborhood.
Franklin's first appearance; July 31, 1968
Franklin does eventually visit the neighborhood, in a storyline which ran in October 1968, but finds it a strange environment. During his visit, he initially mistakes Lucy's psychiatry booth for a lemonade stand before asking Lucy if she is qualified to give psychiatric help, becomes puzzled by Snoopy's World War I Flying Ace attire, is told about The Great Pumpkin by Linus and leaves just as Schroeder tries to tell him that Beethoven's birthday will be coming up soon. By the October 18, 1968 installment, he leaves Charlie Brown's side of town saying, "this neighborhood has me shook".
Franklin sits in front of Peppermint Patty at school and plays center field on her baseball team. Despite acting as a foil for Linus, the two get along fine. Franklin is also a voice of reason and serves as a rational perspective compared to almost every other character's neuroses, phobias, and character flaws. He is one of the few characters in Peanuts not to have any eccentricities.
Although Franklin does not appear as often as other characters from the other side of the neighborhood (like Peppermint Patty and Marcie) he does appear very often. He appears to have the best friendship with Charlie Brown. They enjoy talking to each other, usually at the wall. The two often have conversations about their grandfathers. On that matter, Franklin's grandfather is apparently a very energetic fellow who enjoys his elder years with the motto, "When you're over the hill, you pick up speed."
Controversy
Franklin's introduction in the era of race relations and segregation proved to be controversial. When Franklin was first introduced, many people thought he was added for political means, but Schulz insisted, he was introduced as a normal character and told the head of the syndicate "Either you print it as I draw it, or I quit."[1] Initially, many newspapers threatened to cut the strip, but soon realized Schulz was telling the truth. In an interview, Schulz remembered a particular letter he received about Franklin from a Peanuts reader "who said something about, 'I don't mind you having a black character, but please don't show them in school together.' Because I had shown Franklin sitting in front of Peppermint Patty, I didn't even answer him".[2]
Franklin's skin color, however, is mentioned in The Charlie Brown Dictionary, a picture dictionary which uses the Peanuts characters. Franklin is referred to in the definition of "black" . The picture shows him talking on a black telephone. The definition says that "black may also refer to Franklin's skin tone, which is also known as a Negro person."
Strip from November 6, 1974
One strip from November 6, 1974 was accused by some Peanuts fans of showing insensitivity toward African-Americans. The comic strip shows Peppermint Patty practicing her skating while Franklin is busy practicing hockey. She tells him that he is in the way and she is practicing for a skating competition. Franklin tells her that he is practicing to become a "great hockey player", to which she insensitively responds, "How many black players in the NHL, Franklin?". The strip caused a minor controversy and, although Schulz has told fans that the joke was not meant to be racist whatsoever, many beg to differ. A fan sent Charles M. Schulz a letter regarding the strip, twelve years after it was first published and Schulz sent a terse reply.[3] This controversy is probably why he only appeared 11 times from 1975-1982.
Another well-known controversy surrounding Franklin is his placement at Charlie Brown's feast in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving; that is, he is on the opposite side of the rest of the gang with the entire length of the table to himself, creating the image of racially-segregated seating. Robin Reed, who voiced Franklin in the special, addressed this in a 2021 interview with MSNBC by pointing out the importance of Franklin's mere presence at the table for a special produced in 1973. Bryant Keith Alexander, an academic and Dean of Loyola Marymount College of Communication and Fine Arts, reiterated Reed's point in 2023 while noting that the oversight on the part of the animators should be taken as indicative of the times rather than malicious.[4] In a 2019 blog post for the Schulz Museum, Schulz's widow Jean also addressed the scene: "While it can't be known now which animator drew that particular scene, you can be sure there was no ulterior motive. Sparky created Franklin’s character out of sincerity with the intention of inclusiveness...I fall back on Peppermint Patty’s apology to Charlie Brown explaining she meant no harm when she criticized his poor Thanksgiving offering, which goes something like: 'There are enough problems in the world already without these misunderstandings.' To suggest the show had any other messages than the importance of family, sharing, and gratitude is to look for an issue where there is none."[5] The scene and controversy receives a meta acknowledgment in the 2024 special Welcome Home, Franklin, where Franklin sits by himself on one side of the table in a callback to A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, only to be specifically invited to join his friends on the other side.
Surname
Students' test scores in The Peanuts Movie. Franklin is not given a surname.
In the TV special, You're in the Super Bowl, Charlie Brown, Franklin's last name is revealed to be Armstrong. This was never mentioned in the strip, and therefore cannot be considered canonical. However, Schulz himself chose the name, as a tribute to fellow cartoonist and Jump Start creator Robb Armstrong. In a 2018 interview, Armstrong stated that Schulz called him during production of the special explaining he had never given Franklin a last name and asking if he could use Armstrong's. Armstrong immediately agreed, calling it a "tremendous honor".[6] Armstrong kept this information to himself at the time, feeling it was too personal, but eventually revealed it while giving a speech at the Schulz Museum in 2006. He was approached by Jean Schulz shortly afterwards, who insisted on making sure "Armstrong" was Franklin's official last name.[7]
In The Peanuts Movie, when the list of test scores is shown, Franklin, Schroeder and "Pig-Pen" are the only ones shown lacking a surname. However, the film's website lists him as "Franklin Armstrong". The 2024 special Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin which, incidentally, was co-written by Robb Armstrong, has Franklin introduce himself to Charlie Brown as "Franklin Armstrong."
"The Armstrong Project" was launched in 2022 by Peanuts Worldwide and is named after both Franklin and namesaked cartoonist Robb Armstrong, who is involved.
Appearance
Franklin has black, curly hair. He is shown wearing a sweater with long, striped pants. In the summer, he wears a T-shirt. In TV specials and movies, his T-shirt is dark blue and he wears brown tennis shoes and occasionally shorts. In The Peanuts Movie, his shirt is colored orange and he also wears white and yellow tennis shoes. In Peanuts, he wears a red long-sleeved shirt, blue pants, and white shoes. In some media, he also wears a green shirt.
Relationships
Charlie Brown
Charlie Brown met Franklin at the beach in 1968. Over the years, they are shown to be very friendly toward one another, often going to movies, playing sports, camping together, and getting ice cream. They also compared their grandfathers to one another.
Linus van Pelt
Linus and Franklin are friends and are close, often talking at the wall, discussing life and quoting the Old Testament. Franklin was freaked out by Linus's belief in the Great Pumpkin.
Peppermint Patty
Peppermint Patty and Franklin are friends, as he is usually seen with her at school. Franklin sometimes is confused by Peppermint Patty's way of life, as shown in November 1983. Sometimes, Peppermint Patty uses Franklin to help with homework. In December 1986, she asks Franklin if he would partner with her and Marcie to read "War & Peace". When Franklin asks her what part she will read, she replies "&".
Marcie
Marcie and Franklin are in the same class, sit in front and behind Peppermint Patty, and often make fun of her habit of falling asleep in class. It is hinted that Franklin might have a crush on her, as shown in Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown, where he leads her in a waltz.
Snoopy
Franklin and Snoopy are barely seen interacting together. However, Snoopy often gets confused by Franklin's grandfather's quotes. Franklin was also confused by Snoopy's World War I Flying Ace fantasies. He also told Snoopy that no dogs were allowed in school in a brief scene in The Peanuts Movie.
Personality
Franklin is described as laid-back, friendly and intelligent. He is not as quirky as the other characters in the strip, and is unnerved when his friends act strangely, such as when Linus discusses the Great Pumpkin. Franklin is very athletic, participating in many extracurricular activities and sports. He is often seen playing baseball on Peppermint Patty's baseball team or football with Charlie Brown.
Franklin's TV and film appearances
Franklin from The Peanuts Movie (2015).
Unlike most of Schulz's characters, who have been featured in animation since the mid-late 1960s, Franklin did not appear in animation until the early 1970s with his debut being a silent role in the 1972 movie Snoopy, Come Home at Snoopy's farewell party. However, he still appears frequently in the animated TV specials and films (both with and without lines), with his most recent appearance being in Snoopy Presents: Lucy's School.
- Snoopy, Come Home (1972) [silent]
- There's No Time for Love, Charlie Brown (1973)
- A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)
- Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (1975) [silent]
- It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown (1976) [silent]
- Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown (1977)
- It's Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown (1977)
- It's Magic, Charlie Brown (1981)
- Is This Goodbye, Charlie Brown? (1983)
- It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown (1984) [silent]
- Snoopy's Getting Married, Charlie Brown (1985)
- The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show (1985)
- You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (TV special) (1985) [silent]
- Happy New Year, Charlie Brown! (1986) [silent]
- Snoopy!!! The Musical (1988) [silent]
- This Is America, Charlie Brown (1988-1989)
- Why, Charlie Brown, Why? (1990) [silent]
- It's Spring Training, Charlie Brown (1992)
- It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown (1992)
- You're in the Super Bowl, Charlie Brown (1994) [silent]
- It Was My Best Birthday Ever, Charlie Brown (1997) [silent]
- It's the Pied Piper, Charlie Brown (2000) [silent]
- A Charlie Brown Valentine (2002) [silent]
- I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown (2003)
- The Peanuts Movie (2015)
- Peanuts (2016)
- The Snoopy Show (2021)
- Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne (2021)
- Snoopy Presents: It's the Small Things, Charlie Brown (2022)
- Snoopy Presents: To Mom (and Dad), With Love (2022)
- Snoopy Presents: Lucy's School (2022)
- Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie (2023)
- Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin (2024)
- Camp Snoopy (2024)
Trivia
- He is the only character who never said anything rude to Charlie Brown; ironically, he thought the rest of his neighborhood was strange.
- He is shown to be smart, often getting A´s or B´s in school and wasting good worries about them.
- In the latter years of the strip, he is often seen quoting his grandfather´s advice on life, especially with Charlie Brown.
- He leads an active Tuesday, and is often at the risk of burnout as shown in 1972.
- He has an interest in hockey and plays center field on Peppermint Patty´s baseball team called the "Pelicans" (03/14/1983)
- In March 1979, he enters in the spelling bee and comes in 16th. It turns out to be his only appearances of that year.
- Franklin is confirmed to have made at least 130 appearances in Peanuts, despite not appearing in 1978, 1982 and 1997.
- He is one of the many Peanuts characters to appear in the video game Snoopy's Street Fair, in which, he owns a ¨Test Your Strength¨ booth.
- Because of his loyalty and kindness, many fans have stated that Franklin should've been Charlie Brown's best friend instead of Linus.
- He might have a crush on Marcie, as shown in Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown, where he danced with her.
- He is the second character of color introduced in the comic strip; the first being José Peterson.
- The only special to focus on Franklin is Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin.
Gallery
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Harriet Glickman, California teacher who got ‘Peanuts’ its first black character, dies at 93
- ↑ Charles M. Schulz., & M. Thomas Inge. (2000). "Charles M. Schulz Conversations", p256, University Press of Mississippi
- ↑ Letter from Charles M. Schulz in response to allegations of racism in the strip from November 6, 1974.
- ↑ NPR retrospective on A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.
- ↑ Blog post by Jean Schulz
- ↑ Interview with Robb Armstrong on Franklin
- ↑ Today Show profile on Robb Armstrong.
External links
- Franklin's profile on the official Peanuts website.
- "Franklin Broke Peanuts' Color Barrier in the Least Interesting Way Possible"
- "Guess Who’s Coming to Peanuts", The New York Times, January 13, 2018
