General Discussion

Agnosticsherbet

(11,619 posts) Sun Dec 6, 2015, 03:00 AM Dec 2015

Why Charles M. Schulz Gave Peanuts A Black Character (1968)

Why Charles M. Schulz Gave Peanuts A Black Character (1968)
People I like can be divided into two groups: a) those who enjoy and get Charles M. Schulz’s wonderful Peanuts comic strip; b) those fools who don’t. All of human life is in the artist and writer’s 17,897 comic strips.

In 1968 Schulz noticed the Civil Rights movement, the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., and read a letter from Los Angeles schoolteacher Harriet Glickman. She had a question for Schulz: would he include a black child in the Peanuts gang?

An excellent article that covers how Schultz decided to bring a black character in his strip.

History worth knowing.

9 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Why Charles M. Schulz Gave Peanuts A Black Character (1968) (Original Post) Agnosticsherbet Dec 2015 OP

I remember seeing another letter TlalocW Dec 2015 #1

Could you please add the link to the article... SidDithers Dec 2015 #2

Thanks for the new addition to my sig line Sid, I love it. Kalidurga Dec 2015 #6

link? nt bananas Dec 2015 #3

link please pothos Dec 2015 #4

"Either you print it just the way I draw it or I quit. How’s that?" progree Dec 2015 #5

I remember as a child noticing the sudden appearance of Franklin drm604 Dec 2015 #7

K&R Starry Messenger Dec 2015 #8

I just don't get the color thing madokie Dec 2015 #9

TlalocW

(15,389 posts)

1. I remember seeing another letter

Reply to Agnosticsherbet (Original post)

Sun Dec 6, 2015, 03:17 AM

Dec 2015

After he introduced Franklin, chastising him for doing so and for showing an integrated school - Franklin schooled with Peppermint Patty and Marcie, and it pissed him off to the point that he was sure he was going to be a permanent character.

TlalocW

SidDithers

(44,228 posts)

2. Could you please add the link to the article...

Reply to Agnosticsherbet (Original post)

Sun Dec 6, 2015, 03:22 AM

Dec 2015

Last edited Sun Dec 6, 2015, 03:52 AM - Edit history (1)

An oversight, I'm sure.

Edit: Here's the article. The OP may have gone to bed

http://flashbak.com/why-charles-m-schulz-gave-peanuts-a-black-character-1968-47081/

Sid

Kalidurga

(14,177 posts)

6. Thanks for the new addition to my sig line Sid, I love it.

Reply to SidDithers (Reply #2)

Sun Dec 6, 2015, 06:02 AM

Dec 2015

bananas

(27,509 posts)

3. link? nt

Reply to Agnosticsherbet (Original post)

Sun Dec 6, 2015, 03:22 AM

Dec 2015

pothos

(154 posts)

4. link please

Reply to Agnosticsherbet (Original post)

Sun Dec 6, 2015, 03:47 AM

Dec 2015

thank you

progree

(10,913 posts)

5. "Either you print it just the way I draw it or I quit. How’s that?"

Reply to Agnosticsherbet (Original post)

Sun Dec 6, 2015, 05:18 AM

Dec 2015

....Another editor protested once when Franklin was sitting in the same row of school desks with Peppermint Patty, and said, ‘We have enough trouble here in the South without you showing the kids together in school.’ But I never paid any attention to those things, and I remember telling {United Features president} Larry {Rutman} at the time about Franklin—he wanted me to change it, and we talked about it for a long while on the phone, and I finally sighed and said, ‘Well, Larry, let’s put it this way: Either you print it just the way I draw it or I quit. How’s that?’ So that’s the way that ended….

http://flashbak.com/why-charles-m-schulz-gave-peanuts-a-black-character-1968-47081/

drm604

(16,230 posts)

7. I remember as a child noticing the sudden appearance of Franklin

Reply to Agnosticsherbet (Original post)

Sun Dec 6, 2015, 06:08 AM

Dec 2015

and realizing that it was the kind of conscious move that many in the media were making at the time.

At the same time, I wasn't aware that the introduction of Franklin was very controversial. Thinking about it now, it's obvious that it would have been but, growing up in the Philly suburbs in a completely integrated school system, it struck me as simply reflecting reality. I don't think I realized just how different my reality was from some other parts of the country.

Schultz was one of many in the media who took a lot of heat for doing what they knew was right.

Starry Messenger

(32,342 posts)

8. K&R

Reply to Agnosticsherbet (Original post)

Sun Dec 6, 2015, 07:04 AM

Dec 2015

madokie

(51,076 posts)

9. I just don't get the color thing

Reply to Agnosticsherbet (Original post)

Sun Dec 6, 2015, 07:17 AM

Dec 2015

there is people who I dislike but not a single one is based on what color their skin is.

Reply to this discussion