Following the death of Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Glickman, a school teacher, wrote a letter to “Peanuts” creator Charles M. Schulz urging him to add an African American character to the popular comic strip. In her letter, Glickman said she believed that Peanuts had a “stature and reputation which can withstand a great deal.” She believed that the Peanuts strip could use that cultural clout for good and normalize race relations in the real world by simply showing the famous kids playing together.
“Franklin Armstrong” was introduced on July 31, 1968 and went on to become a regular character in the Peanuts strip. Below is Franklin’s historic first appearance:
The upcoming film “The Peanuts Movie” will be his first onscreen appearance since 1999. Voiced by 19 actors over the years Franklin will be voiced by Mar Mar in the movie. Check out his new look for the film compared to his first appearance:
