Franklin

Charles M. Schulz was a perceptive observer. He was always curious, and with his wit and wry sense of humor, he opened minds and hearts that others could not. Shortly after the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a Los Angeles school teacher, Harriet Glickman, believed that the popular comic strip Peanuts could positively influence attitudes on race. Because of their correspondence, Charles Schulz introduced Franklin to his cartoon in the summer of 1968. Franklin has remained an important member of the Peanuts Gang ever since.

Franklin includes correspondence between Glickman and Schulz, comic strips from the multiday storyline of when Franklin and Charlie Brown first met at the beach, as well as the story of how Franklin Armstrong’s last name came to be, as told by the cartoonist Robb Armstrong.

“I have wanted to introduce a black character for some time…the reaction was tremendous. We got quite a stack of mail saying, “thank you.” -Charles M. Schulz, 1970

This exhibition is available in two formats: 1) fabricate on-site exhibition where files are sent digitally and 2) crated exhibition with everything ready to install.

Both formats contain high resolution reproductions of original Peanuts comic strips and archival letters, thematic text, graphic elements, education guide, media kit with press release, installation instructions and style guide.