Integrating Charlie Brown’s Universe: A Visit With Franklin’s ‘Mom’
*We all know the kids in the Peanuts universe — Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus et al. We even know the animals (if you can call Snoopy and Woodstock animals!). However, we never got to know the adults in the strip, as teachers and the kids’ parents were always “off camera” so to speak. In the animated specials, even their voices were reduced to audio flares from a trumpet (“Waah Waah Waah!!!).
I just got to know the mom of Franklin Armstrong, Charlie Brown’s African American buddy. Franklin’ s mother is a white retired school teacher who talked Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz into integrating the classic comic strip.
It was 1968, and in the recent wake of Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination, Harriet Glickman had been asking herself what might be done — or, more accurately, what she might do — to make a difference in a world that had prematurely taken Dr. King from us. As a teacher and a mother of three, Glickman decided that reaching children was the way to go. Just eleven days after Dr. King’s assassination, she wrote letters to Schultz and other popular cartoonists, making a case for introducing African American — then, Negro — characters into their strips.
A copy of the original letter is below.
Glickman’s initial letter to Peanut’s creator Charles M. Schulz
“I couldn’t have been living for so many years and absorbing what was going on with the racism in the country, and the civil rights movement, and the marches, and the dogs, and the firehoses, and not have that experience become a part of me as I watched,” Glickman, 88, told me by phone. “Growing up, my parents taught my sister and I about the importance of all people, and the respect and care for others.”
“Someone asked me recently whether I was an activist,” Glickman continued. “I don’t know that I was ever an activist. I was a person with a conscience. At one point, you just sort of explode and say ‘I have to do something.”
Glickman was delighted to receive a written reply from Schulz a couple of weeks later, although it wasn’t the response for which she’d hoped.
Here is the original response letter from Schultz
“…I am faced with the same problem that other cartoonists are who wish to comply with your suggestion,” Schulz wrote. “We all would like very much to be able to do this, but each of us is afraid that it would look like we were patronizing our Negro friends. I don’t know what the solution is.”
While many might have given up, Glickman was undeterred. She wrote Schultz back, urging him to reconsider.
I asked Glickman why she didn’t just throw in the towel after Schulz told her he wasn’t going to integrate the strip.
“I guess whatever fire was within me wouldn’t die,” Glickman recalled. “The fact that he had responded gave me a sense that he was uncertain in his decision, and maybe I picked up on that.”
In her follow-up letter, Glickman asked Shultz for permission to share his concerns with African American friends of hers, who subsequently sent letters of support to Schulz. Months later, on July 31, 1968, Franklin met Charlie Brown on the beach, and the Peanuts strip got a little more colorful.
There was some push-back from publishers — and readers — after Franklin’s debut. A group of southern papers wrote Schulz and demanded that Franklin not be shown in classrooms with his white counterparts, as their communities were dealing contentiously with school desegregation. According to documents at the Charles M. Schulz Museum & Research Center, the legendary cartoonist received “…the strongest criticism I remember…” in the wake of Franklin’s introduction to the strip. “There weren’t many letters, but they were quite vehement,” Schulz wrote. However, Schulz refused to back away from his and Glickman’s vision for Franklin.
The Emmy’s Red Carpet Fashions and The Winners!
With comedian Andy Samberg hosting the 67th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, tonight’s show is sure to be magical. While the show is just beginning, stars like Samberg, Taraji P Henson, Heidi Klum, Giuliana Rancic and more have already begun to gather at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, to celebrate the best of the best in small screen entertainment. For up to the minute red carpet arrivals,
Check out the gallery below. And pick WHO YOU LIKE!
Check out the gallery below. And pick WHO YOU LIKE!
Emmy Winners 2015
Viola Davis Makes History with Her Best Actress Win
On Sunday night, Viola Davis made history.
The "How to Get Away with Murder" star became the first African-American woman to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
"Let me tell you something: the only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity," she said. "You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there In my dreams and visions, I seemed to see a line, and on the other side of that line were green fields, and lovely flowers, and beautiful white ladies, who stretched out their arms to me over the line, but I couldn’t reach them no-how," she said.
She then thanked "people who have redefined what it means to be beautiful, to be sexy, to be a leading woman, to be black," before recognizing other actresses of color, including Taraji P. Henson, Kerry Washington and Gabrielle Union.
"Thank you for taking us over that line," she told them.
And now the 2015 Emmy winners:
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS COMEDY
Julie Bowen, “Modern Family”
Anna Chlumsky, “Veep”
Allison Janney, “Mom”
Jane Krakowski, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
Kate McKinnon, “Saturday Night Live”
Niecy Nash, “Getting On”
Gaby Hoffmann, “Transparent”
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR COMEDY
Tituss Burgess, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
Ty Burrell, “Modern Family”
Andre Braugher, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”
Adam Driver, “Girls”
Keegan-Michael Key, “Key & Peele”
Tony Hale, “Veep”
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR COMEDY SERIES
Mel Brooks, “The Comedians”
Louis C.K., “Saturday Night Live” Host
Paul Giamatti, “Inside Amy Schumer”
Bill Hader, “Saturday Night Live” Host
Jon Hamm, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmit”
Bradley Whitford, “Transparent”
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS COMEDY SERIES
Pamela Adlon, “Louie”
Elizabeth Banks, “Modern Family”
Christine Baranski, “The Big Bang Theory”
Joan Cusack, “Shameless”
Tina Fey, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
Gaby Hoffmann, “Girls”
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR COMEDY
Anthony Anderson,”Black-ish”
Louie C.K.,”Louie”
Don Cheadle,”House of Lies”
Matt LeBlanc,”Episodes”
Will Forte,”Last Man on Earth”
Jeffrey Tambor, “Transparent”
William H. Macy, “Shameless”
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS COMEDY SERIES
Edie Falco, “Nurse Jackie”
Lisa Kudrow, “The Comeback”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep”
Amy Poehler, “Parks & Recreation”
Amy Schumer, “Inside Amy Schumer”
Lily Tomlin, “Grace and Frankie”
OUTSTANDING REALITY SHOW COMPETITION
“The Amazing Race”
“Dancing with the Stars”
“Project Runway”
“So You Think You Can Dance”
“Top Chef”
“The Voice”
OUTSTANDING HOST FOR A REALITY OR REALITY-COMPETITION
Tom Bergeron, “Dancing with the Stars”
Jane Lynch, “Hollywood Game Night”
Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn, “Project Runway”
Cat Deeley, “So You Think You Can Dance”
Anthony Bourdain, “The Taste”
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS LIMITED SERIES OR A MOVIE
Regina King, “American Crime”
Sarah Paulson, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Angela Bassett, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Kathy Bates, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Mo'Nique, “Bessie”
Zoe Kazan, “Olive Kitteridge”
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR LIMITED SERIES OR A MOVIE
Richard Cabral, “American Crime”
Denis O'Hare, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Finn Wittrock, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Michael Kenneth, “Bessie”
Bill Murray, “Olive Kitteridge”
Damian Lewis, “Wolf Hall”
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Maggie Gyllenhaal, “The Honorable Woman”
Felicity Huffman, “American Crime”
Jessica Lange, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Queen Latifah, “Bessie”
Frances McDormand, “Oliver Kitteridge”
Emma Thompson, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Live from Lincoln Center)”
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Adrien Brody, “Houdini”
Ricky Gervais, “Derek” Special
Timothy Hutton, “American Crime”
Richard Jenkins, “Olive Kitteridge”
David Oyelowo, “Nightingale”
Mark Rylance, “Wolf Hall”
OUTSTANDING LIMITED SERIES
“American Crime”
“American Horror Story: Freak Show”
“Olive Kitteridge”
"The Honorable Woman”
“Wolf Hall”
OUTSTANDING VARIETY SKETCH SERIES
“Drunk History”
“Inside Amy Schumer”
“Key & Peele”
“Portlandia"
“Saturday Night Live”
OUTSTANDING VARIETY TALK SERIES
“The Colbert Report”
“The Daily Show”
“Jimmy Kimmel Live”
“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”
“Late Show with Letterman”
“Tonight Show starring Fallon”
OUTSTANDING TV MOVIE
“Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case”
“Bessie”
“Grace of Monaco”
“Hello Ladies: The Movie”
“Killing Jesus”
“Nightingale”
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS DRAMA SERIES
Khandi Alexander, “Scandal”
Rachel Brosnahan, “House of Cards”
Allison Janney, “Masters of Sex”
Margo Martindale, “The Americans”
Diana Rigg, “Game of Thrones”
Cicely Tyson, “How to Get Away with Murder”
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Alan Alda, “The Blacklist”
Michael J. Fox, “The Good Wife”
F. Murray Abraham, “Homeland”
Reg E. Cathey, “House of Cards”
Beau Bridges, “Masters of Sex”
Pablo Schreiber, “Orange Is the New Black”
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS DRAMA
Uzo Aduba, “Orange Is the New Black”
Christine Baranski, “The Good Wife”
Emilia Clarke, “Game of Thrones”
Joanne Froggatt, “Downton Abbey”
Lena Headey, “Game of Thrones”
Christina Hendricks, “Mad Men”
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR DRAMA
Jonathan Banks, “Better Call Saul”
Jim Carter, “Downton Abbey”
Alan Cumming, “The Good Wife”
Peter Dinklage, “Game of Thrones”
Michael Kelly, “House of Cards”
Ben Mendelsohn, “Bloodline”
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR DRAMA SERIES
Kyle Chandler, "Bloodline"
Jeff Daniels, "Newsroom"
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
Bob Odenkirk, "Better Call Saul"
Liev Schreiber, "Ray Donovan"
Kevin Spacey, "House of Cards"
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS DRAMA SERIES
Claire Danes,”Homeland”
Viola Davis,”How To Get Away With Murder”
Taraji P. Henson, “Empire”
Tatiana Maslany, “Orphan Black”
Elisabeth Moss, “Mad Men”
Robin Wright, “House of Cards”
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
“Better Call Saul”
“Game of Thrones”
“Downton Abbey”
“Homeland”
“House of Cards”
“Mad Men”
“Orange Is the New Black”
HBO
OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
“Louie”
“Modern Family”
“Parks and Recreation”
“Silicon Valley”
“Transparent”
“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
“Veep”
Head over to the Emmys.com for the entire winners list.
Quincy Jones rushed to hospital due to severe chest pains
Legendary producer Quincy Jones has been rushed to hospital after suffering severe chest pains.
The 82-year-old was taken for medical treatment in Los Angeles after he fell ill at his Bel-Air mansion.
He was rushed to a local emergency room after an ambulance was called at around 1:20 p.m, a law enforcement source told TMZ.
A representative for Mr Jones told the website: 'Quincy had some shortness of breath and in an abundance of caution he went in for observation. He is fine.'
While he is best known for his work on Michael Jackson's smash hit albums Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad, his career spans six decades in the entertainment industry.
He has a record 79 Grammy Award nominations and won 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend Award in 1991.
Transgender Babes Sidney Starr and Amiya Scott ‘allegedlly’ nearly come to blows?
What’s really HOOD? Trans-Girl Fight? Earlier this month Sidney Starr posted and deleted about "somebody" trying to fight her during Atlanta Black Gay Pride weekend.
Now we know who it was: KingAmiya Scott.
This week Sidney's booking agent spilled the tea on Amiyah's Instagram page since nobody seemed to notice otherwise.
What's going on?
Music News: Keyshia Cole's "Don't Waste My Time" Featuring Young
Keyshia Cole is back on the scene and she's got a tracks that's strictly for the streets. Over a track created by London On Da Track, Keyshia enlists Young Thug to tackle dudes and the games they play.
"Can't kick it how we kick it
We tell a trick to kick the rocks
I see the bullshit and I dismiss it
I done been through a lot
I done been around the block
Young Thug chimes in with:
"Oohhh, I can't think right
Hurry up and move or you can't think bae
If you snooze you lose but I might f*ck your wife..."
Why release "Don't Waste My Time?" Keyshia tweeted, “Told my TEAM that I need to drop something now and I wanted to give my fans a free song. My first Single will be out soon, this is for the STREETS!!!!!!!”
Listen to the track:
Thoughts?
Monica Sings Whitney's "You Give Good Love" Acapella
Code Red singer Monica, shown above at the end of her recent concert in Sacramento (which Bobby Brown attended), paid tribute to his late ex-wife, Whitney Houston, during a performance at Howard University last week.
Monica, who was often viewed as a protege to the singer, performed at AT&T Nations Classic Kickoff Rally at Howard University last week, where she treated fans to a free concert in promotion of her forthcoming album ‘Code Red.’
During one segment of the show, Mo paid homage to her idol Whitney Houston by delivering an acapella versions of Whitney's ‘You Give Good Love.’ Needless to say....the audience got their life!
LISTEN HERE
By the way, after several delays, CODE RED has been given an October 2nd release date (the same day as Janet and Tamar).
NeYo Re-Proposes to Fiancee Crystal Renay,
NeYo did it alllll over again. He popped the question to video model Crystal Renay — and it’s one of the sweetest moments.
As you know, last month the pair confirmed that they were both expecting their first child together AND that they were engaged. And now, Crystal shared footage of him re-proposing to her. She posted the video below, with the caption:
The absolute PERFECT way to RE-propose to me AGAIN!Family and friends gathered on my birthday and inside in my PJ’s!???? #DaddyDidGood #HisRIB! Love you daddy! #Neyo #CrystalRenay HE FINALLY SURPRISED ME! #HeCantHoldWater????
LOOK!
Courtesy of thejasminebrand
Awwwwww!
#RHoA Porsha Williams Talks Entrepreneurship With Newton County High School
Porsha Williams (Real Housewives of Atlanta) spent Friday morning doing a little community service and giving back in a big big way. She made her way to Newton High School to speak with Ms. Morrow’s Marketing/Entrepreneurship students about the power of thinking and doing big things!!!!
The students were so stoked about the visit which involved some of Porsha’s closest friends including her sister, best friend, and Real Housewives of Atlanta cast mates Kandi Burruss and Phaedra Parks.
The kids are now inspired to pursue greatness.
Porsha gave a inspiring speech and took photos with the teens.
BOMBSHELL EVIDENCE: Investigators Uncover Video + Nick’s Blood Stained Clothes
A mysterious videotape and soiled clothing have surfaced in the $40 million lawsuit over the tragic death of Whitney Houston’s daughter, Bobbi Kristina – and the bombshell new evidence could blow open the criminal homicide investigation.
The sensational disclosures come directly from Bobbi Kristina’s hot-tempered boyfriend, Nick Gordon, who made the shocking revelation in a legal response to the wrongful death suit filed against him by her estate.
A top expert told The ENQUIRER that Gordon’s admissions could put him in deep trouble as the criminal investigation heats up! In new filings on Sept. 8 in Superior Court of Fulton County (Ga.), Bobbi Kristina’s self-styled “husband” vehemently denied killing her, saying it’s “frivolous” and “untrue” that he beat her and then gave her a “toxic cocktail rendering her unconscious” – as her family contends.
But he admitted arguing with Bobbi Kristina before she was found in a water-filled bathtub on Jan. 31. She died 6 months later.
Gordon revealed that after returning from a night out, “he reviewed video footage and then had an argument with Ms. Brown, and he then changed clothes.” World-renowned private investigator and former NYPD homicide detective Bo Dietl told The ENQUIRER it’s shocking that Gordon’s lawyers would acknowledge the wardrobe change.
“That sounds very strange – the part about changing clothes,” Bo said. “Obviously, (the reason) could have been the blood splatter on his clothes when she got her tooth knocked out – that could be a reason to change your clothes.”
The seasoned investigator said he was also curious about the video footage Gordon saw, raising the possibility the home was equipped with many indoor surveillance cameras.
“If they had these cameras going, they may have actually captured video of him assaulting her!” Bo said.
Gordon was the last person known to be with Bobbi Kristina while she was alive, but there were two other friends in the home on the morning she was found.
Bobbi Kristina’s close friends have told The ENQUIRER they believe Gordon was responsible for her death because she was about to dump him and pursue a music career in California.
Oh boy! I hope they figure this mess out and if he’s guilty he needs to ROT in hell!
What do you think…is Nick hiding something?
R.I.P Iconic Author Jackie Collins DIES at 77!
Her first book, The World Is Full of Married Me (1968), deemed “nasty, filthy and disgusting” by critics was banned in Australia and South Africa, which gained her notoriety in the U.S. and U.K. Her novels were read by 500 million people globally.
Collins, 77, privately endured a six-year battle with breast cancer. She was diagnosed with Stage 4 and died Saturday.
The family released a statement to People magazine, “It is with tremendous sadness that we announce the death of our beautiful, dynamic and one of a kind mother, Jackie Collins, who died of breast cancer today.
“She lived a wonderfully full life and was adored by her family, friends and the millions of readers who she has been entertaining for over 4 decades.
“She was a true inspiration, a trail blazer for women in fiction and a creative force. She will live on through her characters but we already miss her beyond words.”
She leaves to cherish her memory, her sister, actress Joan Collins, 82, and three daughters Tracy, 54, Tiffany, 48, and Rory, 46.
It’s been only five days since Collins did an interview with People magazine from her Beverly Hills home, “Looking back, I’m not sorry about anything I did.
“I did it my way, as Frank Sinatra would say. I’ve written five books since the diagnosis, I’ve lived my life, I’ve traveled all over the world, I have not turned down book tours and no one has ever known until now when I feel as though I should come out with it.”
AND FINALLY FROM “’THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘DOUBLE WHAMMY’
We got ourselves a BOGO in aisle strange. Which look would you go with? Less hair, less color or more hair waaay more color?
HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD ALL!!
EFREM
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