The Origin Story of Franklin: How the First Black Peanuts Character Met the Gang

For the first 18 years of the Peanuts comic strip — from 1950 until 1968 — all the characters looked mostly the same: They were all white kids. Then, with the nation battling civil unrest, a cartoon boy named Franklin changed everything. Hear about what inspired the 1968 creation of Franklin and how he was brought into the Peanuts gang. Melissa and David talk about Franklin’s enduring legacy and speak with Marissa Nance, CEO of Native Tongue Communications. The trio also discusses The Armstrong Project, which provides training, connections, and scholarships to encourage more people of color to participate in animation. Learn how the project started and how Rob Armstrong, the cartoonist and friend of Charles Schulz, inspired the character Franklin's last name.  

Om Podcasten

You Don’t Know Peanuts - The Untold Stories is a behind-the-scenes look at the Peanuts universe: The characters, the TV specials, the people behind the scenes and the impact the Peanuts gang has had on society and culture, worldwide. The only official podcast from Peanuts will give you a new perspective on the comic strip. Each week we’ll look at a different part of the Peanuts universe: how a character came to be, why Snoopy became friends with a bird, Charles Schulz’ fondness for all sports and how that influenced the comic strip. We talk to those who were there when it happened and have all the behind-the-scenes untold stories you’ve always wanted to hear.