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A project named for 'Peanuts' character Franklin aims to boost Black animators
In 1968, Charles M. Schulz introduced the first Black character to his famous comic strip; Franklin joined Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang.
Over the years, the low-key, friendly character was an inspiration to generations of Peanuts fans. Now, more than half a century later, Peanuts Worldwide has created The Armstrong Project in his honor to support up-and-coming Black writers, animators and cartoonists.
The new initiative was introduced at a pop-up exhibition at Comic-Con in San Diego. It was a rare meet-up of Black cartoonists, animators and fans. Among them was animator Bruce W. Smith.
"Seeing Franklin was sort of like a revelation, 'cause here's a character that represents you," recalled Smith, creator of Disney's The Proud Family series. "The first time I saw him on a special, he's dancing. That meant something to a lot of us, and certainly inspired my path as an artist."
According to the Census2 and the Bureau of Labor3 Statistics, fewer than 4% of animators are African American. "When I came into the industry I was one of only four African-Americans in the business," said cartoonist Robb Armstrong, who teamed up with Peanuts Worldwide to try to improve those numbers.
California school teacher Harriet Glickman came up with the idea of integrating the Peanuts comics. In 1968, shortly after the assassination4 of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Glickman wrote a letter to Schulz.
"I've been asking myself what I can do to help change those conditions in our society which led to the assassination and which contribute to the vast sea of misunderstanding fear, hate and violence," she wrote. "It occurred to me today that the introduction of Negro children into the group of Schulz characters ... would help in shaping the unconscious attitudes of our kids."
A few months later, Schulz introduced Franklin in a Peanuts comic strip in which he plays on a beach with Charlie Brown. It was a symbolic5 gesture at a time of racial turmoil6 for the country. Franklin's debut7 was also a milestone8 for Robb Armstrong, who was a six-year-old in West Philadelphia at the time. The same day Franklin appeared, Armstrong's 13-year-old brother was killed in a subway accident. Armstrong said it was a sign that he should pursue his dream of becoming a cartoonist.
By 1990, Armstrong's comic strip JumpStart was syndicated, and he became friends with his childhood idol9, Charles "Sparky" Schulz. A few years later, Schulz called to ask him about Franklin.
"He says, 'He has no last name. It's not good. It's not respectful to him as a character. Can I use your last name?' I said, 'Sparky yes, of course.'"
Now, Armstrong wants to pay it forward. With the Armstrong Project, he'll provide internships and guidance to students. He said he'll remind them that cartooning "is not the same as doodling in math class."
The Armstrong Project also has a $200,000 endowment to give scholarships for students at historically Black colleges.
"Mr. Armstrong says to start with dynamic characters. So I just want to start there and see where it takes me," said Promise Robinson, a 21-year-old student at Hampton University and one of the first Armstrong Project recipients11. "I'm definitely looking to be very inclusive in my stories."
If Franklin had never been introduced to the Peanuts series, I can't fathom12 how different my life would be.
Hailey Cartwright, Howard University student
"If Franklin had never been introduced to the Peanuts series, I can't fathom how different my life would be," said Hailey Cartwright, a 19-year-old student at Howard University, the other Armstrong Project recipient10. "If he wasn't there, in the direction I want to take my career, in animation13, would I even have a chance? I just wonder."
At the event during Comic-Con, Bruce W. Smith gave Cartwright and Robinson some advice. "Everyone's looking for more diverse projects, more diverse characters to lead their storytelling," he said. "That's why it's the perfect time for you guys to have your voice included in this."
1 transcript | |
n.抄本,誊本,副本,肄业证书 | |
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2 census | |
n.(官方的)人口调查,人口普查 | |
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3 labor | |
n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦 | |
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4 assassination | |
n.暗杀;暗杀事件 | |
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5 symbolic | |
adj.象征性的,符号的,象征主义的 | |
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6 turmoil | |
n.骚乱,混乱,动乱 | |
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7 debut | |
n.首次演出,初次露面 | |
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8 milestone | |
n.里程碑;划时代的事件 | |
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9 idol | |
n.偶像,红人,宠儿 | |
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10 recipient | |
a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器 | |
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11 recipients | |
adj.接受的;受领的;容纳的;愿意接受的n.收件人;接受者;受领者;接受器 | |
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12 fathom | |
v.领悟,彻底了解 | |
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13 animation | |
n.活泼,兴奋,卡通片/动画片的制作 | |
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