Today is National Franklin Day!

Peanuts is celebrating the 47th anniversary of comic strip’s first African-American character, Franklin Armstrong.

Harriet Glickman, a school teacher, wrote a letter to the comic strip’s creator Charles M. Schulz following the death of Martin Luther King urging him that an African-American character needed to be added to the popular comic strip.

“Franklin Armstrong” was introduced on July 31, 1968, representing the importance of desegregation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOUBslxbSJo

Fun Facts:

• The Peanuts Movie is his first appearance on screen since 1999.
• Franklin has been voiced by 19 actors throughout the years. He will be voiced by Mar Mar in the upcoming Peanuts Movie.
• Franklin is an EXCELLENT dancer – he is shown breakdancing in several of the show’s specials.
• Father was a soldier fighting in Vietnam
• Ice Hockey is Franklin’s favorite sport. He is shown practicing in many of the comic strips.
• Franklin is Charlie Brown’s best friend.

Summary:

In “Peanuts,” a 3D, CGI animated comedic adventure, Snoopy, the world’s most lovable beagle – and flying ace! – embarks upon his greatest mission as he and his team take to the skies to pursue their arch-nemesis, while his best pal Charlie Brown begins his own epic quest back home.

The film features the voices of Noah Schnapp voices Charlie Brown, Hadley Belle Miller voices Lucy, AJ Tecce voices Pig-Pen, Alexander Garfin voices Linus, William Alexander Wunsch voices Shermy, Anastasia Bredikhina voices Patty, Madisyn Shipman voices Violet, Mar Mar voices Frankin, Mariel Sheets voices Sally, Francesca Capaldi voices the Little Red-Haired Girl, Noah Johnston voices Schroeder, Venus Schulthe voices Peppermint Patty, Rebecca Bloom voices Marcie.

‘Peanuts’ hits theaters November 6, 2015.