Exhibit featuring character in ‘Peanuts’ comics coming to Wingate art museum
In 1968, Franklin made his grand debut in the comics and met Charlie Brown at the beach.
WINGATE, N.C. — Franklin, a character in the beloved “Peanuts” comic strip, is being honored with an exhibit at Wingate University.
The free exhibit, aptly titled “Franklin,” will run at the Hinson Art Museum on campus from Feb. 10 through April 7, and is open to the public.
He is the only Black character in the comic strip, and first appeared in the comics in 1968 after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. A teacher wrote to “Peanuts” creator Charles M. Schulz, asking him to do his part.
“Dear Mr. Schulz,” Harriet Glickman wrote, according to the university. “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, hate, fear and violence.”
The university said Glickman noted adding a Black character to the well-known comic could help promote tolerance. Schulz said he had been considering the same, and just months later, Franklin made his grand debut in the comics and met Charlie Brown at the beach.
Wingate’s exhibit will feature high-resolution reproductions of the original comics showing Charlie Brown and Franklin Armstrong’s first meeting, as well as the correspondence between Schulz and Glickman, character dolls, and more.
“We celebrate the Civil Rights Era in February,” Charlene Bregier, director of the Hinson Art Musuem, said. “My hope is that this piece of history brings understanding of those turbulent times.”
Bregier said Wingate students surveyed in recent years said they found cartooning and similar artforms to be among the most uplifting types of art. This exhibit, in addition to shining a light on the comic’s historical significance, is aimed at bringing joy to students.
“Through his simple style of drawing, he turned our fears and thoughts into laughter,” Bregier said. “Through licensing deals, his characters are seen on everything from tennis shoes and sweatshirts to the Goodyear Blimp and theme parks across the globe.”
The Hinson Art Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, and follows Wingate University’s holiday schedule.