Officer Clemmons of Mister Rogers Neighborhood

Won’t you be my neighbor? For many of us, those words bring to mind the image of Fred Rogers in a sweater and sneakers broadcasting messages of kindness, acceptance, and empathy as part of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. And those messages are just as important today. But Mister Rogers’ was also involved in a larger conversation about race. He challenged ideas of segregation, injustice, and inequality like, for example, in the famous pool scene where he washed his feet with Officer Clemmons, played by Francois Clemmons… the first African American actor to have a recurring role on a children’s television program. Francois’ book Officer Clemmons: A Memoir was recently released, and he joins us today to discuss his book, Mister Rogers, and his role as Officer Clemmons.