美国国家公共电台 NPR--A project named for 'Peanuts' character Franklin aims to boost Black animators

A project named for 'Peanuts' character Franklin aims to boost Black animators

Transcript¹

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

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 census   

n.(官方的)人口调查，人口普查

参考例句：

• A census of population is taken every ten years.人口普查每10年进行一次。
• The census is taken one time every four years in our country.我国每四年一次人口普查。

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

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

4 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

5 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

6 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

7 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

8 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

9 idol   

n.偶像，红人，宠儿

参考例句：

• As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子，他是父母的宠儿。
• Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。

10 recipient   

a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器

参考例句：

• Please check that you have a valid email certificate for each recipient. 请检查是否对每个接收者都有有效的电子邮件证书。
• Colombia is the biggest U . S aid recipient in Latin America. 哥伦比亚是美国在拉丁美洲最大的援助对象。

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

参考例句：

• The recipients of the prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者的姓名登在报上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The recipients of prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者名单登在报上。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

12 fathom   

v.领悟，彻底了解

参考例句：

• I really couldn't fathom what he was talking about.我真搞不懂他在说些什么。
• What these people hoped to achieve is hard to fathom.这些人希望实现些什么目标难以揣测。

13 animation   

n.活泼，兴奋，卡通片／动画片的制作

参考例句：

• They are full of animation as they talked about their childhood.当他们谈及童年的往事时都非常兴奋。
• The animation of China made a great progress.中国的卡通片制作取得很大发展。