Charles Schulz got hate mail, and newspaper editors threatened to pull his strip "Peanuts," after he showed Charlie Brown meeting Franklin Armstrong on the beach on July 31st, 1968. All because Franklin was Black ... in fact, the first Black character in a mainstream daily comic strip.

This time on Off-Ramp, we're listening back to my 2014 interview with the two friends who made it happen: Harriet Glickman, a white teacher, and Ken Kelly, a black aerospace engineer.

Harriet died two years ago at 93, and Ken died a year ago at 92 ... and by the way, Ken has an amazing life story you'll hear about at the end of the episode.

Advisory: Ken and Harriet use old fashioned language to describe Black people. They use the polite terminology of the time, NOT the N-word, but if this is upsetting to you, you should skip this episode.

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

(Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.)

Pico Boulevard, Pico Union, Pico Rivera ... they tell the story of one of the most fascinating figures in California's 19th Century history: Pio Pico, the last governor of Alta California under Mexican rule, and a revolutionary who helped make the missions forfeit their land. But at the time of his death, he couldn't afford his own grave. Off-Ramp contributor Chris Greenspon has his quintessentially Californian story.

Originally broadcast September, 2015.

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

(Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.)

New GM Farhan Zaidi, Dodgers Stadium's arborist, Roz Wyman brings Dodgers to LA, the "ball hawk" saga continues, Nancy B strikes a chord, and much more.

Batters and Stanton, plain brown envelope artists; Abe Lincoln and California; Grandma Nazimova had a trunk, and inside ...; Bogart's son on Film Noir

Kevin Ferguson talks about the hot new app game 'Survive Mola mola!' with Molly Peterson and Milton Love; John talks with Assemblyman Gatto about avoiding the horrors of probate.

We go to Bakersfield to sample a few gems in a city with a bad rap; Jim Tully, "the most hated man in Hollywood;" Brains On and living with a volcano.

James Franco's collaborative USC film class winds up with real movies ... a jazz pianist who uses sci-fi movies to inspire music about Mars ... Damian Kevitt runs the LA Marathon.

14yo Destiny Rodriguez co-hosts Brains On! Patt Morrison interviews Broadway icon Patricia Morison. We uncover the true facts behind the Rose Hills cemetery's neon sign.

Icons! John meets and rides through Hollywood with Angelyne, and Kevin interviews former Minuteman bassist Mike Watt, who'll be on the punk Mt Rushmore.

Thousands of supposedly lowbrow Angelenos lined up for hours last weekend to get inside a new architectural marvel and an old icon: The Broad museum and Hollyhock House.