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.)

In the studio with LA artist Edward Walton Wilcox, called "a brilliant and romantic star hurtling through the same galaxy as ... Odd Nerdrum and Hieronymous Bosch."

Baseball announcing legend Ernie Harwell, dead at 92, remembered by friends and fans.

Norman Corwin turns 100 ... FOOD ARCHIVE: Colman Andrews and Jonathan Gold, Beard winners ... a blacksmith moves to Heritage Square ... Tyrus Wong, almost 100, feted by Otis College of Art and Design ... Artist Edward Walton Wilcox on faith and storytelling ...

Eat-LA and Off-Ramp get your goat ... Shirley Jahad's electric car diaries ... Dinner Party Download ... "Did I leave my i-Phone at the bar ..." RL Greene's tribute to his twin brother ... Charles Phoenix and the Third Dimension ...Leigh Brackett's screenplays include The Big Sleep and The Empire Strikes Back.

Tom Hanks talking with KPCC's John Rabe about World War Two, the movies, his tenuous link to Abe Lincoln, and public radio.

Award-winning journalists say former LAPD chief Daryl Gates responsible for riots, ran clandestine spy ring to intimidate foes.

Another take on the late Daryl Gates - spymaster ... Tom Hanks on public radio, World War Two, and more ... deaf and hearing actors in play about famous French murder case ... Kitty Felde talks with Vin Scully - in 1983! ... CyberFrequencies and life on the web ...

Joe Domanick: former LAPD chief Daryl Gates was responsible for the '92 riots ... Dinner Party Download talks with rappers Das Racists ... Mark Peel's lunch counter ... the men in skirts of Liberty Tax Prep ... TCM's Ben Mankiewicz says "I'm not hip - the goatee's in my contract!" ... fish eggs on pizza? ... Mark Lacter says, "Hey, billionaires -- ante up!"