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.)

Return to DooDah ... Dandelion Wine Rewound ... Garden Envy

Julius Shulman RIP ... Biking to Tennessee ... Take the TemperaTour ... Father Boyle on Homeboy Industries ... CyberFrequencies on Kindergarten bloggers

CyberFrequencies on Palin enemies list ... Wayne White, artist, banjoist, new Oldham book ... last silent movie organist dies ... living Chicano rock history ... Dinner Party Download on Ali

Malden, RIP ... Medical Pot via Twitter ... Razorcake Lives ... Virtual AnimeExpo ... Bratton Changes Cop-Godzilla Paradigm

Boxer Chris "The Nightmare" Arreola speaks ... How the Hammer Museum will spend $1,000,000 ... Garrison Keillor reads a love sonnet.

Garrison Keillor on Jesse Ventura ... OCMA's picture problems ... another episode of Cyber Frequencies ... Chris Ames takes on Santa Ana.

The documentary "The Ashes of Oakridge" takes us to a mobile home park in Sylmar devastated by wildfires.

What happens to comics and crosswords if newspapers die? Plus, billboard art, Eric Garcetti's first career, Norwegian datarock, the new waltzmeister, and a woodworking icon remembered. Enjoy!