New Peanuts exhibit at Upcountry History Museum explores origins of beloved Franklin character
June 11, 2026
On July 31, 1968, Charlie Brown made a new friend, and the Peanuts comic strip made history as that new friend, Franklin, became the first Black character in this popular cast of animated cartoons.
Making its Southeastern debut at the Upcountry History Museum, the national traveling exhibition, “Franklin,” opens Saturday, June 13, 2026, and explores the origins of this beloved Peanuts character. Designed for audiences of all ages, this exhibition features archival materials, comic strips, objects, and hands-on activities.
Charles M. Schulz was a perceptive observer. He was always curious, and with his wit and wry sense of humor, he opened minds and hearts that others could not. Shortly after the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a Los Angeles school teacher, Harriet Glickman, believed that the popular comic strip Peanuts could positively influence attitudes on race. Due to their correspondence, Schulz introduced Franklin to his cartoon in the summer of 1968. Franklin has remained an important member of the Peanuts gang ever since.
“Franklin” includes correspondence between Glickman and Schulz, comic strips from the multiday storyline of when Franklin and Charlie Brown first met at the beach, as well as the story of how Franklin Armstrong’s last name came to be, as told by the cartoonist Robb Armstrong.
Schulz noted in 1970, “I have wanted to introduce a Black character for some time…the reaction was tremendous. We got quite a stack of mail saying, ‘thank you.’”
Organized and toured by the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center, Santa Rosa, California, this exhibition will be on display June 13 through November 1, 2026.
The Upcountry History Museum is located at 540 Buncombe St., in Greenville, S.C. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Sunday from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. For more information, call 864-467-3100 or visit www.upcountryhistory.org.
