Date of First Appearance:
July 31, 1968

Schulz on Franklin:
"When Franklin first appeared in the late '60s, his noticeably darker skin set some readers in search of a political meaning. However, the remarkable becomes unremarkable when readers learn that I simply introduced Franklin as another character, not a political statement."

Franklin met Charlie Brown at the beach and the two became friends. Franklin goes to school with Peppermint Patty and Marcie, and plays on Peppermint Patty's baseball team. He is halfway convinced that Charlie Brown's friends are a collection of lunatics. However, he is thoughtful and spends quite a bit of time talking with Charlie Brown about their wise grandfathers.