A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving aired on ABC Wednesday night and viewers began to stir up on of the special’s most persistent criticisms.
In the dinner scene where all the Peanuts characters unite for their holiday feast, Franklin, the only African American member of the Peanuts cast is seated on a side of the table all by himself.
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This could easily be chalked up to a coincidental seating arrangement, but it is a bit odd that four characters are on the mirroring side of the table.
It’s well-documented that Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz was an advocate for equal representation, but this would have done by an animator on the special.
Regardless of the intention, the debate has flared up on social media around Thanksgiving each year, and this year was no different.
Love Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, but why is Franklin sitting on one side and everyone else crowded on the other? pic.twitter.com/5J4peNivlH
— D (@spinandzen) November 23, 2017
How come Franklin, Charlie Brown’s only black friend, sits alone on the other side of the table? And in a lawn chair. #CharlieBrownThanksgiving
— Lisa Jandovitz (@LisaJandovitz) November 23, 2017
So why did they segregate Franklin across the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving table all by himself??? #childhoodidealismruined
— Katy B. (@onlyintheozarks) November 23, 2017
Never forget that the artist who did Charlie Brown put all the characters but Franklin on one side 🙄 pic.twitter.com/RkBQB54no0
— Mike Shirdan (@MikeShirdan) November 23, 2017