155: Neighborly Love [Lawful Good pt.2]

Maia Warner-Langenbahn
5 days ago
2 min read

Do you know your neighbors? Do you want to? François Clemmons is one of America's iconic examples of neighborly love. Through the combination of the love of his neighbors and his own love of music, we meet history's best neighbor: Mister Fred Rogers. A powerful advocate for educational television, Mister Rogers taught American children it was okay to feel and how to process big emotions. But his legacy extends to his friends and coworkers too. By turning his program into an example of integration and acceptance Fred Roger’s helped change America and empower Francois Clemons (better known as "Officer Clemmons"), whose story is equally as hopeful. Will you be our neighbor? This week on Well, I Laughed

Officer Clemmons Needs Our Help GoFundMe

Chapters

00:00:00 Catch-Up

Neighborly Love

Ticket Out

*Meet the Rogers

The Neighborhood

Was Fred Really Like That?

Senate Hearing

François Moves into the Neighborhood

The Issue of Race

No Longer on the Down Low

Shut Down and Revival

Legacy

Videos Referenced

Lady Aberlin and Daniel Tiger Talk and Sing About Mistakes - PBS

What do you do with the Mad that you Feel (1997) - Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

A visit with Jeff Erlanger (1981) - Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sMyrcuDe_8

Photos Referenced

*François Clemmons "Officer Clemmons" (Right) on episode 195 (#1065) released May 9, 1969 as a response to the protests against desegregating public pools - courtesy of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood*

François Clemmons' 1967 Oberlin Yearbook photo (his senior year of his undergrad) - public domain courtesy of WikiMedia	Fred and Joanne Byrd Rogers' Wedding on June 9, 1952 - courtesy of WQED via Facebook
François Clemmons pictured with "Carole" Clemmons (La-Tanya Mae Sheridan), his wife - courtesy of IMdB	Dr. François Clemmons modern day - courtesy of WAMC, Caleb Kenna