François Clemmons, 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood', singer, actor, discusses iconic pool scene
"On the surface, it looked like a children's program for white people," Clemmons said. "But deep down inside they were talking about emotions [like] love, hate, anger, being abandoned — the kinds of things all children have to deal with."
"On the surface, it looked like a children's program for white people," Clemmons said. "But deep down inside they were talking about emotions [like] love, hate, anger, being abandoned — the kinds of things all children have to deal with."
"On the surface, it looked like a children's program for white people," Clemmons said. "But deep down inside they were talking about emotions [like] love, hate, anger, being abandoned — the kinds of things all children have to deal with."
When François Clemmons signed up to play a police officer on "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" in 1969, he had no idea the impact it would have around the country.
"I put my foot in the water and history was made," Clemmons said.
Clemmons is referencing a now-iconic scene in which his character sits down with Fred Rogers and dips his feet into a children's pool full of water. Clemmons called the scene a statement regarding the lingering attitudes of many Americans following the end of legalized segregation in America.
The moment was shown on television five years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which ended legal segregation and sparked a conversation of acceptance and friendship between people of different races.
"Everybody in the studio got quiet and I didn't understand that impact. They were all looking at us and he said things a friend would say to another friend," Clemmons said.
For over 25 years, Clemmons appeared regularly on "Mister Rogers Neighborhood," one of the most popular children's television programs of its era and a defining series for many young viewers.
Clemmons' involvement with the show invited a wider audience, including many Black children and their families, to discuss real-world issues and empowered children to take charge of their emotions.
"On the surface, it looked like a children's program for white people," Clemmons said. "But deep down inside they were talking about emotions [like] love, hate, anger, being abandoned — the kinds of things all children have to deal with. And I said, 'Black people need to hear about this also.'"
His appearance on the show also caught the attention of some of the biggest names of the Harlem Renaissance, like the esteemed poet Maya Angelou.
"She said 'We want you to keep doing that so that our Black kids can see a Black man's face on television,'" Clemmons said.
In a world that consistently challenged his existence, Clemmons said staying true to himself and finding his purpose was one of the most valuable lessons he's learned.
"I am 77 years old; I'll soon be 78 and I have never fit," Clemmons said. "It wasn't intentional, it's just who I am."
It's a sentiment he has made his mission to share with others.
After the show ended its 31-season run, Clemmons continued his spread his message by singing on stages all over the world.
He eventually settled in Vermont, where he served as the director of a spiritual choir at Middlebury College until his retirement.
As he looks at the role the show played in his own life, he said there is nothing he would do differently.
"Fred said 'Be Kind, Be Kind, Be Kind.' And if you can't figure it out... go back again. Be Kind, Be Kind, Be Kind. It changes how we view things," he said.
Years after that initial scene in the 1960s, Clemmons and Fred Rogers came together in the early 1990s to recreate it, keeping the message going and celebrating a friendship — and a legacy of acceptance — that lasted a lifetime.