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Outlook: Duty-bound: My secret life as Officer Clemmons

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Clemmons with Fred Rogers

09/01/2023 GMT

Duty-bound: My secret life as Officer Clemmons

BBC World Service - Outlook, Duty-bound: My secret life as Officer Clemmons

Becoming one of the first African American actors on children's TV came with an ultimatum

When Francois Clemmons was a TV star in the 1960s, he made the tough decision to sacrifice his sexuality so that he could continue as a role model for African American children.

Francois Clemmons is a singer and founder of the Harlem Spiritual Ensemble in America, but he became famous as an actor when he played the role of Officer Clemmons in the hit children’s TV programme 'Mister Rogers Neighborhood'. He joined the show in 1968, and was an important role model for young African American children, but then he had to make a difficult decision. As a gay man he was told that his sexuality was not compatible with his TV role, so he had to choose between his sexuality and his TV career. Although he chose the latter, he was able to be open about his sexuality years later. He tells Jo Fidgen how much the show meant to him over the years and how forming his spiritual ensemble was a dream come true for him.

He's written a book called Officer Clemmons: A Memoir. This interview was first broadcast in 2020

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com

Presenter:  Jo Fidgen

(Photo: Clemmons with Fred Rogers. Credit: The Fred Rogers Company)

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