When Fred Rogers asked actor Francois Clemmons in 1968 to play Officer Clemmons on Mr. Rogers' neighborhood, he hesitated. At the time, there were only two or three black actors playing recurring roles on TV. During a period of great unrest between black Americans and the police, Clemmons challenged Rogers' choice. But Fred Rogers convinced him, and Francois Clemmons went on to play the role until 1993. In this video, you can plainly see that Rogers knew exactly what he was doing. In his quiet way, he spoke love every day, and that impacted generations.

Watch video below.