François Clemmons facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
François Clemmons
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Clemmons in Oberlin College's 1967 yearbook
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| Born |
François Scarborough Clemmons
April 23, 1945 Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
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| Alma mater | |
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| Years active | 1968–2013 |
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Notable credit(s)
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Officer Clemmons in Mister Rogers' Neighborhood |
| Spouse(s) |
Carol Clemmons
(div. 1974) |
François Scarborough Clemmons (born April 23, 1945) is an American singer, actor, writer, and teacher. He is famous for playing "Officer Clemmons" on the popular PBS television show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. He appeared on the show from 1968 to 1993.
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Early Life and Education
François Clemmons was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He grew up in Youngstown, Ohio. People soon noticed he had a wonderful singing voice. He started singing at church events in his local community. By the age of 10, he became the choir director for his church.
His first songs were old American spirituals. These songs were passed down to him by his mother. He later sang different types of music with various community groups. For a while, he was even the lead singer of a rock 'n' roll band called the Jokers.
Clemmons studied music in college. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin College. He also received a Master of Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University. Later, he was given an honorary Doctor of Arts degree from Middlebury College.
Singing at the Metropolitan Opera
In 1968, Clemmons won a big singing competition. It was the Metropolitan Opera auditions in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He then moved to Cleveland, Ohio. There, he earned a spot in the Metropolitan Opera Studio.
He sang professionally for seven seasons. He performed in over 70 different roles. He worked with famous opera companies. These included The New York City Opera and Los Angeles Civic Light Opera.
Clemmons also sang with many orchestras. These included the Cleveland Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra. In 1976, he won a Grammy Award. This was for a recording of the opera Porgy and Bess. He performed the role of "Sportin' Life" more than 100 times.
Officer Clemmons on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
For 25 years, Clemmons played Officer Clemmons. He was a kind policeman in the "Neighborhood of Make-Believe". This was on the children's TV show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. In the show, Officer Clemmons ran a singing and dance studio. It was across the street from Mister Rogers' house.
He was one of the first African Americans to have a regular role on a children's TV show. His character was a beloved neighbor and a respected authority figure. This was a very important message about race relations. For example, in 1969, many swimming pools were still separated by race. Mr. Rogers invited Officer Clemmons to cool his feet with him in a small pool. Mr. Rogers then used the same towel to dry his own feet. This simple act helped break down a color barrier. Clemmons shared the story of how he became "Officer Clemmons" on StoryCorps.
The Harlem Spiritual Ensemble
In the late 1980s, Clemmons had a powerful experience. He was singing spirituals with a friend. This experience deeply moved him. It made him want to sing traditional spirituals more than opera.
He realized how important singing spirituals felt. He felt it was even more important than singing classical music. He wondered why there wasn't a professional group dedicated to spirituals. He thought there should be one, like groups for other classical composers.
Since he couldn't find such a group, Clemmons decided to create one. He formed The Harlem Spiritual Ensemble. This group was created to preserve American Negro spirituals.
Teaching at Middlebury College
From 1997 until 2013, Clemmons worked at Middlebury College. This college is in Middlebury, Vermont. He was the Alexander Twilight Artist in Residence. He also directed the Martin Luther King Spiritual Choir.
At Middlebury, he was a professor, choirmaster, and vocal soloist. He was also an advisor and a community supporter. He is well-known in Middlebury for his amazing singing of "The Star Spangled Banner." He sings it at the Middlebury College men's basketball games.
Writing and Music
On May 15, 2020, Clemmons published his autobiography. It is called Officer Clemmons: A Memoir.
Clemmons writes different types of stories for various age groups. He has written a children's story called ButterCup and the Majic Cane. He also wrote a book of poems titled A Place of my Own. His published works include a book of spirituals called Songs for Today. He also wrote a musical play called My Name Is Hayes. This play is based on the life of Roland Hayes. He also asked for a choral work of spirituals to be created. It is called Changed My Name and was arranged by Linda Twine.
Clemmons continues to share his work. He makes public appearances and performs concerts regularly. In 2021, he sang three spirituals for an audio drama. It was called Around The Sun. He described his character as a "one-cell amoeba." He said the story showed what a person goes through in life. In 2023, Clemmons returned to the series. He performed a song called "The Arthropod Song."
Personal Life
François Clemmons married Carol Clemmons in 1974. They later divorced.
He lives and works in Middlebury, Vermont. He is now the Emeritus Artist in Residence at Middlebury College. He is also a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. This is a national group for men in music.
See also
In Spanish: François Clemmons para niños
