Bookseller Praise for Officer Clemmons

"Officer Clemmons is not just another Mister Rogers story. It's a story of race, sexuality, overcoming the odds, and love. Clemmons's story will make you believe in the power of good despite all of the bad we face in this life." —Robert Lingle, Off the Beaten Path Bookstore (Lakewood, New York)

"This is a very meaningful book to me, being raised on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood by parents who were also raised on the show. A frequent character in the neighborhood, François Clemmons had to overcome much adversity in his young life to get to that point. Born in the South and then a transplant to Ohio, Franc dealt not only with constant racism but also abuse from his conservative family whom he knew he could not come out of the closet to. Through hard work, he got through school when he met Fred Rogers, the man who would change his life forever. This is a very heartfelt, inspiring, and touching memoir that any fan of the show should read, as well as anyone interested in music or civil rights." —Carl Kranz, Fountain Bookstore (Richmond, VA)

"Reading Dr. François S. Clemmons's memoir feels like sitting down for a conversation with a warm, wise, and friendly figure—just as his character, Officer Clemmons, was on screen in Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Although many readers will flock to this book for Clemmons's stories of Fred Rogers, I found the first half of his life story even more moving. In easy, conversational prose, Clemmons walks us through his childhood in a family of sharecroppers, his fraught relationship with his mother and abusive stepfather, his involvement in the civil rights movement, and his emergence as a gay black man in a conservative and religious world. Above all, Clemmons's story—from his grandfather and his magic singing cane to his big break on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood—is a testament to music, imagination, and the joy of creativity. The book feels raw and a touch unpolished at times, and a few narrative threads from Clemmons's young adult life were left unresolved. But above all, this warm, big-hearted book is honest and authentic." —Rayne Stone, Rediscovered Books (Boise, ID)

"Dr. François S. Clemmons's memoir, Officer Clemmons, is authentic storytelling at its finest. Clemmons, a trained opera singer who became one of the most beloved neighbors in Mister Rogers' neighborhood, shares the story of his life with exuberance and authenticity. As a gay black man, his presence on a children's television show was revolutionary. Readers are admitted into his close and personal friendship with Fred Rogers. We are also invited into the most painful and humiliating parts of his life as he deals with prejudice against both his race and sexuality. While Clemmons is honest about his feelings of frustration and fatigue regarding the racism and homophobia he encountered throughout his life, readers are left with the portrait of a man who has spent his life pursuing the things that he loves." —Margaret Leonard, Dotters Books (Eau Claire, WI)