When he created the role of Officer Clemmons on the television series Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, François Clemmons made history as the first African American actor to have a recurring role on a children's program. The role also required him to make painful personal choices and sacrifices. Here he details a life marked by family trauma and loss. During studies as a music major at Oberlin College, Clemmons began to investigate and embrace his homosexuality. And a chance encounter with Fred Rogers changed the whole course of both men's lives, leading to a deep, spiritual friendship and mentorship spanning nearly forty years. -- adapted from jacket