What's True Francois Clemmons, a Black actor playing a police officer, and Fred Rogers dipped their feet together in a wading pool on an episode of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” in 1969, breaking color barriers. At the time Black people were prevented from swimming in pools with white people around the country, and there was civil unrest over racially segregated pools. What's False Origin Children’s television show host Fred Rogers led the way on breaking many barriers. One famous instance took place on an episode of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” when Rogers, a white man, dipped his feet in a wading pool alongside Francois Clemmons, a Black man.