'Sesame Street' debuts Black muppets in videos on race
March 25, 2021
The US children's television show has released videos featuring two new Muppets to educate children about race.The non-profit Sesame Workshop aims to "provide families with the tools they need to build racial literacy."
Elmo and his friend Wes discuss skin color in a Sesame Street educational videoImage: sesameworkshop.org
African-American dad Elijah and his son Wes are featured in one of the videos, talking to well-loved furry red Muppet Elmo about differences in skin color due to melanin.
In a roughly three-minute segment, the Muppets stress the importance of not forgetting that despite differences in appearance we are all human.
Sesame Street at 50: How its main characters debuted
The popular children's television show premiered on November 10, 1969. Some famous Sesame Street characters had already launched their TV career elsewhere, or changed their appearance within the first years of the show.
Image: picture-alliance/United Archives
Kermit the Frog and Cookie Monster
A central character of "Sesame Street" and "The Muppet Show," Kermit the Frog first appeared in 1955 in a local TV series, "Sam and Friends." The creator of The Muppets, Jim Henson, performed the character himself until his death in 1990. As for Cookie Monster, he had also made his TV debut before "Sesame Street," in a 1966 ad for crackers.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/D. Klär
Oscar the Grouch
The misanthropic character who lives in a trash can was originally orange when "Sesame Street" was launched in 1969. He was then permanently changed to green for the second season. In 1980, his girlfriend was introduced to the show: Grundgetta calls him Oskie.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Klar
Bert and Ernie
The fun-loving Ernie (right) and rational, impatient Bert first appeared in the show's test pilot. The two roommates have completely different characters, yet they stick together — like an old couple. Since they share the same bedroom, they were often speculated to be a gay couple. Even a writer of the show said he visualized them that way — but Sesame Workshop officially disputed the claim.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/klar
Grover
Gathered around the piano are Ernie, Oscar, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover. A prototype version of the furry monster with a big nose had already appeared on "The Ed Sullivan Show" on Christmas Eve in 1967, but was greenish-brown. While he was already in the first season of "Sesame Street," he only obtained his name in 1970.
Image: picture-alliance/United Archives
Big Bird
At eight feet, two inches tall (249 cm) this is one huge canary. Oscar the Grouch's neighbor first appeared on TV in episode one of the "Sesame Show," 50 years ago, on November 10, 1969. In 2000, the US Library of Congress recognized Big Bird as a "Living Legend" for his contributions to American life. He's shown here inaugurating New York City's new Sesame Street in May 2019.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/DKCnews
Julia
Now in its 49th season, there are many more puppets in "Sesame Street." Shown above is a character introduced in 2017. Julia is a yellow Muppet who represents a 4-year-old girl on the autistic spectrum. And even Donald Trump was parodied on the show — as Donald Grump.
The new Muppets were introduced as part of the "ABCs of Racial Literacy" video resources, produced by non-profit Sesame Workshop as part of its commitment to social justice.
Talking to children about race
Sesame Workshop, the non-profit behind Sesame Street, said it wants to "provide families with the tools they need to build racial literacy, to have open conversations with young children."
"The work to dismantle racism begins by helping children understand what racism is and how it hurts and impacts people," Kay Wilson Stallings, Sesame Workshop's executive vice president of creation and production explained.
Sesame Street's inclusive Muppets
The long-running educational show has introduced a number of puppets over the years to draw attention to diversity.
Sesame Street producers introduced Alex, a character with an incarcerated father, in a special educational video released in 2013.
New Muppet with autism in Sesame Street
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Julia, a Muppet on the autism spectrum, debuted on television in 2017.
Kami, a Muppet who contracted HIV through a blood transfusion, was introduced on "Takalani Sesame," the South African edition of Sesame Street, in 2002.
In another video due out soon, Muppets portraying characters of Hispanic origin will be confronted with "a racist incident in a grocery store," Sesame Workshop said.
