harness that power to teach them the alphabet
and their numbers as opposed to the words to
beer commercials, you may be able to make a
really big difference.”
No one else was doing it. Children’s programing
at the time was made up of shows like “Captain
Kangaroo,” “Romper Room” and the violent
skirmishes between “Tom & Jerry.” ‘Mr. Rogers’
Neighborhood” was lovely, but it was mostly
teaching social skills.
“There was nothing even remotely that contained
any educational component at all for children,”
said Phillip Levine, a professor of economics at
Wellesley College who has studied the show.
”‘Sesame Street’ was 100% about education.”
The show was designed by education
professionals and child psychologists with one
goal: to help low-income and minority students
aged 2-5 overcome some of the deficiencies
they had when entering school. Social scientists
had long noted white and higher income kids
were often better prepared.
So, it wasn’t an accident that the show was set on
an urban street with a multicultural cast. Diversity
and inclusion were baked into the show. Monsters,
humans and animals all lived together peacefully.
Bert, Ernie and the gang made an instant
impression on actress Sonia Manzano. She saw
a neighborhood that looked like hers. She saw
people who looked like her. She would become
a cast member, Maria, on the show, starring and
writing for it from 1971-2015, including getting
married on air.
“I was raised without seeing people of color on
television. So, when I was given the opportunity to
be a person of color on television, I jumped at it,”