So, Sesame Street turns 40 today, and besides reminding me that I’ll be marking the same milestone soon enough (thanks, Sesame Street!), this sunny day reminds me how much I enjoyed Street Gang, Michael Davis’ history of this ongoing experiment in children’s educational programming.
We saluted Davis’ book back in January, as the country was preparing to inaugurate its first African-American president. “I really believe Sesame Street ushered in the age of Obama,” Davis said then of the show’s emphasis on tolerance and cultural diversity, adding that “Gordon [a pillar of the Sesame neighborhood] is, in a way, a community organizer.”
In that sense, First Lady Michelle Obama’s appearance on today’s anniversary show is indeed a milestone for the show’s mission.
We also noted that Davis had a particular affinity for Grover and asked our readers to tell us which Sesame Street characters they most identify with. Unfortunately, we got few takers, but the line is still open and we’d love to hear from you via the comment section below.
As for me, I liked Ernie best when I was younger. These days, I’m all about Oscar.
