The Black Psychiatrists of America

July 5, 2019 1:01 PM

The Forgotten Tale of How Black Psychiatrists Helped Make 'Sesame Street' - "The children's television show entranced preschoolers—and helped teach impressionable black kids."
posted by kliuless (7 comments total)

This story, and the story of gay psychiatrists changing the DSM give me a real respect for the power of MDs to make change for the good.
posted by Bee'sWing at 1:32 PM on July 5, 2019 [3 favorites]

This is a fantastic story, and despite being raised by psychologists in the 70's, I didn't know much about it. Thanks for posting!
posted by tangosnail at 1:34 PM on July 5, 2019 [2 favorites]

Fascinating, thanks for sharing.

I knew Big Bird had a secret agenda.
posted by mundo at 5:35 PM on July 5, 2019

Slight tangent - I was lucky to catch the magnificent Beverly Glenn-Copeland, who among other things composed music for the show, at a festival last year. It was a beautiful, beautiful performance, and I came away thinking: Sesame Street can save the world.

It probably can't, but thank you for reinforcing my view that at the very least, Sesame Street has made the world a better place.
posted by Elizabeth the Thirteenth at 3:41 AM on July 6, 2019 [2 favorites]

The BBC History Hour recently had an interview with Maria from Sesame Street (Sonia Manzano) that covered some of this as well.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3csypyl at 26.50mins in.
posted by WhackyparseThis at 10:24 PM on July 6, 2019

This made me a little teary. I often brag about having a "Sesame Street" childhood and wanting one for my daughter. You can't be what you can't see, so thank you, gentlemen, for making interracial//intercultural friendships seem easy and natural.
posted by CatastropheWaitress at 8:28 AM on July 9, 2019

Seems like a good place to share the Sesame Street Tiny Desk Concert. You're welcome.
posted by CatastropheWaitress at 8:46 AM on July 9, 2019 [1 favorite]