50 Years of Sesame Street

50 years ago, on this day, November 10, 1969, @sesamestreet, a pioneering TV show that would teach generations of young children the alphabet and how to count, makes its broadcast debut on National Educational Television (NET). “Sesame Street,” with its memorable theme song (“Can you tell me how to get/How to get to Sesame Street”), went on to become the most widely viewed children’s program in the world. It has aired in more than 120 countries. The show is set in a fictional New York neighborhood and includes ethnically diverse characters and positive social messages. From its inception, one of the show’s most-loved aspects has been a family of puppets known as Muppets. Creator Joan Ganz Cooney hired puppeteer Jim Henson (1936-1990) to create a cast of characters that became beloved institutions, including Bert and Ernie, Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, Grover and Big Bird. The subjects tackled by “Sesame Street” have evolved with the times. In 2002, the South African version of the program, “Takalani Sesame,” introduced a 5-year-old Muppet character named Kami who is HIV-positive, in order to help children living with the stigma of a disease that has reached epidemic proportions. In 2006, a new Muppet, Abby Cadabby, made her debut and was positioned as the show’s first female star character, in an effort to encourage diversity and provide a strong role model for girls. In May 2019, a muppet character whose mother is battling addiction was introduced, acquainting kids with the opioid crisis. Since its inception, over 80 million Americans have watched “Sesame Street.” Today, an estimated 6 million people tune in to the show each week in the U.S. alone. Happy 50th Anniversary! #ThisIsMyStreet#Sesame50