An Upstander Is a Person in Your Neighborhood: Children, Sesame Street, and Race in 2020

Authors

Gemma Yoo, Yale University

Abstract

Educational children’s media, such as the program Sesame Street, may be the most accessible format for teaching young children about race and racism in the United States. Throughout its history, Sesame Street has attempted to confront racism through its diverse cast and, in the summer of 2020, by directly addressing the topic with children and families. However, both its passive representation and active discussion fall short of what is needed to confront systemic racism. This paper addresses Sesame Street’s past and present role as a leader in children’s educational media, and advocates that the program employ Critical Race Theory to evaluate how young children are taught about race.

Recommended Citation

Yoo, Gemma (2021) "An Upstander Is a Person in Your Neighborhood: Children, Sesame Street, and Race in 2020," The Yale Undergraduate Research Journal: Vol. 2: Iss. 1, Article 29.
Available at: https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/yurj/vol2/iss1/29