It’s part of the show’s “commitment to racial justice”
Sesame Street has introduced two new black characters to help educate and teach children about issues of race and racism in society.
The two new characters are father Elijah and his son Wes, and are part of a new series called ABCs of Racial Literacy.
In the video introducing them on the Sesame Street Twitter page, the two are seen on a walk before taking a break to speak to Sesame Street stalwart Elmo. Using the example of how leaves are different colours, Elijah and Wes explain why people have different skin colours and tones.
.@Elmo and his friend Wes are exploring the colors of their skin (and fur)! We can all learn about and celebrate our unique identities together. #ComingTogether pic.twitter.com/2gHoCGWxuJ
— Sesame Street (@sesamestreet) March 24, 2021
In the aftermath of George Floyd’s death in May 2020, the long-running and hugely popular children’s TV show took a very public stand against racism in all its forms. The show wrote: “Racism has no place on our Street – or any street,
“Sesame Street was built on diversity, inclusion, and, especially, kindness.
“Today and every day we stand together with our Black colleagues, partners, collaborators and the entire Black community.
“We stand with our friends around the globe to speak out against racism, to promote understanding and to create a world that is smarter, stronger and kinder.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CA5B14ug2fw/?utm_source=ig_embed
This is just the latest example of Sesame Street not being afraid to tackle difficult issues and help explain them for young children. When one of the show’s actors died in 1982, an entire episode was dedicated to the topic of death and grief, and the show has previously also tackled issues such as divorce, homelessness, and characters growing up in foster care.
In 2015 the show introduced its first autistic Muppet, before in 2019 it debuted Karli, a character who’s mum suffers from substance abuse issues.
What a brilliant show.
