On Sesame Street's 40th anniversary, The Root takes a look back at some of the show's guest appearances by some of our favorite black celebrities.
To kick off the 40th anniversary of the most famous street on television, first lady Michelle Obama made a guest appearance to teach kids about healthy eating. But before Mrs. O kicked it on Sesame Street, other black celebrities stopped by, teaching kids everything from the alphabet song to subtraction, making the Sesame Street soundtrack that much cooler.
Stevie Wonder brought the funk, performing a live rendition of "Superstition." Stevie's performance proved Sesame Street was a lot more progressive than many of us realized.
Lena Horne serenaded a green Kermit when he was feeling blue.
Who better than Richard Pryor to turn the alphabet into a comedy routine?
Not even Michael Jackson's charm could cheer up Oscar the Grouch.
Diana Ross gives Big Bird a self-esteem pep talk.
The street the Cosbys lived on is pretty familiar, but still second to Sesame Street.
Leave it to Ray Charles to make the alphabet sound like a hit record.
And only Patti LaBelle can turn it into a gospel hymn, complete with the "happy" finale.
Ziggy Marley takes Sesame Street to the Caribbean with a steel drum island mix about "little people."
Before she starred in Chicago and Hairspray, Queen Latifah spit a few bars on the Street.
Thank you, Sesame Street, for reminding us of Beyoncé's random wardrobe selections before she became Sasha Fierce.
India.Arie's duet with Elmo gives Diana and Big Bird a run for their money.
Elmo gets all the girls.
Jamie Foxx helped Sesame Street usher in the digital age with the animated version of The Nutcracker.
Once you make an appearance on Sesame Street, it's quite legendary.
Jada F. Smith is a senior journalism major at Howard University. She works as a managing editor for the nation’s only daily black newspaper, The Hilltop.
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