OK, so inevitably we would drift into books...ah, where better to begin than Michael Davis' 400 page epic "Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street". Undoubtedly more than you will ever need to know about the formation of the show, there are still some unanswered questions at the end of the journey, (what about the 'third David'), not quite 'grassy knoll' stuff, but still...Prepare for a history of children's television, as well as the show itself, that is great background, but sometimes overwhelming. 
While lessons can certainly be learned about where the show has ended up today compared to the late 60's mission statement, (cough...cough), and there will always be endless debate about actual educational value. The biggest takeaway for me is the impact the show had on a whole generation that, in between getting the fundamentals on letters and numbers, was slipped the concept of multi.culturalism, and how could that be quantified as to where we stand today? As opposed to 'boomer', or 'x', the only generational label i've ever related to would be the 'sesame street' generation...having been 4 when it hit the air, I'll stand up for that.
The glory years have been repackaged for your consumption/edification on the aptly named: "Sesame Street: Old School" DVD collection. Vol. 1 covers '69-'74, while Vol. 2 moves on to '74-79. Indulge in some classic moments or freak out at revisiting some of those special guests...
It's a nice little ramble down memory lane, and it's amazing just how much of that stuck, word for word...
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