LibGuides: Mister Rogers' Neighborhood: The Host

About the Host

"Fred McFeely Rogers (March 20, 1928 – February 27, 2003) was an American television personality, musician, puppeteer, writer, producer, and Presbyterian minister. Rogers was famous for creating, hosting, and composing the theme music for the educational preschool television series Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (1968–2001), which featured his kind-hearted, grandfatherly personality, and directness to his audiences." -Wikipedia (taken from a Senate Concurrent Resolution)

In 1969, Fred Rogers famously appeared before Congress to argue against proposed public broadcasting cuts. His speech below gave the Communication Subcommittee Chairman goosebumps and earned public broadcasting back its funds.

In 1997, Fred Rogers was given the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Daytime Emmys. Watch his emotional speech below.

Resources from Gumberg

Print Books: (Follow the links to find out more about the books!)

I'm Proud of You by Timothy J. Madigan
Call Number: PN1992.4 .R56 M33 2006 (Gumberg 2nd floor)
When journalist Madigan met Mister Fred Rogers in 1995, his personal life was in shambles. In this story reminiscent of Mitch Albom and his phenomenal bestseller Tuesdays with Morrie, the author details the relationship between a man struggling with living life and the person he calls the human embodiment of heaven.
Life's Journeys According to Mister Rogers by Fred Rogers
Call Number: BJ1581.2 .R633 2005 (Gumberg 3rd floor)
With sections titled Who You Are Right Now, Loving and Being Loved, and Guided Drift, Fred addresses the scope of human transitions. It all comes down to knowing we're valuable, and that we're worthy of that value. As Fred would say, "You don't have to be anything more than who you are right now."
Pittsburgh Lives: men and women who shaped our city by David M. Shribman (Editor); Angelika Kane (Editor)
Call Number: F159 .P653 A273 2006 (Gumberg 3rd floor)
Taking readers on a unique journey through the 20th century in the Steel City, Pittsburgh Lives reveals the characters that left indelible marks on the western Pennsylvania city’s history.

eBooks: (Note: You will have to enter your MultiPass credentials to access these off-campus.)

Peaceful Neighbor: discovering the countercultural Mister Rogers by Michael G. Long
With this progressive spirituality as his inspiration, Rogers used his children's program as a platform for sharing countercultural beliefs about caring nonviolently for one another, animals, and the earth. To critics who dared call him "namby-pamby," Rogers said, "Only people who take the time to see our work can begin to understand the depth of it." This is the invitation of Peaceful Neighbor, to see and understand Rogers's convictions and their expression through his program. Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, it turns out, is far from sappy, sentimental, and shallow; it's a sharp political response to a civil and political society poised to kill.

AV Materials: (Follow the links to find out more about these DVDs and CDs and request them!)

Fred Rogers: America's Favorite Neighbor by WQED Multimedia
Call Number: DVD-0445 (Gumberg 5th floor)
Celebrates the life and legacy of Fred Rogers, the Presbyterian minister who devoted himself to serving children and families through the mass media and who hosted the PBS children's series Mr. Rogers' neighborhood.