Sam Newbury Oral History
Sam Newbury, initially a producer for Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, went on to work on some of Fred's projects beyond the television program, including professional development and educational materials.
The Fred Rogers Archive
The Fred Rogers Archive preserves over 22,000 items from Fred Rogers' personal and professional life. The Archive is essential to the work of the Fred Rogers Institute, and is a source for research into children’s television, early childhood development, and Fred Rogers’ unique role in bridging both fields. Undergraduate students, graduate students, and researchers may request access provisions to study Fred’s life and legacy. Please complete the form below to reach out to our Archivist. Below, you can explore a sampling of the Archive - you're sure to find a treasure!
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Sign Language
Fred Rogers studied many languages throughout his life, including French, Spanish, Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and American Sign Language. He presented these languages in different ways throughout the Neighborhood series.
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Thoughts 1361-1365
Fred Rogers wrote these tips for parents on how children can learn about being helpers. The emphases on cooking and working towards a goal relate to a particular week of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood episodes. Mister Rogers bakes waffles with a few Neighborhood friends.
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Saint Vincent College
One of Fred Rogers' famous quotes is, "The child is in me still—and sometimes not so still." Our childhoods—our pasts—are part of us. Fred called himself an "emotional archaeologist" because he was interested in the origins of people's reactions to all types of situations.
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Art Vogel Oral History
Art Vogel was a cameraman at WQED who spent many years filming Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Vogel witnessed some of those times when Fred would go to the piano to express his anger.
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Mister Rogers Visits STOMP
Mister Rogers visited the cast of STOMP during "Mad Feelings" week. During the week of programs, Mister Rogers explored the question, "What do you do with the mad that you feel?" Fred was known to go to the piano when he was dealing with angry feelings.
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Thoughts 1356-1360
The series of "Thoughts for the Week" offers us insight into Fred Rogers' goals with each week of programs he produced. During this week, Mister Rogers talks about moving quickly versus moving slowly. He points out that people with the same name are still different people.
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Mister Rogers and the Singing Bakers
Brockett's Bakery is hosting a group of musicians who sing in Spanish. Rather than just sitting and listening, Mister Rogers joins in on the fun. He learns about and experiments with an instrument that mimics the sound of rain.
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Chuck Aber Oral History
Chuck Aber was a frequent neighbor on the television program, both in Mister Rogers' real world and the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. In this oral history, Aber remembers rehearsing for the television operas, specifically "Josephine the Short-Neck Giraffe" and "Spoon Mountain."
Contributing to the Archive
If you have an item you believe belongs in the Fred Rogers Archive, please let us know! The items in the Archive must be directly related to Fred Rogers and his production company. We do not accept self-created items such as creative, journalistic, or research writings, or artwork. We do not purchase items to include in the Archive or sell memorabilia from the Archive.