Disney History Institute Podcast · Disney History Institute

The Life and Art of Mary Blair - Part Twenty

·36 min·2 clips

She blossomed. There was never that explosion until this.

Mary is back in California. The host picks up with Mary Blair living in New York but heading west again and again for long weeks on Children of the World. The attraction does not have its famous name yet. Walt will rename it It's a Small World later, but this chapter sits in the moment just before that happens. Home is still messy. Mary is dealing with Lee's frustrations as an artist while her own Disney work is taking more from her. Donovan, described as a budding artist, is struggling at school. Kevin is doing better, though his interests are drifting toward computer technology and engineering. The California work gives Mary some breathing room. Away from home, she can pour more of herself into the look and feeling of the ride Disney is building for the fair. The fair itself is harder to romanticize. The Urban League of Greater New York had criticized Robert Moses and the World's Fair Corporation for hiring too few African American workers, especially in manager and supervisor roles. Dr. Edward Lewis, as the host presents it, pointed out the awkward gap between world peace through understanding and the fair's own staffing. The New York Times picked up the critique. That pressure led to somewhat more racial diversity on staff, though still nowhere near the surrounding boroughs. Mary's design becomes the softer answer. The host frames the ride as a dream of peace, community, and shared childhood needs, not just a cute attraction. The whimsy has a job to do. Through children, color, clothing, and visual rhythm, the ride turns civil rights ideas into something gentle enough for a fair crowd to take in. Then the episode gets back to the shop floor. As summer cools toward fall, WED is still racing to finish while Disney's own spaces are jammed with other World's Fair shows. Grosh Studios gives the team extra room, equipment, and set building know-how while Ford Magic Skyway and Carousel of Progress are also pulling hard on Disney.

As heard by us

A grounded look at Mary Blair's design work and the world around it.

This episode keeps Mary Blair at the center as she moves between New York and California while the Children of the World attraction for the New York World's Fair takes shape.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

For when you want Mary Blair's Disney legacy in its pre-'It's a Small World' phase.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Disney History Institute Podcast