LeVar Burton

LeVar Burton is an American actor, director, and television host whose work includes Roots, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Reading Rainbow.

Roots: A 1977 television miniseries adapting Alex Haley’s novel about several generations of an African American family. Burton’s portrayal of Kunta Kinte in this miniseries launched his career.
Alex Haley: An American writer whose family history inspired the novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family. Haley’s novel supplied the story that brought Burton to national attention.
Children's television: Television programming created for young audiences, including educational, entertainment, and hybrid formats. Reading Rainbow placed Burton within a tradition of combining learning and entertainment.
Roots: The Saga of an American Family: Alex Haley’s 1976 novel tracing the history of an African American family from Kunta Kinte to the author. The novel and its adaptation brought family history and slavery into mainstream television discussion.
Star Trek: The Next Generation: A science-fiction television series following the crew of the starship Enterprise-D, broadcast from 1987 to 1994. Burton played chief engineer Geordi La Forge throughout the series.
Gates McFadden: An American actor and choreographer who played Dr. Beverly Crusher in Star Trek: The Next Generation. McFadden and Burton were fellow principal performers on the series.
Television directing: The creative work of shaping performances, visuals, and pacing for television productions. Burton directed numerous television episodes alongside his on-screen career.
Black representation in American television: The presence and portrayal of Black people in television programming in the United States. Burton’s prominent roles contributed to a broader public conversation about Black representation.
Reading Rainbow: An American children’s television program that encouraged reading through book recommendations and related segments. Burton hosted and executive-produced this long-running literacy program.
Whoopi Goldberg: An American actor, comedian, and television host who played Guinan in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Goldberg’s recurring role connected her to Burton’s Star Trek years.

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Nichelle NicholsRelated: Burton later played Geordi La Forge, another prominent Black character in the Star Trek franchise.