LeVar Burton
He opened young minds to books as the host of Reading Rainbow and journeyed through the stars as Starfleet's chief engineer, Geordi La Forge.
Born 1957 (age 69)·American actor, director, and television host·Birthday: February 16·Baby Boomers
Biography
LeVar Burton didn't just act; he built bridges to the future and to literacy. His career was launched with seismic force at age 20 when he was cast as Kunta Kinte in the historic miniseries 'Roots,' a performance that brought the brutality of slavery into American homes with unflinching honesty. Seeking a positive outlet, he soon embraced the role of host and executive producer of 'Reading Rainbow,' a PBS show that, for 23 years, made the magic of books tangible for generations of children. In a beautiful parallel, he also spent seven seasons as the optimistic, visor-wearing engineer Geordi La Forge on 'Star Trek: The Next Generation,' embodying a future built on intellect and inclusivity. Burton has spent his life championing the power of story, whether through his podcast 'LeVar Burton Reads' or his passionate advocacy for public broadcasting and education, making him a uniquely trusted guide across generations.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
LeVar was born in 1957, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When LeVar Was Born
The biggest hits of 1957
#1 Movie
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Best Picture
The Bridge on the River Kwai
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
LeVar's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1957Born
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1962Started school
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1970Became a teenager
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Could drive
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1975Could vote
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Turned 21
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1987Turned 30
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 40
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 50
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 60
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 69 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played the seminal role of Kunta Kinte in the groundbreaking 1977 television miniseries 'Roots'.
- Hosted and executive produced the PBS children's series 'Reading Rainbow' for 23 years, winning numerous Emmy and Peabody Awards.
- Portrayed Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge across seven seasons of 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' and subsequent films.
- Directed episodes of various 'Star Trek' series, including 'Deep Space Nine,' 'Voyager,' and 'Enterprise'.
- Launched the successful podcast 'LeVar Burton Reads,' bringing short story fiction to adult audiences.
Did You Know?
He turned down a scholarship to the University of Southern California to accept the role of Kunta Kinte in 'Roots'.
Burton is a lifelong Trekkie who reportedly kept a 'Star Trek' fan club card in his wallet as a teenager.
He is a ordained minister and officiated the wedding of his 'Star Trek' co-star and friend, Whoopi Goldberg.
The famous 'Reading Rainbow' theme song, 'Butterfly in the Sky,' was performed by jazz artist Tina Fabrique.
He successfully led a Kickstarter campaign in 2014 to bring 'Reading Rainbow' back as a digital service, raising over $6 million.
“You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.”
