NCTE is thrilled to announce LeVar Burton will take part in a featured fireside chat at the 2026 NCTE Annual Convention in Philadelphia, happening November 19–22.
Burton is a hero to so many book lovers, especially those who were children in the 1980s and 1990s. The mere mention of his long-running show Reading Rainbow instantly brings the show’s theme song to mind: “Butterfly in the sky / I can go twice as high / Take a look / It’s in a book / A reading rainbow.”
Burton has had some iconic roles as an actor, including his groundbreaking work as Kunta Kinte in the landmark television series Roots and his portrayal of Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
However, he is most proud of his role as the original host and executive producer of the beloved PBS children’s series Reading Rainbow. Airing from 1983 to 2009, it was not only one of the longest-running children’s television shows in history but also one of the most acclaimed, earning over 200 awards, including multiple Emmys and a Peabody. (Now, it’s back with author Mychal Threets at the helm!)
Burton is also a prolific podcaster, producer, author, and philanthropist.
“I’ve dedicated my life to the power of storytelling,” Burton says on his website. “Whether I’m acting, directing, writing, or podcasting, I believe sharing stories is what I was born to do because storytelling is what brings us all together.”
The actor, author, and former Reading Rainbow host will take part in a featured fireside chat during Saturday’s General Session, starting at 8:30 a.m.
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More about LeVar Burton:
LeVar Burton is an actor, director, producer, and podcaster whose decades-long body of work includes Roots, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Reading Rainbow. He is the honored recipient of seven NAACP Awards, a Peabody, a Grammy, and 15 Emmys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award at the inaugural Children’s & Family Emmys.
As a lifelong literacy advocate, Burton has dedicated decades to encouraging children to read. In 2023, Burton premiered his first documentary, The Right to Read, a film that positions the literacy crisis in America as a civil rights issue. The Right to Read was an official selection at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and SXSW EDU. Butterfly in the Sky, a documentary about the making of Reading Rainbow that centers the contributions of LeVar and the other creators of the show, is currently running on Netflix and other streaming services.
The award-winning author of Aftermath, The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm, and A Kids Book About Imagination, Burton’s MasterClass on the power of storytelling is one of the most popular on the service.
His production company, LeVar Burton Entertainment (LBE), develops projects in the film, television, podcasting, and publishing space with the mission to share stories that foster empathy, champions diversity, and builds community.
The enormously popular LeVar Burton Reads podcast has over 175 episodes in its catalog, boasting 25 million downloads. LBE’s most recent podcast, Sound Detectives, debuted at #1 on the Kids & Family charts in 2023.
Burton also serves as host and executive producer of Trivial Pursuit, which premiered on The CW in October 2024. He is excited to be working on his first adult debut memoir, to be published by Random House in 2026.