Life
LeVar Burton to Deliver Howard University Commencement Address and Receive Honorary Degree
LeVar Burton, renowned actor and educator, will deliver the commencement address at Howard University on May 10 and receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
Burton is a multifaceted artist with a career spanning acting, directing, producing, writing, and podcasting. He has won 15 Emmys, a Peabody Award, a Grammy, and seven NAACP Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award at the inaugural Children’s & Family Emmys.
Notable for his roles in the miniseries Roots, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and as the long-time host of Reading Rainbow, Burton is also a passionate literacy advocate. His LeVar Burton Reads podcast, with over 175 episodes and 25 million downloads, continues his mission to inspire children to read.
Through his production company, LeVar Burton Entertainment, he creates projects in film, television, podcasting, and publishing aimed at fostering empathy, championing diversity, and building community.