Star Trek: The Next Generation star LeVar Burton picked up another prestigious accolade on Monday, this time directly from the President of the United States. Burton was one of several recipients being honored at the White House by the National Endowment For The Humanities.
Burton at the White House
On Monday, President Biden hosted the presentation of the 2022 and 2023 National Humanities Medals, in conjunction with the National Medals of Arts, for the National Endowment for the Humanities. The National Humanities Medal honors an individual or organization whose work has “deepened the nation’s understanding of the human experience, broadened citizens’ engagement with history or literature, or helped preserve and expand Americans’ access to cultural resources.” Burton was named as one of the 2023 National Humanities Medalists for his work as an actor and literacy advocate.
“The National Humanities Medal recipients have enriched our world through writing that moves and inspires us; scholarship that enlarges our understanding of the past; and through their dedication to educating, informing, and giving voice to communities and histories often overlooked,” said NEH Chair Shelly C. Lowe in a statement announcing the recipients.
A total of 19 distinguished medal recipients were honored at the ceremony. This included directors Steven Spielberg and Spike Lee, actress and singer Queen Latifah, screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, historian Jon Meecham, and chef and author Anthony Bourdain (posthumously). “Above all, you are the masters of your craft that have made us a better America with all of you have done,” said President Biden at the White House ceremony.
The best of us
Burton brought his wife Stephanie to the event who shared an image of the pair from the White House, beaming with pride for her husband with “He’s the best of us.”
Proud of my hubby ♥️We just left the Oval Office where President Biden awarded him the medal of Excellence in Humanities for the work he’s done in the field of literature and expression in arts. He’s the best of us. 💋 pic.twitter.com/w6Q7eXFhRI
— Stephanie Cozart Burton💋 (@StephanieCozart) October 22, 2024
UPDATE: LeVar has followed up with his own post.
My ancestors are dancing and my heart is full… 💜🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/5FbSSsXkri
— LeVar Burton (@levarburton) October 23, 2024
This is the second time this year a Star Trek star has been honored at the White House. In May, Discovery special guest star (and Section 31 star) Michelle Yeoh was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Watch Burton at White House
Below you can watch video of Monday’s event.
Keep up with Star Trek celebrity news.
Congratulations to Mr. Burton; his medal is well deserved!
I’m so pleased to see his lifetime achievements recognized. If he hadn’t been on Star Trek, I would never have watched Reading Rainbow. It’s nice when Star Trek inspires literacy! For example, Star Trek inspired me to read Moby Dick after hearing the fantastic quotes from it dropped in Star Trek II and VIII.
Well deserved. Such a great gentleman. Congratulations to Mr. Burton!.
Remember guys, LeVar Burton would not be getting this if that criminal was in office. Vote !
Understood — though that’s probably the least important reason to keep him out of office.
I’d agree, and I’ve already voted. I understand the assignment.
🖖🏽
This is so well deserved. Burton is such an icon and a role model for others. I also loved the way he played La Forge as the excited nerd that had trouble making friendships with humans, but could easily make friends with androids, Romulans, Borg, and holograms, but had trouble with the ladies. I related to that very well. But I also loved his portrayal as Commodore La Forge in PS3 as an over-protective father as I could also now relate to.
Love this guy.
I really liked LeVar Burton’s Geordi character. He was kind, a great friend, and had so much empathy.
The thing with him striking out in his love life, I know, was frustrating to LeVar Burton. I can’t remember if he chalked that up to him being black or not, but I also found it frustrating. I think they may have been stereotyping engineers as being nerds with poor social skills or insecurities or something. Being an engineer, I take offense at that, so I was always rooting for Geordi.
All the other stuff with that character, who was not only extremely likable but also served an important function as the chief engineer (why they didn’t do that with him to begin with in season 1, I don’t know, but I’m glad they fixed that in season 2 along with making Worf chief of security which was a no-brainer) was great. Geordi is really an under-rated character. I think, maybe due to the more ensemble nature of TNG, that he is certainly more well-developed than TOS’ Sulu, Uhura, and Chekov.
geordi got the girl in the end as we saw in ‘picard’ s3.
If you’re referring to Leah Brahms, there’s no indication they got together
but he still got the girl and now is father to daughters
A girl.
Awesome choice in all cases, Burton included. (Still breaks my heart a little about Bourdain.)
Every suicide is from a broken heart and leaves behind more broken hearts.
Someone close to me made an attempt recently. While I understand the sentiment, it’s a bit more complicated than that…..
Wow congrats!
Congratulations!!!!
This is excellent. Been a fan of his since Roots.
Well done!
Congrats Levar Burton!
Welcome bit of news to see today!
Congratulations! So very deserved — I so respect Levar Burton – actor, teacher, humanitarian.