Note: In the case where all reserved tickets have been claimed, Rush Seating will be available for this event. Anyone interested in Rush Seating should line up in the designated queue located at the front of the Martin Center, facing State of Franklin. Beginning at 7:10 pm, any empty seats will be given to patrons waiting in the Rush Seating queue.
The Martin Center cannot guarantee all patrons waiting in the Rush Seating queue will be seated for the event. Rush Seating is first come, first serve.
Award-winning actor, host and literacy advocate LeVar Burton will be a keynote speaker at East Tennessee State University’s annual Festival of Ideas next month.
Burton will speak on Thursday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. at the ETSU Martin Center for the Arts.
Burton launched his acting career while still at the University of Southern California. At 19, he landed the groundbreaking role of Kunta Kinte in the landmark television series “Roots.”
Burton achieved further global acclaim as Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge in the iconic “Star Trek: The Next Generation” television series – a role he reprised in “Star Trek: Picard” in 2023.
However, it has been his role as host and executive producer of the beloved PBS children’s series “Reading Rainbow,” of which he is most proud. 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.
As the honored recipient of six NAACP awards, a Peabody, a Grammy, and 14 Emmys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Inaugural Children’s & Family Emmys, Burton has demonstrated that he can do it all. In 2024, he was awarded the National Humanities Medal by the National Endowment of the Humanities at a ceremony in the Oval Office, bestowed by President Biden. Honored for his contributions to literacy in America, Burton continues his focus on the importance of literature and storytelling.
“It is an honor for ETSU to host someone who is not only beloved for his award-winning roles on television but someone who has also spent his life and career advocating for education and literacy,” said Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, ETSU provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs. “Mr. Burton’s work exemplifies the spirit and the intent of ETSU’s Festival of Ideas, and we look forward to hearing from him at this year’s festival.”
As previously announced, the ETSU Festival of Ideas will also feature Anthony Doerr, best-selling author of “All the Light We Cannot See,” on Tuesday, Feb. 25, at 7 p.m. at the ETSU Martin Center for the Arts.
For more information, visit etsu.edu/ideas.
East Tennessee State University was founded in 1911 with a singular mission: to improve the quality of life for people in the region and beyond. Through its world-class health sciences programs and interprofessional approach to health care education, ETSU is a highly respected leader in rural health research and practices. The university also boasts nationally ranked programs in the arts, technology, computing, and media studies. ETSU serves approximately 14,000 students each year and is ranked among the top 10 percent of colleges in the nation for students graduating with the least amount of debt.
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