3 questions for 'Reading Rainbow' host LeVar Burton on fighting 'misguided' book bans: 'The gift of literacy is sacred'
"My commitment to this fight has only strengthened given the current climate," Burton says.
Few understand the transformative power of reading better than LeVar Burton, the Emmy Award-winning host of one of the longest-running children's shows, Reading Rainbow, which aired for 21 years on PBS. For many '80s and '90s kids, Burton opened a door to the vast universe of books, teaching viewers that they could “go anywhere” and “be anything” simply by using their imagination.
A lot has changed since that time, Burton says. Today, conservative lawmakers like Fla. Governor Ron DeSantis and Texas Governor Greg Abbott are banning books in schools and libraries particularly those highlighting Black and brown stories or LGBTQ issues.
Burton’s voice has a renewed urgency now. And his mission, rooted in a profound belief in the importance of literacy, has never felt more vital: “Sometimes in life we have to fight for our rights to be honored, observed, and upheld,” he tells Yahoo Entertainment. “This is one of those times.”
In efforts to fight censorship, Burton has partnered with MoveOn for the Artists Against Book Bans campaign, co-signed by over 150 artists, entertainers, writers and creators like Judy Blume, Ariana Grande, Gabrielle Union, Padma Lakshmi, Sharon Stone and many more, who condemn such bans and call for an end to the “oppressive attack on artistic freedom,” as stated in an open letter. All of them are fighting for the right to learn about the world and each other through what Burton calls the “sacred” art of reading.
Ahead of Banned Books Week, which is Oct. 1-7, Yahoo Entertainment sat down with Burton to discuss the power of reading and why he’s now using his platform to raise the alarm about the implications of censorships in the classroom and beyond.
1. Having been at the forefront of promoting literacy and a love for reading with Reading Rainbow, how do you reconcile the lessons from that era with today's challenges of book bans?
I feel that the gift of literacy is sacred. My involvement in this issue stems certainly from my love of the written word, as well as my belief that every child deserves to be literate in at least one language. These efforts to ban books challenge the sanctity of that connection between human beings and the written word. These efforts are misguided, ill informed and must be overcome.
My personal journey has always had advocacy as a part of it — whether its civil rights issues or early childhood literacy. One must advocate for that which they believe in. But sometimes in life we have to fight for our rights to be honored, observed and upheld. This is one of those times. And my commitment to this fight has only strengthened given the current climate.
2. As someone who's interacted with both the literary and cinematic worlds, do you believe art can be a catalyst for societal change and healing?
The purpose of art and artistic endeavor has always been to assist in moving culture forward. In today's world, artists continue to play a significant role in instigating change. And because of the influence of the world of artistic endeavor, the dynamics of art and social change are inextricably linked. As an example, the 1977 miniseries Roots brought about a new awareness in terms of the real horrors of the institution of chattel slavery as practiced in America. The history books in our schools fell far short in communicating the real story of slavery's impact.
3. What's your vision for the future of this movement?
Any campaign like this is designed to shine a light on the problem. My hope is that the support we have garnered can serve to inspire others to join both the conversation and the cause. We all have a stake in this issue. The freedom to read is sacrosanct. In order to be a healthy society, we must be able to entertain ideas that can be challenging at times. The open discourse around challenging ideas is a fundamental tenet of democracy.
