Born on February 16, 1957, in Landstuhl, Germany, he grew up in Sacramento, California. He gained fame for his role as Kunta Kinte in the acclaimed TV miniseries "Roots" (1977). He became a cultural icon as the host of the children's program "Reading Rainbow" from 1983 to 2006, promoting literacy for generations. Additionally, he is well known for playing Geordi La Forge in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987-1994). He is also a director and author, continuing to inspire through various media.