Eian Burton is LeVar Burton’s older child and the older half-brother of actress Mica Burton. His father has described him as part of the Burton family’s tradition of working in education.
Who Are Eian Burton’s Parents?
Eian’s father is actor and literacy advocate LeVar Burton, known for playing Kunta Kinte in Roots, portraying Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation, and hosting Reading Rainbow. Contemporary reporting by United Press International identifies Eian’s mother as Chimara P. Smith.
UPI reported that Eian was born on June 23, 1980. That birth date places him approximately 14 years ahead of his younger half-sister, Mica.
How Did LeVar Burton Learn About Eian?
In June 1983, UPI reported that LeVar had recently learned of Eian’s existence. Blood tests established that he was the boy’s father, and LeVar filed a court action seeking legal recognition of paternity and reasonable visitation rights.
The timing helps clarify accounts that describe Eian as three when his father learned about him: UPI’s June 17 report appeared six days before his third birthday.
A subsequent UPI report, published in June 1984, stated that LeVar had obtained joint custody. That report also covered a disagreement between Eian’s parents over his care, presenting conflicting accounts from his mother and his father’s representative.
What Does Eian Burton Do?
LeVar connected his son with education in an April 2023 interview with Fatherly. Discussing the educators in his family, he included his mother, older sister, nieces and son, then said, “Education is the Burton family business.”
A September 2023 AmoMama profile described Eian’s work in special education and basketball coaching, citing his Facebook profile. It also associated him with the Santa Clara County Office of Education and Monroe Middle School in San Jose.
Those are historical descriptions, rather than confirmation of his current employer or job title. LeVar’s interview supports the broader connection to education without specifying a school, teaching assignment or coaching position.
How Is Eian Related to Mica Burton?
Eian and Mica share the same father and have different mothers. Fatherly’s 2023 profile identifies Mica as LeVar’s second child, born in 1994, when Eian was 14.
Mica played Alandra La Forge in the third season of Star Trek: Picard, appearing alongside her father as Geordi La Forge. Her acting work is distinct from the educational work LeVar associated with Eian.
Sources
- United Press International: “Actor Levar Burton, star of the TV mini-series ‘Roots,’…” — June 17, 1983.
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- United Press International: “Mother charges ‘Roots’ actor took son” — June 12, 1984.
- Fatherly: “LeVar Burton Looks To The Next Generation” — April 17, 2023.
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- AmoMama: “Eian Burton Was Raised without a Father the First 3 Years of His Life – Facts about Levar Burton’s Son” — September 7, 2023.
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- National Book Foundation: “LeVar Burton” — publication date not displayed.
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