Thread by @Ashtrophysicist

As founder of the National Society for the Historical Portrayal of Black Folks in Media (NSHPBFM), I would like to propose, for the consideration of other Black Folk, that Geordi La Forge is a direct descendant of Kunta Kinte and it is absolutely canon.

And this is pretty much me stanning for @levarburton and will be the blerdiest thing on your tl today, because I have given this A LOT of thought and I have time today.

I was listening to @thenodshow today and they presented Mr. Burton (b/c my momma raised me right) three undeniable reasons as to why he is The GOAT (Greatest Of All Television). Their supporting arguments included:

1. His portrayal of Kunte Kinte (👨🏾‍🦱)
2. His portrayal of Geordi La Forge (👨🏾‍🦱+🕶️)
3. Reading Rainbow (🦋+📚+🌈)

Now if you've never seen Alex Haley's ROOTS- 1. DO BETTER & 2. Do your Googles b/c it is arguably one of the best miniseries ever made and one of the best representations of slavery in the media.

It is all about Levar Burton as Kunta Kinte and how he SURVIVES all the trauma of slavery which is truly, in and of itself, such a testament to blackness and so crucial to understand the crux of my argument.

It is not for the faint-hearted and most black folks have seen it at least once if not several times. It is required reading. It is also 10 hours longs (9.5 but it's gonna take you at least 30 minutes to pull yourself togther after).

ALSO it is just a celebration of black excellence! John Amos, Louis Gossett Jr., Ben Vereen, Madge Sinclair (Prince Akeem’s mother AND Sarabi from Lion King; we stan a 2x queen), Leslie Uggams, Maya Angelou & Cicely Tyson just to name a few. An absolute lituation.

But don't get it twisted, it is about love and survival above all else.

CW: rape, assault, cruelty

So now jump to Star Trek where Levar Burton is no longer a slave, but he is arguably the smartest human on the USS Enterprise-D, a junior level leuitenant of Starfleet Command- Mr. Platinum Banana Clip himself, Geordi La Forge.

You may be asking yourself at this point, how did I get from Kunta to Geordi? What mental leaps and backflips did I have to do? Like I said, I was listening to The Nod- SN: the oral history of Knuck If U Buck is a MUST- and something they said STUCK.

@bmluse made the amazing observation that "Geordi is a black man in the future who isn't carrying his blackness and the weight and the trauma that can come with that..." SIS! WHAT A THING!

And then Levar Burton, who wanted to remind you that reading 👏🏾👏🏾 is 👏🏾 what 👏🏾 he 👏🏾 does, 👏🏾 said, "Yes [b/c] in the future we would have been successfully able to purge all of that genetic DETRITUS... the ravages of slavery will have been bled out of our genes." And I was sent

Y'all.

Levar Burton just told you that the sacrifices and survival of our ancestors was the price paid to ensure that one day we would not have to carry the BURDEN OF BLACKNESS.

excuse me a moment i just have to

Imagine a world in which we have survived long enough to see our hopes made real. I mean Black Folks are out here excelling by leaps and bounds: education, scientific discovery, presidencies, entertainment. We are winning.

And because Kunta and Geordi are two iconic black men in media I have to believe that they are related.

From slavery to afrofuturism.

Kunta walked so Geordi could run.

Levar Burton played Kunta Kinte, a slave in the 18th century who survived, married Bell, who begat Kizzy, who begat Chicken George, who begat Tom, who begat Cynthia, who begat Bertha, who begat Alex Haley, the author of ROOTS.

Now per Alex Haley, "To the best of my knowledge and of my effort, every lineage statement within Roots is from either my African or American families’ carefully preserved oral history, much of which I have been able conventionally to corroborate with documents."

Which makes ROOTS an amalgum of truth and word of mouth and adaptation from paper to screen and also a little alleged plagiarism (see Harlod Courlander).

However, whether or not Kunta Kinte is real or imagined, I take great solace in the fact that there will be a day where my blackness is no longer a concern for others.

That being said, I submit to you all that the son of Captain Silva La Forge & noted exozoologist Commander Edward M. La Forge; who was born on February 16, 2335 in Mogadishu, Somalia (which means 1. We have taken back Africa & 2. The Diaspora Wars are finally over thank god)

Geordi La Forge of the 24th Century is the direct descendant of Kunta "My Name Ain't No Goddamn Toby" Kinte

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

(also I know ROOTS ain't all cap, but put some 'spek on its name and deal with it)