The 84th Annual Peabody Awards were held this past weekend, where the Star Trek franchise was awarded with one of the organization’s most prestigious awards: the Peabody Institutional Award. This award is given annually to recognize an organization or long-running television program that has made an indelible mark on the American broadcasting landscape. The event recognizes the efforts of various forms of entertainment and media that tell stories relevant to pressing social justice issues, equity, morality and ethics from the perspectives of a multitude of voices to tell and portray those types of stories.

Since Star Trek’s debut in 1966, the franchise has pushed the boundaries of storytelling to explore challenging but relevant themes of the respective periods with the hope for a better future for humanity. The franchise continues its legacy of storytelling by spawning numerous iterations of the Star Trek universe through television, comic books, novels, and films.

Executive Producer Alex Kurtzman Accepts Peabody Award

J.J. Abrams, director and producer of the 2009 Star Trek and the 2013 Star Trek: Into Darkness films, was on deck to present the Peabody Institutional Award. Alex Kurtzman accepted the award on behalf of the Star Trek franchise. During the acceptance speech, Kurtzman honored and gave credit to Betty JoAnne Trimble who, with her late husband John Trimble, saved Star Trek by initiating a “Save Star Trek” letter write-in campaign after Star Trek: The Original Series was on the verge of cancellation after its second season. He said that her presence there was “an appropriate full circle moment.” It should be noted that Kurtzman also served as a writer in both films.

Among the attendees on stage with Kurtzman were Patrick Stewart, LeVar Burton, Scott Bakula, Jeri Ryan, Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, and many, many more.

Watch the clip of Kurtzman’s acceptance speech here.

Sir Patrick Stewart Pays Tribute at Peabody Awards

Sir Patrick Stewart paid an emotional tribute to all the attendees at the Peabody Awards and graced the room in a fashion that would almost resemble his character of  Jean-Luc Picard addressing his crew. Patrick Stewart’s tribute at the Peabody Awards can be watched below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5ZBVsUN0oI?si=CRsbNGv-DCzrh1qN&w=560&h=315

As a final bonus, check out the slideshow below from the Peabody Awards Event: