Uhura actress Nichelle Nichols is dead

For three decades, Nichelle Nichols starred in Star Trek’s space adventures. First she played Lieutenant Nyota Uhura in the TV series Starship Enterprise, then in six feature films. The sci-fi series rarely did justice to the actress’ talents, but Nichols did used their fame as a platform like few other stars in comparable roles. Now Nichelle Nichols has passed away.

Nichelle Nichols made television history several times in Star Trek

Born in 1932 in suburban Chicago, Nichelle Nichols began her career as a dancer, singer and model. In a 1964 episode of Gene Roddenberry’s series The Lieutenant, she gave it to her acting debut. However, the episode was not aired because the episode dealt with ethnic conflicts among soldiers, a taboo subject on US television.

Two years later she appeared again in a Roddenberry series. This would change her life forever. Starship Enterprise was the 1966 Launch of one of the most influential sci-fi series at all. As communications officer Lieutenant Nyota Uhura, she was part of the first crew of Star Trek along with William Shatner’s Kirk, Leonard Nimoy as Spock, DeForest Kelley as McCoy, George Takei’s Sulu, James Doohan as Scotty, and Walter Koenig’s Chekov.

Nichols was one of the first black actresses to have a leading role in a US television series. Also made TV history is the kiss between Kirk and Uhura in the Season 3 episode Plato’s Stepchildren, one of the first kissing scenes between a white man and a black woman on an American television series.

Nichols inspired numerous astronauts

However, it almost didn’t get that far. Dissatisfied with her acting challenges in the sci-fi series, Nichols actually wanted to leave the production at the end of season 1 and go to Broadway.

She had already announced her resignation to Roddenberry when a famous fan asked to meet her. It was none other than him Civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. He appealed to Nichols not to give up the unique opportunity. For the first time, King told her, African American people would be on television as “everyday, intelligent, beautiful” perceived. Nichols then withdrew her resignation.

In the years that followed, Nichelle Nichols used her fame in the real world for more diversity in space exploration to care. Together with NASA she was committed to the recruitment of minorities and women and thereby inspired numerous later astronauts.

After the cancellation of Starship Enterprise in 1969, Nichols continued as an actress. Ten years later she played Uhura again in the first of six feature films: Star Trek – The Movie. She guest-starred on episodes of Futurama, The Simpsons and Heroes, and has occasionally appeared in films.

“She inspired generations to reach for the stars”

Taking to Twitter, longtime colleagues and fans, beginning at NASA, expressed their sadness and homage to Nichols:

Celebrating the life of Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek actress, pioneer and role model who symbolized for so many what is possible. she […] inspired generations to reach for the stars.

William Shatner recalled how Nichols “Has done so much to redefine social issues both here in the United States and around the world”.

Starship Enterprise: The Next Century star LeVar Burton was one of many to single out how Nichols did “showed the way for us with her grace, beauty, talent, intelligence and her devotion”.

Star Trek: Starship Voyager Captain Kate Mulgrew wrote:

Nichelle Nichols was the first. She was a trailblazer, navigating a most challenging path with strength of character, grace and a dazzling fire that we will not see again.

“Today my heart is heavy, my eyes shine like the starsbetween which you now rest, my beloved friend”wrote George Takei in memory of the actress.

Nichelle Nichols passed away on Sunday at the age of 89, her son Kyle Johnson announced.