Nichelle Nichols, known for the role of Nyota Uhura in Star Trek, died on July 30, 2022, at the age of 89. She was a lively dancer, a melodious singer, and a brilliant actress.
Nichelle Nichols’ death was confirmed by her son, Kyle Johnson, who wrote a heartfelt Facebook post to announce his mother’s death. “Last night, my mother, Nichelle Nichols, succumbed to natural causes and passed away. Her light, however, like the ancient galaxies now being seen for the first time, will remain for us and future generations to enjoy, learn from and draw inspiration.”
Nichols was born in Robbins, Illinois, a village southwest of Chicago, in 1932. She was one of 10 children. She started her professional career in Chicago at 16 as a singer and dancer. Her breakthrough came in 1961 when she appeared in Oscar’s Brown, Kicks, and Co. musical. Nichols attracted the attention of Ellington, famous bandleader and jazz performer.
Her role as Uhura in Star Trek was a significant accomplishment. She was the first Black woman to star as a lead in a major television series.
As Nyota Uhura, kissed her co-star, William Shatner. It was one of several interracial kissing scenes in television history. The move garnered massive applause from the audience. Nichelle appeared in the 17th spot on Wizard’s Magazine Sexiest Women of Television in March 2008, for her Star Trek character. She also appeared on the cover of Ebony magazine in 1967. The magazine did two articles on Nichols.
In 1991, Nichols was the first African American woman to make her debut at the TCL Chinese Theater, along with the cast of the original Star Trek series. The star also made her mark in animated voice work with shows like Gargoyles, Spiderman, and Futurama.
In addition to her popularity as an actress, Nichols played an active role in promoting space exploration. She was an active volunteer at NASA from 1977 to 2015. She promoted NASA’S programs and encouraged applications from rom women and diverse populations. Her efforts paid off, and she recruited 8,000 people from all races and cultures to participate in the space program.
Many accomplished members of NASA have cited Nichelle Nichols as their inspiration for joining the space program. Some these individuals include Charles Bolden, Mae Jemison, Sally Ride, and Ronald McNair.
The renowned astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson recognized Nichelle’s efforts to make the American space program more diverse. He said the space shuttle program was America’s first astronaut program to reflect America’s diversity more completely.
During her lifetime, she received honorary titles from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and Los Angeles Mission College.
Nichelle Nichols suffered a stroke in 2015 at her residence in Los Angeles, followed by dementia in 2018. Nichols She boldly dared to travel where no man or woman had been before. This was not only true in her acting career, but in life. She was a true pioneer.
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Previously published on Historian Speaks
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NASA image, Public Domain