Pioneering 'Star Trek' actress Nichelle Nichols dies at 89

“Last night my mother, Nichelle Nichols, passed away succumbing to natural causes. But her light, like an ancient galaxy now being seen for the first time, is a light that we and future generations can enjoy, learn, and live. “Her life is full and a model for all of us,” Johnson said in a statement shared on Nichols’ official site on Sunday.

Nichols died of natural causes, he said.

Nicholls played communications officer Lieutenant Nyota Uhura in the TV series Star Trek and many of its derivative films.

When “Star Trek” began in 1966, Nichols was one of the rare black women on television to play a notable role in a primetime television series. There have been African-American women on television before, but they often played domestic workers and had smaller roles. Nichols’ Uhura was an integral part of the multicultural “Star Trek” crew.

Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. called it “the first atypical role played by a black woman in the history of television.”

Nichols is widely known for participating in one of the first interracial kisses on US television when her character kissed James T. Kirk, played by white Canadian actor William Shatner. increase. In a 2014 interview with CNN, Nichols said the kissing scene “changed television forever, and also the way people see each other.”

After a three-season run of “Trek,” Nichols dedicated himself to the space program. She helped NASA make it more diverse and helped recruit astronauts such as Sally Ride, Judith Resnick, and Gion Bruford.

George Takei, who played USS Enterprise helmsman Hikaru Sulu, posted a touching tribute to his co-star.

“I have more to say about the pioneering and incomparable Nichelle Nichols, who shared the bridge with us as Lieutenant Uhura on USS Enterprise and died today at the age of 89.” Takei wrote on Twitter. “Today my heart is heavy and my eyes shine like the stars you are sleeping now, my dearest friend.”

“We lived long and prospered together,” he added, adding a photo of the pair doing the iconic Vulcan salute.

The National Air and Space Museum described Nichols as “an inspiration to many not only through her groundbreaking work on Star Trek, but also through her work with NASA to recruit women and people of color to apply for astronaut service.” I gave you a ration.” on Twitter.

Georgia’s Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams also posted a tribute to the actress. rice field. on Twitter with a photo with Nichols“Her kindness and bravery lit the way for many. May she remain among the stars forever.”

Nichols was born Grace Del Nichols in 1932 near Chicago.

Blessed with a four-octave vocal range, Nichols was performing in local clubs by age 14. Among the performers she met was Duke Ellington, who later took her on tour. She also performed extensively in Chicago’s clubs and theaters.

She moved to Los Angeles in the early 60’s and starred in Gene Roddenberry’s series The Lieutenant. She has also joined many “Star Trek” veterans on the show, including Leonard Nimoy, Walter Koenig, and Majel Barrett.

When Roddenberry was creating “Trek,” he remembered Nichols. She was in Europe when she got the call.

“[My agent said]’They were doing ‘Star Trek’ and I didn’t know what ‘Star Trek’ was,'” she said in an interview with Television Academy.

Uhura was not in the original script and Nicholls was responsible for the name. Roddenberry thought that was too harsh.

“I said, ‘Well, change it and soften it with an ‘A’ at the end. So it’s Uhura?'” she recalled. “He said, ‘That’s your name! You named it. It’s yours.'”

Nichols was survived by his son, Kyle Johnson.

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