Nichelle Nichols, the iconic actress who originated the role of Lt. Nyota Uhura on Star Trek passed away last night at 89 of natural causes. Her son Kyle Johnson announced her passing on Facebook today.
You can read the post below:
I regret to inform you that a great light in the firmament no longer shines for us as it has for so many years. Last night, my mother, Nichelle Nichols, succumbed to natural causes and passed away,” he wrote. “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. Hers was a life well lived and as such a model for us all.”
Nichols first met Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry on the set of his cop drama The Lieutenant. During the first year of Star Trek, Nichols felt she didn’t have enough to do and had contemplated leaving the show, going so far as to give Roddenberry her resignation letter. Roddenberry told her to take the weekend to think about it. That weekend she had the opportunity to meet the great Martin Luther King. When he found out she was planning to leave the show he insisted that she stay, much to Roddenberry’s relief. Later in the season 3 episode, “Plato’s Stepchildren”, Nichols contributed in a major way to Star Trek groundbreaking narratives, famously performing one of the first interracial kisses on television with William Shatner.
While the studio had misgivings about it and asked for two versions to be filmed, one with the kiss and one without it. Legend has it, Shatner and Nichols purposely botched the takes without it. Beyond Star Trek, Nichelle Nichols was a fixture at sci-fi conversions, and even joined her fellow Star Trek alum George Takei on the NBC sci-fi drama Heroes. Of singular importance to Nichols was her space program advocacy to ensure the program was more inclusive.
Nichols was an inspiration to many over the decades and her work will no doubt inspire fans for many years to come. We at Marooners’ Rock offer her family our heartfelt condolences and hope they take solace in what an impact she left on not only the sci-fi community but also the world.
What has been your favorite Uhura moment over the years? Let us know in the comments and stay tuned to Marooners’ Rock for more movie and video game news!
