Hailing Frequencies Closed, Lieutenant

Sad news out of the universe today.

Nichelle Nichols, best known as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura has died.  The brightest light on the bridge was 89.

 

Mister Spock, sometimes I think if I hear that word frequency once more, I'll cry.

While she had many roles (69 acting credits on IMDB, 16 of them as Uhura), she will always and forever be Uhura in the hearts of those of us who grew up on Original Flavour Star Trek.

Nichols was discovered by Duke Ellington and toured as a singer and dancer with him.  Had the role of Uhura not come along, Nichols likely would have had a different, no doubt very successful, career as a professional singer and dancer.  Obviously the role of Uhura was a major life changer for her, although she didn't know it at the time.

 

She might not have stuck with the role but for a conversation with Dr. Martin Luther King who convinced her that being an African American woman who was fourth in command of a ship on a mainstream network show made her an important role model.  She withdrew the resignation she had submitted in protest when she discovered the network was withholding her fanmail.

Her role as a Starfleet officer has been sited as inspiring generations of young women of all races to pursue careers as scientists, engineers and even astronauts.  That's one hell of a legacy. 

The role has been recast now, both in NuTrek and on Strange New Worlds, but when I hear "Uhura" I will never see anyone in my mind but the lovely and talented Nichelle Nichols.

 

Hailing frequencies closed, Lieutenant.