Nichelle Nichols, Lt. Uhura on ‘Star Trek,’ Dies at 89

[signalmankenneth]

She was a trailblazer in television series?!!

Nichelle Nichols, who played Lt. Nyota Uhura on the original “Star Trek,” has died at the age of 89, her son Kyle Johnson announced on her official Facebook page.

“Last night, my mother, Nichelle Nichols, succumbed to natural causes and passed away,” Johnson’s statement read. “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.”

“Today, my heart is heavy, my eyes shining like the stars you now rest among, my dearest friend,” Nichols’ co-star George Takei tweeted.

As Uhura, Nichols was one of the first Black women ever to play a main cast role on a television series, as “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry wanted the crew of the USS Enterprise to come from many diverse backgrounds. Uhura, whose surname came from the Swahili word for “freedom,” was the ship’s communications officer with expertise in linguistics.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/nichelle-nichols-lt-uhura-star-185825252.html

Rest in Peace!

 

[ThatOwlWoman]

Oh no. I had heard that she was in poor health. What a beautiful lady. RIP Lt. Uhuru.

 

[Hawkeye10]

Living a good life till 89 is winning.

 

[Hawkeye10]

Oh, she was diagnosed with dementia in 2018....that part is not good.

 

[Stone]

Always liked her. Now she finally gets to explore the final frontier. Smooth sailing!

 

[Stone]

If memory serves she and Capn Kirk engaged in the first interracial kiss on network tv in the episode with " the little guy" and the people who had telepathic powers from eating the food on that planet.

 

[Stone]

Yep...

 

[Hawkeye10]

If memory serves she and Capn Kirk engaged in the first interracial kiss on network tv in the episode with " the little guy" and the people who had telepathic powers from eating the food on that planet.

Here is what WOKE WIKI says:

I Love Lucy (1951)
Some argue in favor of I Love Lucy (1951–1957) as premised on an interracial relationship.[1] The programme broadcast multiple instances of real-life husband and wife Desi Arnaz, a Hispanic male, and Lucille Ball, a woman of European ancestry, kissing.[2] However, despite Arnaz and Ball being frequently described as an "interracial couple", "Hispanic" is not always considered to be a race.[3] Arnaz is today considered by some to be a white male of Cuban ancestry.[4] The United States Census Bureau uses the ethnonyms Hispanic or Latino to refer to a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race.[5]

The Ed Sullivan Show (1958)
In The Ed Sullivan Show S12, E10 aired 16 November 1958, William Shatner, a Canadian of European ancestry, kisses France Nuyen, originally from France, of Asian ancestry. This was during a scene from the then current Broadway production of The World of Suzie Wong.[6]

Sea Hunt (1959)
In the Sea Hunt episode "Proof of Guilt" aired 16 August 1959, Lloyd Bridges and Nobu McCarthy (née Atsumi) shared a kiss near the end of the episode.

Adventures in Paradise (1960)
An episode of Adventures in Paradise titled "The Big Surf", broadcast in 1960, featured two scripted kisses: one between actress Pilar Seurat and actor Robert Sampson, and another with Seurat and Gardner McKay.

I Spy (1966)
An episode of I Spy titled "The Tiger", broadcast on January 5, 1966,[citation needed] featured a scripted interracial kiss between Eurasian actress France Nuyen and Robert Culp.[7]

Star Trek: "What Are Little Girls Made Of" - Uhura and Chapel (1966)
Episode eight of Star Trek's first season included a friendly kiss between African character Nyota Uhura (played by African American Nichelle Nichols) and Christine Chapel (played by White actress Majel Barrett).

Star Trek: "Mirror, Mirror" – Kirk and Marlena (1967)
Episode four of season two, "Mirror, Mirror", which originally aired on October 6, 1967, featured a kiss between Eurasian actress Barbara Luna and William Shatner, a Canadian of European ancestry.[8]

Movin' with Nancy (1967)
A December 1967 TV special, Movin' with Nancy, featured a kiss between Nancy Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr.[9] Sinatra kissed Davis on the cheek.

Star Trek: "Plato's Stepchildren" – Kirk and Uhura (1968)
Main article: Kirk and Uhura's kiss

A 1968 episode of Star Trek, "Plato's Stepchildren",[10][11] which first aired on November 22, 1968, is often referred to as the first interracial kiss on television.[12]

As noted above, there had been earlier interracial kisses not only on television, but on Star Trek itself.

Furthermore, William Shatner claims that his lips did not touch those of Nichelle Nichols. However, she asserted that the kiss was real.[13]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_interracial_kiss_on_television

 

[Text Drivers are Killers]

Diversity is a terrible horrible awful idea. Mixing races and languages and cultures always leads to trouble. How can it be otherwise? MAWA

 

[Grokmaster]

If memory serves she and Capn Kirk engaged in the first interracial kiss on network tv in the episode with " the little guy" and the people who had telepathic powers from eating the food on that planet.

Yep. Star Trek was always ahead of its time socially ,as was the 50s-60s western TV show Gene Roddenberry was also involved with, "Have Gun Will Travel". Paladin was righteous...watched him everyday, when I was 3, 4 and 5. Along with the Three Stooges.

 

[BartenderElite]

Star Trek is common ground for everyone, regardless of ideology.

One of my 1st crushes. Great character, and seemed like a really genuine, good person.

That show was so ahead of its time.