African-American actress Nichelle Nichols, known for her high-profile pioneering role in the cult series star trekdied on the night of Saturday to Sunday at the age of 89, his family announced on Sunday July 31 in a press release. “Last night my mother Nichelle Nichols died of natural causes”said her son Kyle on the official website of the actress, uhura.com. “His life was well lived and was a role model for all of us.”
A family spokesperson said the actress died in Silver City, New Mexico, where she lived with her son.
This former dancer and singer who played in the 1960s science fiction series Lieutenant Nyota Uhura, an officer of African origins and fluent in Swahili, had quickly become an icon of civil rights. Her role as a high-ranking black woman had earned her the admiration of Martin Luther King, assassinated in 1968, who had asked her not to leave star trek as she had planned, telling him that it was the only series he allowed his children to watch, she confided.
In 1968, when William Shatner, who played the famous Captain Kirk, and Nichelle Nichols kissed, it was the first kiss between a white person and a person of color on American television. In the 1970s, Nichelle Nichols made a video to help NASA recruit astronauts, especially women and minorities (video in English).
“My heart is heavy”tweeted another figure in the series, George Takei. “My eyes shine like the stars you now rest beside, my dear friend”.
Born on December 28, 1932 in Chicago, Grace Dell Nichols began her career at the age of 14 as a dancer and singer with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Best known for her role in the first Star Trek series, she had also danced with Sammy Davis Jr. in Porgy and Bess, acted in other television series and recorded two albums. She also played Uhura, a name derived from the word “Freedom” in Swahili, in the first six Star Trek films.
We lived long and prospered together. pic.twitter.com/MgLjOeZ98X
—George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) July 31, 2022