Actress Nichelle Nichols, who played Lieutenant Nyota Uhara in the series “Star Trek ” (1966), died at age 89, on Saturday (30). The information was shared by his son in a publication made this Sunday (31), on Facebook.
Nichols, whose fans included Martin Luther King Jr. and a young Barack Obama, “succumbed to natural causes and passed away,” his son Kyle Johnson wrote on Facebook.
“Its light, however, like the ancient galaxies being seen for the first time, will remain for us and future generations to enjoy, learn from and be inspired by,” Johnson wrote.
The series, which became a pop culture phenomenon, shattered stereotypes common on American television at the time, casting black and minority actors in high-profile roles in the series. In the role of Lieutenant Uhura, the actress participated in the first “interracial” kiss on American television, with Canadian actor William Shatner.
She had planned to get out of “Star Trek ” after one season, but Martin Luther King Jr., the civil rights leader of the 1960s, convinced her to stay because it was so revolutionary to have a black woman play an important senior crew member at a time when blacks were fighting for equality. in American society.
Nichols also helped break down color barriers at NASA, whose leaders were fans of “Star Trek.” After she criticized the space agency for not choosing qualified women and minorities as astronauts, NASA hired Nichols in the 1970s to help with recruitment.
His efforts helped attract, among others, America’s first female astronaut, Sally Ride; the first black astronaut, Mae Jemison; and NASA’s first black chief, Charlie Bolden. Nichols’ interpretation of the competent and balanced Uhura also helped inspire future black actors, including Oscar winner Whoopi Goldberg.
Visit to the White House
Obama, the first black US president, who was 5 years old when the “Star Trek” series made its debut, was also a fan. Nichols visited him at the White House in 2012 and posed for a photo in the Oval Office, with the president smiling and placing a hand on his shoulder as they both made a Vulcan “Star Trek” hand gesture that means “live and prosper.”
In an interview with Smithsonian magazine in 2011, Nichols recalled meeting King at a civil rights group fundraiser. Nichols said she was approached by one of the promoters at the event, who told her, “There’s someone who wants to meet her and he says he’s her biggest fan, ‘so I’m thinking of a kid. I turn around and standing across the room, walking towards me, was Dr. Martin Luther King with a big smile on his face.”
After Nichols told King he planned to leave “Star Trek,” she said he begged her to stay. She narrated that King told her, “This is a God-given opportunity to change the face of television, change the way we think. We are no longer second-class and third-class citizens,” she said.
Source: CNN Brasil
With 6 years of experience, I bring to the table captivating and informative writing in the world news category. My expertise covers a range of industries, including tourism, technology, forex and stocks. From brief social media posts to in-depth articles, I am dedicated to creating compelling content for various platforms.
