Nichelle Nichols
Nichelle Nichols at 2002 Dragon Con
Birth name	Grace Nichols
Born	December 28, 1932 (age 74) Robbins, Illinois, United States
Spouse(s)	Foster Johnson (1951-1951)
Official site	www.uhura.com
Notable roles	Lieutenant Uhura in Star Trek

Nichelle Nichols (born Grace Nichols on December 28, 1932) is an American singer, actress, and voice actress. She sang with Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton before turning to acting. Her most famous role was playing communications officer Lieutenant Uhura aboard the USS Enterprise in the popular Star Trek television series, as well as the succeeding motion picture spinoffs, where her character was eventually promoted in Starfleet to the rank of commander. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (765x611, 102 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Nichelle Nichols User:Garion96/Images Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or... Celebrity guests meet with their fans to sign autographs on the DragonCon 2005 Walk of Fame. ... December 28 is the 362nd day of the year (363rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 3 days remaining. ... Year 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will take you to a full 1932 calendar). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... Incorporated Village in 1917. ... Lieutenant Uhura is a character from the fictional Star Trek universe and was played by Nichelle Nichols on Star Trek: The Original Series and the first six Star Trek movies. ... The current Star Trek franchise logo Star Trek is an American science fiction franchise. ... December 28 is the 362nd day of the year (363rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 3 days remaining. ... Year 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will take you to a full 1932 calendar). ... Actors in period costume sharing a joke while waiting between takes during location filming An actor or actress is a person who acts, or plays a role, in a dramatic production. ... Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters (including those in feature films, television series, animated shorts), doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides. ... Edward Kennedy Duke Ellington (April 29, 1899, Washington, D.C.; d. ... Lionel Hampton with George W. Bush Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908, Louisville, Kentucky – August 31, 2002 New York City), was a jazz bandleader and percussionist. ... Lieutenant is a military, naval, paramilitary, fire service or police officer rank. ... Lieutenant Uhura is a character from the fictional Star Trek universe and was played by Nichelle Nichols on Star Trek: The Original Series and the first six Star Trek movies. ... The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), a Constitution class starship In the fictional universe of Star Trek, the USS Enterprise, NCC-1701 was a Constitution class ship that is theorized to have been commissioned in 2245, though this has yet to be acknowledged in canon. ... The starship Enterprise as it appeared on Star Trek Star Trek is a culturally significant science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry in the 1960s. ... Starfleet Command symbol In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet is the paramilitary defense, research, diplomacy, and exploration force of the United Federation of Planets (UFP) with – as of the late 24th century – hundreds of starships and starbases at its disposal. ... Commander is a military rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. ...

Early life and career

Nichelle Nichols was born in Robbins, Illinois, near Chicago. Her father was both the town mayor of Robbins and its chief magistrate. She studied in Chicago as well as New York and Los Angeles. During her time in New York, Nichelle appeared at the famous "Blue Angel" and Playboy Clubs, as a singer. She also appeared in the role of Carmen for a Chicago stock company production of Carmen Jones. Incorporated Village in 1917. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Carmen Jones was a 1943 Broadway musical, later also performed a 1954 musical film; the play also ran for a season in 1991 at Londons Old Vic. ...

She has twice been nominated for the Sarah Siddons Award as best actress and is an accomplished dancer and singer. Her first Siddons nomination was for her portrayal of Hazel Sharp in Kicks and Co., and the second for her performance in The Blacks. The Sarah Siddons Society is an American non-profit organization founded in 1952 by prominent Chicago theatre patrons with the goal of promoting excellence in the theatre. ... First international Australia 3 - 22 New Zealand (15 August 1903) Largest win New Zealand 145 - 17 Japan (4 June 1995) Worst defeat Australia 28 - 7 New Zealand (28 August 1999) World Cup Appearances 5 (First in 1987) Best result Champions, 1987 The international rugby union team of New Zealand are...

Nichols toured the United States, Canada and Europe as a singer with the Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton bands. On the West Coast, she appeared in The Roar of the Greasepaint—the Smell of the Crowd, For My People, and garnered high praise for her performance in the James Baldwin play, Blues for Mister Charlie. Prior to being cast as Lt. Uhura in Star Trek, Nichols was a guest actress on television producer Gene Roddenberry's first series, The Lieutenant. Edward Kennedy Duke Ellington (April 29, 1899, Washington, D.C.; d. ... Lionel Hampton with George W. Bush Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908, Louisville, Kentucky – August 31, 2002 New York City), was a jazz bandleader and percussionist. ... The Roar of the Greasepaint—the Smell of the Crowd was a follow up musical play to Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newleys Stop the World - I Want to Get Off. ... James Baldwin, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1955 James Arthur Baldwin (August 2, 1924 – November 30, 1987) was a novelist, short story writer, playwright, poet, and essayist, best known for his novel Go Tell It on the Mountain. ... Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Gene Roddenberry Eugene Wesley Roddenberry (August 19, 1921 – October 24, 1991) was an American scriptwriter and producer. ...

Star Trek

Nichelle Nichols as Uhura.

However, it was in Star Trek that Nichols gained popularity by being one of the first African-American women to be featured in a major television series. During the first year of the series, Nichols was tempted to leave the show as she felt her role lacked significance, but a conversation with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. changed her mind. Dr. King personally encouraged her to stay on the show, telling her that he was a big fan of the series and told her she "could not give up"... for she was playing a vital role model for young black children and women across the country. There is a popular urban myth that King had spoken to Nichols after seeing the "Kiss Scene" on the episode Plato's Stepchildren, but this has been shown to be an impossibility, given that this episode premiered several months after his murder. After the first season, Uhura's role on the series was expanded beyond just manning the communications console. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2240x2815, 387 KB) Source: [1] Reference Numbers Center: HQ Center Number: 77-H-152 GRIN DataBase Number: GPN-2004-00017 Source Information Creator/Photographer: NASA Original Source: DIGITAL Date 03/24/1977 Nichols was always interested in space travel. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2240x2815, 387 KB) Source: [1] Reference Numbers Center: HQ Center Number: 77-H-152 GRIN DataBase Number: GPN-2004-00017 Source Information Creator/Photographer: NASA Original Source: DIGITAL Date 03/24/1977 Nichols was always interested in space travel. ... Languages Predominantly American English Religions Predominantly Christianity and Islam Related ethnic groups Sub-Saharan Africans and other African groups, some with Native American groups. ... Martin Luther King Jr. ... Kirk and his officers are forced to perform as fools, in Platos Stepchildren. ...

Former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison has cited Nichols' role of Lt. Uhura as her inspiration for wanting to become an astronaut and Whoopi Goldberg has also spoken of Nichols' influence; Goldberg herself eventually landing a role in Star Trek: The Next Generation. ^[1] The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an agency of the United States Government, responsible for that nations public space program. ... Mae Carol Jemison, M.D. was the first African-American woman to travel into space. ... Whoopi Goldberg (born Caryn Elaine Johnson, November 13, 1955),[1] is an American comedian, film actor and radio DJ. Goldberg is one of only a few individuals (including Barbra Streisand, Mel Brooks, Rita Moreno, Audrey Hepburn and Helen Hayes) who have won an Academy award, a Tony, an Emmy, and... The title as it appeared in most episodes opening credits. ...

In her role as Lt. Uhura, she participated in the first interracial kiss on U.S. television, with Canadian actor William Shatner (as Captain James T. Kirk) in the 1968 Star Trek episode "Plato's Stepchildren". The scene provoked protest and was seen as groundbreaking, even though the kiss was portrayed as having been forced by alien mind control. The episode was not telecast in some Southern cities as a result of the protests in those states; nevertheless, it caused many viewers to contact the broadcaster and the majority of the feedback of the incident was positive. Even Southern viewers weren't as hostile as feared, with one famously writing in "Now, I don't believe in the mixing of the races, but when a red-blooded American boy like Jim Kirk gets a good looking gal like Lt. Uhura in his arms he just can't help himself." ^{[citation needed]} During the Comedy Central roast of Shatner on August 20, 2006, she referred to the incident and said, "Let's make TV history again ... and you can kiss my black ass!" Lieutenant Uhura is a character from the fictional Star Trek universe and was played by Nichelle Nichols on Star Trek: The Original Series and the first six Star Trek movies. ... An interracial couple is a romantic couple or marriage in which the partners are of differing races. ... William Bill Shatner (born March 22, 1931) is an Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning Canadian actor, who gained fame for his starring role as Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise in the television show Star Trek from 1966 to 1969 and in seven of the subsequent movies. ... Captain James T. Kirk James Tiberius Kirk, a fictional character in the Star Trek television series, was the captain of the starship Enterprise (NCC-1701 and NCC-1701-A). ... Kirk and his officers are forced to perform as fools, in Platos Stepchildren. ... Extraterrestrial life is life that exists and originates outside the planet Earth, the only place in the universe currently known by humans to support life. ... Mind control (or thought control) has the premise that an outside source can control an individuals thinking, behavior or consciousness (either directly or more subtly). ... Historic Southern United States. ... Comedy Central is a cable television and satellite television channel in the United States and, as of January 15, 2007, in Germany [1] and Poland. ... August 20 is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

Despite the cancellation of the series in 1969, Star Trek lived on in other ways, and continued to play a part in Nichols's life. She again provided the voice of Uhura in Star Trek: The Animated Series, in one episode of which, "The Lorelei Signal", Uhura assumes command of the Enterprise (Nichols noted in her autobiography that she had been frustrated that this never occurred during the original, live-action series). Also, Nichols has costarred in six Star Trek films, her last being Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. For the Stargate SG-1 episode, see 1969 (Stargate SG-1). ... Star Trek: The Animated Series is an animated science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. ... Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (Paramount Pictures, 1991; see also 1991 in film) is the sixth feature film based on the popular Star Trek science fiction television series. ...

NASA work and other post-Trek activities

After the cancellation of Star Trek, Nichols volunteered her time in a special project with NASA to recruit minority and female personnel for the space agency, which proved to be a success. They include Dr. Sally K. Ride, the first American female astronaut and United States Air Force Col. Guion Bluford, the first African-American astronaut, as well as Dr. Judith Resnik and Dr. Ronald McNair, who both flew successful missions during the space shuttle program before their deaths in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster on January 28, 1986. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an agency of the United States Government, responsible for that nations public space program. ... Sally Kristen Ride (b. ... Aircraft of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing and coalition counterparts stationed together at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, in southwest Asia, fly over the desert. ... Guion Guy Bluford, Junior (born November 22, 1942) is a retired Colonel, from the United States Air Force and a former NASA Astronaut. ... Judith Resnik Judith Arlene Resnik (April 5, 1949 – January 28, 1986) was an astronaut who died at the age of 36 in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster during the launch of the mission STS-51-L. Born in Akron, Ohio, Dr. Resnik received a B.S. in electrical engineering from... Ronald Erwin McNair, Ph. ... NASAs Space Shuttle, officially called Space Transportation System (STS), is the United States governments current manned launch vehicle. ... For further information about Challengers mission and crew, see STS-51-L. The iconic image of Space Shuttle Challengers smoke plume after its breakup 73 seconds after launch. ... January 28 is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

An enthusiastic advocate of space exploration, Nichols has served since the mid-1980s on the Board of Governors of the National Space Society, a nonprofit, educational space advocacy organization founded by Dr. Wernher von Braun. A board of governors is usually the governing board of a public entity. ... National Space Society logo The National Space Society (NSS) is an international nonprofit 501(c)(3), educational, and scientific organization specializing in space advocacy. ... Space advocacy is a political position that favors the exploration, utilization, and colonization of outer space. ... Wernher von Braun stands at his desk in the Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama in May 1964, with models of rockets developed and in progress. ...

Always interested in space travel, Nichelle flew aboard NASA's C-141 Astronomy Observatory, which analyzed the atmospheres of Mars and Saturn on an eight hour, high-altitude mission. She was also a special guest at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California on July 17, 1976 to view the Viking 1 soft landing on Mars. Along with the other cast members from the original Star Trek series, Nichelle attended the christening of the first space shuttle, Enterprise, at the North American Rockwell assembly facility in Palmdale, California. The Lockheed C-141 Starlifter is a military strategic airlifter in service with the US Air Force. ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), in Pasadena and La Cañada Flintridge, near Los Angeles, California, USA, builds and operates unmanned spacecraft for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). ... Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. ... July 17 is the 198th day (199th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 167 days remaining. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... The Viking 1 was the first of two spacecraft sent to Mars as part of NASAs Viking program. ... The Space Shuttle Enterprise (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-101) was the first Space Shuttle built for NASA. It was constructed without engines or a functional heat shield and was therefore not capable of space operations; her purpose was to perform test flights in the atmosphere. ... Rockwell International was the ultimate incarnation of a series of companies under the sphere of influence of Willard Rockwell, who had made his fortune after the invention and successful launch of a new bearing system for truck axles in 1919. ... Motto: Aerospace Capital of America Location of Palmdale in Los Angeles County, California Coordinates: Country United States of America State California County Los Angeles  - Mayor James C. Ledford Jr. ...

In 1994, she published her autobiography Beyond Uhura: Star Trek and Other Memories. In it she states that she had a lengthy love affair with Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Gene Roddenberry Eugene Wesley Roddenberry (August 19, 1921 – October 24, 1991) was an American scriptwriter and producer. ...

Between the end of the original series and the Star Trek animated show and feature films, Nichols starred in minor roles in film and TV. She portrayed a foul-mouthed madam in Truck Turner (1974) opposite Isaac Hayes. She appeared as one of Al Gore's Vice Presidential Action Rangers in the "Anthology of Interest I" episode of the animated series Futurama, and provided the voice of her own head in a jar in the episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before". She also played the recurring role of Diane Maza in the animated series Gargoyles and played the role of Thoth-Kopeira in an episode of Batman: The Animated Series. Truck Turner is a 1974 blaxploitation film, starring Isaac Hayes and Yaphet Kotto, and directed by Johnathan Kaplan. ... For the American arctic explorer, see Isaac Israel Hayes Isaac Lee Hayes (born August 20, 1942, in Covington, Tennessee) is an actor, soul singer, Academy Award-winning songwriter, musician, and arranger. ... Albert Arnold Gore, Jr. ... This is a list of episodes of Futurama episodes in broadcast order, from broadcast season 2. ... Anthology of Interest I is episode sixteen in season two of Futurama. ... Futurama is an Emmy Award-winning American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening (creator of The Simpsons) and David X. Cohen for the Fox Network. ... Where No Fan Has Gone Before is the eleventh episode of the fourth season of the animated series Futurama. ... This article is about the animated series. ... The animated Batman shoots his grappling gun from a rooftop in a scene from the episode, On Leather Wings. ...

Trivia

• Nichols' brother Thomas was a member of the Heaven's Gate cult; he died on March 26, 1997 in their mass suicide.
• Nichols' son is actor Kyle Johnson, who portrayed the lead in Gordon Parks' The Learning Tree.
• The role of Peggy Fair from the television show Mannix was offered to Nichols during the final season of Star Trek but producer Gene Rodenberry refused to release her from her contract. The role was given to Gail Fisher instead.
• Madelyne Thompson, celebrated painter and Director of Development at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, has won the Nichelle Nichols/Officer Uhura Chicago Star Trek Convention look-a-like contest for the past 12 years straight.

The logo used by the Heavens Gate group Heavens Gate was the name of a UFO religion co-led by Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles. ... March 26 is the 85th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (86th in leap years). ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Mass suicide occurs when a number of people kill themselves together with one another or for the same reason and is usually connected to a real or perceived persecution. ... Kyle Johnson is an American actor, most notable from the film The Learning Tree. ... Gordon Parks at Civil Rights March on Washington, 1963. ... The Learning Tree is a 1969 film which tells the story of a young African American growing up in a rural setting in the early part of the 20th century, when racial discrimination was a social norm, legally sanctioned in parts of the United States. ... Mannix was a television detective series that ran from 1967 through 1975 on CBS. Developed by executive producer Bruce Geller (who also created Mission: Impossible), the title character played by Mike Connors (an actor of Armenian heritage) is an Armenian-American private investigator. ... Gail Fisher (born August 18, 1935 in Orange, New Jersey; died December 2, 2000 in Culver City, California) was an African American actress, best known for her role as secretary Peggy Fair on the television detective series Mannix, which she played from 1968 through 1975. ...

Partial Filmography

// Please note that following the tradition of the English language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the United States and Canada in 2007. ... // Please note that following the tradition of the English language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the United States and Canada in 2006; because they may have made most of their income in a later year, they may not be the top-grossing... This is a list of film-related events in 2005. ... Are We There Yet? is a 2005 comedy film, directed by Brian Levant. ... This is a list of film-related events in 2002. ... Snow Dogs is a 2002 live-action movie, released by Walt Disney Pictures, starring Cuba Gooding Jr. ... // November 1 - George Lucas leaves the day-to-day operations of his filmmaking business and starts a sabbatical (while on sabbatical, he wrote the prequel Star Wars trilogy). ... The animated Batman shoots his grappling gun from a rooftop in a scene from the episode, On Leather Wings. ... This article is about the animated series. ... This is a list of film-related events in 1998. ... This is a list of film-related events in 1992. ... // April 28 - Bonnie Raitt marries actor Michael Noonan OKeefe in New York Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation is made. ... Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (Paramount Pictures, 1991; see also 1991 in film) is the sixth feature film based on the popular Star Trek science fiction television series. ... // Actress Kim Basinger and her brother Mick purchase Braselton, Georgia for $20 million. ... Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (Paramount Pictures, 1989; see also 1989 in film) is the fifth feature film based on the popular Star Trek science fiction television series. ... // April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Gos Belinda Carlisle Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver. ... Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (Paramount Pictures, 1986; see also 1986 in film) is the fourth feature film based on the popular Star Trek science fiction television series. ... // Events The Walt Disney Company founds Touchstone Pictures to release movies with subject matter deemed inappropriate for the Disney name. ... Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (Paramount Pictures, 1984; see also 1984 in film) is the third feature film based on the popular Star Trek science fiction television series. ... // January 11 - Production begins on the Star Wars film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. ... Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (Paramount Pictures, 1982; see also 1982 in film) is the second feature film based on the popular Star Trek science fiction television series. ... // Events March 5 - Production begins on Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. ... Star Trek: The Motion Picture (Paramount Pictures, 1979; see also 1979 in film) is the first feature film based on the popular Star Trek science fiction television series and is released on Friday, December 7. ... See also: 1973 in film 1974 1975 in film 1970s in film years in film film // Events February 7 - Blazing Saddles is released in USA May 1 - George Lucas creates the first draft of what would eventually become Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. ... Truck Turner is a 1974 blaxploitation film, starring Isaac Hayes and Yaphet Kotto, and directed by Johnathan Kaplan. ... // Events The Marx Brothers Zeppo Marx divorces his second wife, Barbara Blakely. ... Star Trek: The Animated Series is an animated science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. ... // Events Top grossing films North America Thunderball Dr. Zhivago Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf? That Darn Cat! The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming Academy Awards Best Picture: A Man for All Seasons - Highland, Columbia Best Actor: Paul Scofield - A Man for All Seasons Best Actress: Elizabeth Taylor... The current Star Trek franchise logo Star Trek is an American science fiction franchise. ... // Cannes Film Festival opens, but closes in support of a French general strike without awarding any prizes. ... // Events Top grossing films North America Thunderball Dr. Zhivago Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf? That Darn Cat! The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming Academy Awards Best Picture: A Man for All Seasons - Highland, Columbia Best Actor: Paul Scofield - A Man for All Seasons Best Actress: Elizabeth Taylor... Mister Buddwing is a 1966 movie about a well-dressed man (James Garner) who finds himself on a bench in Central Park with no idea of who he is. ... // Events January 29 - The film Dr. Strangelove is released. ... See also: 1958 in film 1959 1960 in film 1950s in film 1960s in film years in film film Events The Three Stooges make their 180th and last short film, Sappy Bullfighters. ... The cast of Porgy and Bess during the Boston try-out prior to the Broadway opening. ...

Bibliography

Fiction

• Saturn's Child, 1996, with Margaret Wander Bonanno, ISBN 0-441-00384-2
• Saturna's Quest, 2002, with Jim Meechan, ISBN 0-9719154-0-7

Margaret Wander Bonanno (born in 1950 as Margaret Wander) is an American science fiction writer, ghost writer and small press publisher. ...

Non-fiction

• Beyond Uhura: Star Trek and Other Memories, 1995, ISBN 1-57297-011-1

References

2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... March 6 is the 65th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (66th in Leap years). ...

External links

• Nichelle Nichols Official website
• Nichelle Nichols article at Memory Alpha, a Star Trek wiki.
• Nichelle Nichols at the Internet Movie Database
• Nichelle Nichols at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database