Nichelle Nichols, an actress and singer best known for playing Lieutenant Uhura, Star Trek’s communications officer, passed away on Saturday night in Silver City, New Mexico. Age-wise, she was 89.
As Lt. Nyota Uhura in the original TV series, Nichols made history as one of the first Black women to appear in a major television series. Her name is derived from the Swahili word for “freedom,” Uhuru.
When Uhura and Captain James T. Kirk (played by William Shatner) shared a passionate kiss in 1968’s “Plato’s Stepchildren” episode, Nichols gained notoriety. One of the first such television moments, their interracial kiss on the lips was revolutionary.
Grace Dell Nichols was born Nichols in the Chicago suburb where her father served as mayor. She spent her formative years performing musical theater, singing, and dancing. Kicks and Co., a 1961 musical that subtly parodied Playboy magazine, gave her her big break. She starred in the Chicago stock company’s production of Carmen Jones and appeared in Porgy and Bess in New York.
