Nichelle Nichols 1932-2022, R.I.P.
[quote] On Star Trek, Nichols was one of the first black women featured in a major television series. Her prominent supporting role as a bridge officer was unprecedented. During the first year of the series, Nichols was tempted to leave the series, because she wanted to pursue a Broadway career; however, a conversation with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. changed her mind. She said that King personally encouraged her to stay on the series, telling her that he was a big fan of Star Trek. He said she "could not give up" because she was playing a vital role model for black children and young women across the country, as well as for other children who would see black people appearing as equals, going so far as to favorably compare her work on the series to the marches of the ongoing Civil Rights movement.[/quote]
