Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

There are some who say that there are too many strawmen arguments on this blog.

We are aware of all internet traditions.

Compromise? There is no middle ground between a firefighter and an arsonist.

Republicans don’t lie to be believed, they lie to be repeated.

There are consequences to being an arrogant, sullen prick.

“The defense has a certain level of trust in defendant that the government does not.”

One of our two political parties is a cult whose leader admires Vladimir Putin.

This has so much WTF written all over it that it is hard to comprehend.

Today in our ongoing national embarrassment…

The republican caucus is covering themselves with something, and it is not glory.

He seems like a smart guy, but JFC, what a dick!

Hell hath no fury like a farmer bankrupted.

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

“But what about the lurkers?”

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

Let me file that under fuck it.

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

You cannot shame the shameless.

This fight is for everything.

You are here: Home / Absent Friends / To Boldly Go: RIP, Nichelle Nichols

To Boldly Go: RIP, Nichelle Nichols

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… Back in 2010, StarTrek.com interviewed Nichols with questions submitted by fans. That conversation ended with this question, “How does it feel to know you’ve inspired so many people — like Dr. Mae Jemison and Whoopi Goldberg, who are a couple of your more famous fans — but also so many others, people you may never even have met?” Nichols paused for a moment, and then replied, “People keep saying, ‘You’ve inspired women of color.’ And I say, ‘Yes, Black, white, yellow, brown, red and probably some with green blood and pointy ears!’ Gene’s brilliance was in casting people from all over the Earth, and an alien. It made everyone feel like they belonged. I wasn’t a Black communications officer. I was a communications officer who happened to be from Africa, who happened to have brown skin. So I have had women of all stripes tell me how Uhura inspired them to reach for the stars. I’ve had women who’ve named their children after Uhura, and even after Nichelle.”

“That is the way life is supposed to be,'” concluded Nichols. “What Gene did by casting us helped change society, change the way people thought, change the world. It’s amazing. He wanted [Star Trek] to be a reflection of the world, and that’s what happened.”

Reader Interactions

18Comments

  3. 3.

    RaflW

    I can’t believe she put up with such a massive bluetooth earbud, though.

    May she rest in peace.

    I loved Star Trek, not least because it was a show my brother and I at ages 14 and 11 could watch with my mostly TV-adverse dad. And I do think the diversity of casting Ms. Nichols talks about sunk in even when I was a kid (in a nearly all-white suburb). The future felt polyglot, and that was good.

  5. 5.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    I was wondering if Shatner had said anything. Kind of surprised he’s on twitter

    William Shatner @WilliamShatner Jul 31

    I am so sorry to hear about the passing of Nichelle. She was a beautiful woman & played an admirable character that did so much for redefining social issues both here in the US & throughout the world. I will certainly miss her. Sending my love and condolences to her family. Bill

  6. 6.

    geg6

    @RaflW:

    Not to mention a woman in a position of authority and skill who was respected for that by her co-workers.  Even a little white girl like me who watched TOS in first runs (I was 7 or 8 then and my brother would open my bedroom door so I could watch, which had a direct view to the tv since my bedtime was well before TOS was originally shown), I idolized her.  She made me feel that I could do anything.  A very powerful message to little girls in the mid-60s.

  10. 10.

    Alison Rose 💙🌻💛

    @geg6: Same. My mom loved Star Trek and the reruns were on constantly when I was growing up in the 80s. As a little white girl in a very white suburb, I don’t think at that time I understood the importance of her role for Black women, but I definitely loved seeing this beautiful and powerful woman up there with the men. Years later, a Black female teacher I had (for creative writing) talked to the class one day about Nichols and her impact, and it was like a retroactive lightbulb went on over my head.

  11. 11.

    Villago Delenda Est

    As I mentioned in one of the earlier threads, Star Trek was woke in the cradle.  Gene Roddenberry intended it to be that way, and the fact that ethnicity, with the possible exception of Chekov, who was added after the USSR noted their role in the exploration of space, was pretty much irrelevant in the 23rd Century.  I do not doubt that my attitude toward “others” was heavily influenced by Star Trek.

  12. 12.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @rikyrah: ​
     One of the wonderful things about that story is that Nichols was expecting “her biggest fan” to be some 12 year old.

  14. 14.

    gwangung

    George continued his tribute to Nichelle on Facebook today. I think folks around here would be interested in what he had to say:

     

    I have been truly moved by the tributes and messages honoring the life and work of Nichelle Nichols, our very own Lieutenant and later Commander Uhura on Star Trek. Although our original series ran only three seasons, we became bonded as the fans of our show organized, convened and ultimately pressed for movies and spin-offs of the groundbreaking show. Nichelle and I spent the following decades together as not only colleagues from the bridge of the Enterprise, but as lifelong friends.

    Much has been said about what a trailblazer and role model Nichelle was for so many young Black women, who saw in her hope and promise for their own future. I wanted to take a moment to share some stories about Nichelle that aren’t as well known, and which highlight her lively spirit, her incredible kindness, and her warm generosity.

    Our friendship began six decades ago, before Star Trek, when she came backstage after a performance of a civil rights musical I was doing called “Fly Blackbird” in Los Angeles. I will never forget that first meeting. She was stunningly beautiful. But beyond her beauty, she stood out. It was a time when many African American women “conked” their hair, which meant straightening it, as was the current fashion. Instead, Nichelle wore an enormous natural “Afro” sphere on her head. It was natural, it was proud, and it was glorious. I knew right then that she was a singular individual.

    Back in the 1970s, after our series ended on television, I became active in local politics and even ran for city council in Los Ángeles. That required a lot of fundraising dinners and political campaigning, and I knew that I could always ask Nichelle to be our featured performer. She always donated her talent and made every event feel special and glamorous. Indeed, Nichelle made a point of being at every important milestone of mine that she could, including the opening of Allegiance just a few years ago on Broadway and later in Los Ángeles. As a trained stage actress, Nichelle knew how special such occasions were to us.

    When my husband Brad and I got married, we asked Walter Koenig, who played ensign Chekov on the show, to be our best man at the wedding. We asked Nichelle to be our matron of honor. In her characteristic fashion, Nichelle declared, “I am not a matron! If Walter can be best man, why can’t I be best lady?” Noting that Walter’s “best man” title implied the awkward title of “best woman,” she was determined to be known as the “best lady” to the guests. I told her, “Of course you are.” I’m sharing a picture here of Nichelle, with us, as “best lady” on our happy day.

    When my father passed away, Nichelle came to the funeral and she saw many Japanese Americans with envelopes. They were handing them over to a receptionist in the lobby. She was always a curious soul, so she asked me, “George, what are they bringing to the funeral?” I said it was friends and relatives making financial contributions to support the funeral costs. Nichelle had never heard of the Japanese tradition called koden. A few days later, an envelope arrived in the mail from her. Inside was a check for $500, a very generous koden.

    So while fans will miss and honor the famous actress who opened so many paths with her presence on the screen, I will also miss the dear friend who always let you know she was there to support you, to love you, and to go through this strange and wonderful life alongside you. Nichelle Nichols, you were one in a million in so many, many ways.

  17. 17.

    Ruckus

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    I was 12 when I started working for my dad. Summer and weekends I’d ride with him to work. One of his employees was Richard. Richard was a black man, about the size of a NFL lineman. Arms way bigger than my legs. He was a wise and gentle man who took me under his wing. He treated me like a fellow employee, not like the bosses kid. He treated me like his son. I’ve had the opportunity to be in his position since and I always remember Richard. He moved away a couple of years later, but I’m always reminded of the way he treated me and the respect for others, which I understood but it’s different when it’s directed towards you. I have always hoped that he knew that he gave me a gift that I’ve cherished for 6 decades.

  18. 18.

    Ruckus

    @gwangung:

    Reading this after my comment at 17, about Richard, is of course different, I knew him a shorter time, but the personality traits are very similar. I’ve never forgotten his face or his voice, just being a human being. Ms. Nichols and Richard strike me as two humans with remarkable similarity, and yes of course vast differences, but one trait was that anyone who meets either of them is better off in life for whatever time they knew them. I am.

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