Nichelle Nichols

Biography

Nichelle Nichols (born Grace Dell Nichols; December 28, 1932 – July 30, 2022) was an American actress, singer, and dancer whose portrayal of Uhura in Star Trek and its film sequels was groundbreaking for African American actresses on American television.

From 1977 to 2015, she volunteered her time to promote NASA's programs and recruit diverse astronauts, including some of the first female and ethnic minority astronauts.

Born in the Chicago suburb of Robbins, she trained in dance and began her career as a dancer, singer, and model in Chicago. As an actor, she appeared on stage, on television, and in film.

In January 1967, Nichols was also featured on the cover of Ebony magazine and had two feature articles in it in five years. She continued touring the US, Canada, and Europe as a singer with Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton.

On the West Coast, she appeared in The Roar of the Greasepaint and For My People and garnered high praise for her performance in the James Baldwin play Blues for Mister Charlie.

Before being cast as Lieutenant Uhura in Star Trek, Nichols was a guest actress on television producer Gene Roddenberry's first series The Lieutenant (1964) in the episode "To Set It Right", which dealt with racial prejudice.