Nichelle Nichols has died

[Eddie Roth]

I always find it hard to come up with something to say when somebody has died, whether in one's personal life or in the realm of celebrities, that isn't a cliché or a throwaway. So I'll say this instead: I just find it amazing how someone you have never met personally (at least I haven't, sadly) can become a part of your life just by their presence in a TV show and some movies, so much so that you're saddened by their loss. But that is the case with Nichelle - and indeed all the cast of TOS. It goes to show the power of filmmaking, and Star Trek in particular, that these images are a permanent record of these people's work and talent and personalities and therefore, as was said, like the light of long-dead stars that comes from thousands of lightyears away and is therefore never really gone.

 

[VKORECTU]

I had been binging the Animated Series the last 3 days and was on episode 19 (of 22) when I heard the news. I then finished the series with a heavy heart. In the final episode of the series she voiced a pioneering Starship Doctor married to Commodore April. Throughout the episode she spoke in the voice of a very elderly woman in her late 70s and she had the last line of the episode and therefore the entire series!
So fitting and a bit of serendipity that she died the same day I was watching that episode. Her character and wise and dignified and pioneering -- all things Nichols also was in real life. Perfect end for the series. She got the last word twice in the animated series -- something she never got to do in TOS.

I note she was always ernest , inspirational and positive in her interviews and speeches.

 

[Henoch]

Her passing hits me hardest (I'm actually crying as I write this.) Nichelle Nichols made Lt. Uhura so real that I feel that I just lost another old friend. RIP.

 

[Trekker09]

Had the pleasure of meeting her at the 2004 convention in Hollywood – she was by far the most friendly cast member there, and she gave a great talk, partly about her involvement with NASA. Loved her autobiography, Beyond Uhura. Her life was an inspiration in many ways.

 

[J.T.B.]

This is sad indeed. She's one of the first women on TV that really "connected" in my mind as a young kid. She was true class.

 

[1001001]

I might do a Matt Groening tribute watch today.

Nichols appeared in 2 episodes of Futurama:



And one episode of The Simpsons:



“I said it to Shatner and I’m saying it to you: there’s no way I’m dating a man with pie on his face!”

 

[John Clark]

RIP

 

[Noname Given]

(No - I didn't create this, but I liked it, so...)

 

[Maurice]

We wrote this piece for Feb. 2023 but in light of Nichelle's passing it seemed best to publish it today.

Click here or on the pic to read (link)​

 

[Richard S. Ta]

​

I just tweeted a bunch of images from @Harvey and my collection starting with this one (linky).

Thank you so much for doing this.

I find I'm a lot sadder than I ever imagined I would be. I know the lady struggled with dementia in her last years which from my own personal experience with family members is extremely unpleasant.

Though she's gone, in fact she is released. I hope she is in a far, far better place, free of fear, free of hate, free of prejudice and full only with love.

To us she will always and forever be as Royalty.

So it's farewell, but you know what? Star Trek fans will still be watching her open hailing frequencies for as long as there are Star Trek fans to watch. Nichelle, through her creation, is immortal.

R.I.P.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

(No - I didn't create this, but I liked it, so...)

That's beautiful.

Sorry for going on in the post above, but goodness. What a loss.

 

[oberth]

We wrote this piece for Feb. 2023 but in light of Nichelle's passing it seemed best to publish it today.

View attachment 29348
(link)​

good read - i'd bold the link to make it more visible

 

[Grant]

Wanted to see her in an episode off the bridge. How many episodes did see go to a planet?
Gamesters, Plato's and....?

 

[T'Bonz]

Two pics from 1986 (I was still in my twenties, boo hoo.) She was such a sweet lady.

 

[DataRules]

What horrible news. I'll be grateful for her role in Star Trek, but more grateful for the work she did with NASA in recruiting more women of color into the organization. RIP Ms. Nichols.

Not just women of color - all women - she recruited the first white women to join NASA, including Judy Resnick, Sally Ride, etc.... You would be right to say "men of color."

 

[TimeIsAPredator]

I was lucky enough to grow up into a family and environment where I didn't understand that it was unusual for a black person or a woman to be equal to their colleagues.

I was also lucky enough to grow up a Trek fan so that when I went out and saw the real world I approached people with an open heart and mind.

The world was lucky she existed.

 

[daddymouse]

God Bless you Nichelle. Job well done!

 

[Stibbons]

Hailing frequencies open Nichelle, always...

 

[Reanok]

I remember watching the Original tv series and the movies . Uhura has always been one my favorite Star Trek characters. I always thought it was amazing the work she did with Nasa and the astronauts she recruited the first women and minority astronauts for all the space shuttle missions and all the amazing science she did with nasa over the years.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

Wanted to see her in an episode off the bridge. How many episodes did see go to a planet?
Gamesters, Plato's and....?

The Squire of Gothos I think?