Your help with Trek books

[subatoi]

Hi,

I'm writing a seminar in a course names Women and Nationalism. Our Prof. said we can write whatever we want, and I thought I can mix business with pleasure, and I'll write about Uhura, Nichols, race and ST.
There are a few books I found on the web, currently without access to:

Beyond Uhura
The Ethics of Star Trek
Star Trek & History - Race-ing Toward a White Future
Race in Space - The Representation of Ethnicity in ST & ST:TNG

My questions are:
1. How much is written in each about Uhura & Nichols, effects & reactions to/by society & history?
2. Getting the books just for a few weeks being out of the question due to me being far away - if needed, anybody have a scanner and will be able to scan selected pages?


Thanks for any answer,
subatoi

 

[Hamilton]

I haven't read any of those, but it might not hurt to check out Beyond Uhura, which is Nichols' autobiography.

 

[Smiley]

I don't think The Ethics of Star Trek would have much on the topic you're writing about. Uhura's race or gender was never an issue within the show itself, so it's not likely to be mentioned in the author's discussion of the show as moral fables.

 

[Admiral James Kirk]

Well there was the episode The Savage Curtain where Abraham Lincoln reacts to Uhura by saying "What a charming negress." Then he apologizes and Uhura says: "But why should I object to that term, sir? In our century, we've learned not to fear words."

 

[DevilEyes]

^ Trelane had some racist remarks about Uhura - no doubt originating from his fascination with/emulation of the 18th century Europe - but that time Uhura did not have any lines, she just glowered at him.

I actually have Beyond Uhura, but haven't read it yet, just skimmed through it... How much time do you have to write that seminar?

 

[Steve Roby]

Getting the books just for a few weeks being out of the question due to me being far away

Where exactly are you? If you're at a university, do you not have a library that can do interlibrary loans for you?

Another book you might find useful, btw: Multicultural Communication and Popular Culture: Racial and Ethnic Images in Star Trek by Marquita Byrd.

 

[garoo1980]

The only story I've heard is when she met MLK. Wiki says its:

During the first year of the series, Nichols was tempted to leave the show, as she felt her role lacked significance; however, a conversation with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. changed her mind. Though specifics of the conversation vary, in generalities she has reported that Dr. King personally encouraged her to stay on the show, telling her that he was a big fan of the series and told her she "could not give up" since she was playing a vital role model for black children and young women across the country

So obviously he thought she was doing something for race relations. And didn't Whoopi say Uhura was a big part of why she wanted to be on TNG?

 

[captcalhoun]

whoopi said Uhura/Nichols was what made her want to be an actress.

she's also quoted as saying "Ma! there's a black woman on TV and she ain't no maid!" when she was a kid and saw Uhura the first time.

fwiw..

 

[Therin of Andor]

Our Prof. said we can write whatever we want

If you can write whatever you want, why pick a topic you're having so much trouble finding the references for?

And, like Steve says, inter-library loans are your friend.

 

[Pala]

Also check out whether there're any papers of interest via JSTOR.org and/or your database of choice.

 

[subatoi]

* I'm not from the US, so I have to make do with what we have in the Uni library, or the web. I might find "Race-ing" in another Uni library.

* I have a few months for it, no rush

* I know the (great) MLK & Goldberg stories, I'll check Trelane & Lincoln episodes (heard about the latter).

* I'll also check "Multicultural Communication..." & JSTOR.

* Why I chose this topic? I don't have trouble finding refernces, I'll do fine. Just wanted to expand a little with Trek literature. I chose it because it's Trek. Business and pleasure together.

THANKS all!

 

[T'Ressa Dax]

I remember reading Beyond Uhura, which was pretty good. But it's currently in storage.

 

[Steve Roby]

I'm not from the US, so I have to make do with what we have in the Uni library, or the web. I might find "Race-ing" in another Uni library.

I'm not in the US, I'm in Canada. Ian, the other librarian who suggested interlibrary loan, is in Australia. If you're in the UK (just guessing by the fact that you're saying "Uni"), ask at your library about interlibrary loan or Document Supply Service, because UK libraries offer that service. For that matter, if you're in Israel (google says there's a Subatoi on a Hebrew Trek board, so who knows), at least some universities there offer ILL/document supply services as well.

 

[Therin of Andor]

(google says there's a Subatoi on a Hebrew Trek board, so who knows)

I just figured it was appropriated as a nick from Julian Subatoi Bashir.

 

[Defcon]

If you're in the UK (just guessing by the fact that you're saying "Uni"),

"Uni" is also the common abbreviation for an Universität (university) in Germany, so if he's from here I can understand if he has problems getting those books in the Uni library.

 

[subatoi]

Israel. And Bashir. Indeed

 

[Dayton Ward]

^ I have a copy of Star Trek & History - Race-ing Toward a White Future. I also have another book, Enterprise Zones: Criticial Positions on Star Trek, which might also have some material of use to you. If you're willing to reimburse me for the cost of shipping, it's/they're yours.

 

[subatoi]

^ I have a copy of Star Trek & History - Race-ing Toward a White Future. I also have another book, Enterprise Zones: Criticial Positions on Star Trek, which might also have some material of use to you. If you're willing to reimburse me for the cost of shipping, it's/they're yours.

I'll check it out, Thanks for now!

 

[Dayton Ward]

^ No problem. I've dug the books out of a box I was putting together for a trip to Half-Price Books at some point, and set them aside. Let me know if you decide you want them.