LT. UHURA PASSES ON TO THE GREAT BEYOND

 By Bob Walsh

 

                                               Nichelle Nichols, aka Lt. Uhura

                        Nichols and William Shatner on “Star Trek,” sharing what is believed to be the first interracial kiss on television

 

Nichelle Nichols, aka Lt. Uhura, passed on yesterday at the age of 89.  She was generally conceded to be the first Black person to have a significant dramatic role on a television series whose job was not a domestic servant. 

She started working at age 14 as a singer and dancer and worked for some period of time with Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton before moving west for a film production of Porgy and Bess.  

She also had a relative long-term "close personal relationship" with Gene Roddenberry who developed the Star Trek franchise which began well before Star Trek came along.  

She started having significant problem with dementia about five years ago.  She died from natural causes.