Nichelle Nichols Interview: Her Journey from Star Trek to NASA

Nichelle Nichols discusses her role as Uhura on Star Trek, and the challenges she faced, including resistance to an integrated cast. Nichols shares how her involvement with NASA's recruitment began with Star Trek's positive impact on fans and describes a turning point when she addressed a convention and challenged NASA's lack of diversity, urging them to consider the underrepresented.
Actress Nichelle Nichols was born on December 28, 1932 in Robbins, Illinois. As a child, Nichols’ family moved to Chicago where she studied dance at the Chicago Ballet. During the late 1940s, Nichols was discovered by jazz legend Duke Ellington and toured with both Ellington and Lionel Hampton as a lead singer and dancer. Her acting career began in the film Porgy and Bess (1959); and her first television role was in “The Lieutenant” (1964). Nichols went on to record two albums, including “Down to Earth” (1968), and “Out of This World” (1991). In 1966, Nichols was cast as Lieutenant Commander Uhura in Star Trek, which marked one of the first times that an African American actress was portrayed in a non-stereotypical role on television. Nichols went on to appear as Uhura numerous times in the Star Trek movie and television series. Nichols married dancer Foster Johnson in 1951 and divorced the same year. They had one child together, Kyle Johnson. She married Duke Mondy, in 1968; they divorced in 1972. In 1975, Nichols established Women in Motion, Inc., a company that produced educational materials using music as a teaching tool and was expanded to become an astronaut recruitment tool after Nichols won a grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). This resulted in thousands of women and minorities applying to NASA’s space program such as Sally Ride, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, and Ellison Onizuka. In addition to her autobiography, Beyond Uhura: Star Trek and Other Memories (1994), she co-authored Saturn’s Child (1995). In October of 1984, Nichols was presented with NASA’s Public Service Award for her many efforts towards integrating the U.S. space program. She was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1992. Nichols was elected an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; and, on June 8, 2010, she received an honorary doctorate degree from Los Angeles Mission College. Nichols passed away on July 30, 2022 at the age of 89.
From the 2013 PBS Documentary “Makers: Women Who Make America”, examines how women have helped shape America over the past 150 years, striving for a full and fair share of political power and economic opportunity.
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Nichelle Nichols, Actress & Singer
Interview Date: September 12, 2011
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:08 Childhood
02:59 Performing
06:01 Working as a teen
14:11 Return to the stage
16:06 Star Trek
22:25 Staying on board
31:38 Kirk and Uhura's kiss
36:21 Star Trek’s cultural impact
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[@FinnyWarbuckz]

What a truly amazing woman. ❤👑🌹

[@blableebleebla]

Wonderful lady

[@toonmoene8757]

Thanks.

[@Karla_Marie]

I appreciate the upload but, I was waiting to hear about her work with NASA

[@danieltallon5087]

O kfriste. Sheiterally did fuck all. Just exist.