In the adored Star Trek television series, Nichelle Nichols performed a legendary part. The actress was adored by viewers everywhere, therefore her death will undoubtedly leave a hole!

The legendary role of Lt. Nyota Uhura that Nichelle Nichols played on ‘Star Trek’ made her a household name.

She was one of the first Black woman to play the lead in a television series, breaking down boundaries for Black women.

In 1966, she made her television debut on the hit show. She originally made an appearance with Captain Kirk, played by William Shatner, as a member of the USS Enterprise’s bridge crew.

On her official Facebook page, her son Kyle Johnson posted a statement regarding her passing. ‘Friends, Fans, Colleagues, World,’ the sign stated.

I regret to inform you that, after shining for us for so many years, a great light in the firmament no longer does. My mother, Nichelle Nichols, died away last night due to natural causes.

Her light, however, will endure for us and future generations to appreciate, learn from, and be inspired by, much like the old galaxies now being glimpsed for the first time.

‘Hers was a life well lived and as such a model for us all,’ it said. I and the rest of our family would appreciate your patience and understanding as we mourn her passing until we are strong enough to resume our conversation.

We ask that her and our privacy be respected. Her funeral will only be attended by her family and closest friends.

A legend in her own way, Nichols. Her participation on “Star Trek” made history and opened a crucial door for the introduction of more black actors and characters to the program.

The first interracial kiss on American television occurred during her kiss with William Shatner in the episode ‘Plato’s Stepchildren.’ A tweet lamenting her passing was also posted by the Star Trek official account.

The loss of Nichelle Nichols, a trailblazer, an inspiration, and so much more, is extremely regrettable. The tweet stated, ‘She will be terribly missed.’

Famously, Nichols narrated the tale of how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. persuaded her to continue acting as Lt. Nyota Uhura. Despite her aspirations to become a Broadway star, she chose to stay on the show at his persuasion.

In a 1992 interview, she described her encounter with King and said, ‘I spun around square into Dr. Martin Luther King’s face and nearly fainted.’

He praised the program and let me know how much he valued and loved my work. Well, thank you very much, but I’m quitting the show, I responded. Dr. King responded, ‘You cannot! You have permanently altered how television will seem, she recalled.

‘It is more essential that people who are not Black see this program, see you in this role because they see us for the first time as we should be perceived, as equals,’ she recalled King saying when asked about the significance of her portrayal.

She played the same character for three seasons and in a number of subsequent movies and animated shows. She was hired by NASA to assist them in motivating women and African Americans to become astronauts because of her renowned position.

Nichols’ long-running career as a singer with Duke Ellington began when he was 16 years old. She then pursued cinema studies in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York.

Throughout her life, she performed in theater productions of ‘Carmen’ and ‘Kicks & Co.’ She also made appearances on ‘Are We There Yet?’ and ‘Snow Dog’ on Heroes.

Nichols experienced a stroke in 2015, but she made a speedy recovery. Nichols informed Nischelle Turner that after her stroke, she had announced in a statement,

‘I am feeling the best that I felt in a very long time.’ Nichols continued by saying that she had not lost any mobility as a result of the stroke. I’m as rambunctious and shaggy as ever.

Her son Kyle Johnson, who is also an actor, is Nichols’s heir.