Nichelle Nichols, born December 28, 1932, is beloved by billions as Lt. Nyota Uhura from Star Trek. Her role was one of the first, if not THE first, non-stereotypical role for an African-American. She and William Shatner shared the first inter-racial kiss on television, which drew overwhelming positive reaction although a friend of mine told me his father almost made him stop watching Star Trek because of it.
While at NASA, she recruited astronauts Guion Bluford (first African-American astronaut) and Ronald McNair (another African-American astronaut lost in the Challenger explosion). She was the inspiration for Mae C. Jemison to become the first African-American female astronaut.
Nichelle even has an asteroid named in her honor: 68410 Nichols discovered August 16, 2001.
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