When you think of Afrofuturism, it’s hard not to mention the legendary Nichelle Nichols.
As Lt. Uhura on Star Trek, Nichols made television history by portraying a Black woman in a position of authority aboard the USS Enterprise—a groundbreaking role in the 1960s. Her presence as a commanding figure in a futuristic, science fiction world was revolutionary.
Atlanta-based comic book creator Dedren Snead vividly recalls the impact. “Seeing her as a Black woman on that show was something I’d never seen before,” Snead said on United Shades of America.
A Life-Changing Encounter with Dr. King
Lt. Uhura may have been fictional, but her presence on-screen during the civil rights era was monumental.
Nichelle Nichols initially had aspirations for Broadway, and as Star Trek’s first season wrapped in 1967, she considered leaving the show. But a fateful encounter changed everything. Nichols attended an event where a fan wanted to meet her. She assumed it would be a young admirer, but it turned out to be none other than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Comic book designer Afua Richardson shared the story with W. Kamau Bell, explaining how Dr. King revealed that Star Trek was the only show he allowed his children to watch. When Nichols mentioned she planned to leave, Dr. King insisted, “No, you cannot leave. Your role is too important.”
This interaction profoundly affected Nichols, who decided to stay on the show. As she later told CNN in 2014, “To be told that by Dr. Martin Luther King was the greatest thing.”
The Next Mission: NASA
By staying on Star Trek, Nichols didn’t just continue portraying an influential character; she set the stage for real-world change.
When Star Trek ended in 1969, the U.S. celebrated landing on the moon, but Nichols saw a problem in the space program—there were no women or people of color among the astronauts. As she explained to CNN, “That can’t be right. I can’t be part of something that doesn’t represent everyone.”
Determined to address this, Nichols partnered with NASA in the late 1970s to recruit women and minorities. Her efforts paid off. Thanks to her advocacy, figures like Guion Bluford, the first African American in space, and Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space, were recruited. Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space, also credits Nichols as her inspiration.
Nichols believed passionately in the inclusive future she helped shape. “Science isn’t just for boys or girls—it’s for everyone,” she said. “There’s still so much to explore, and we’re just getting started.”
