Star Trek Actress Nichelle Nichols Passes Away Aged 89

thegamer.com:

Nichelle Nichols, best known for her performance as Nyota Uhura in Star Trek: The Original Series has passed away, aged 89. The news was just revealed by her son, Kyle Johnson, who says that she passed away from natural causes last night.

"I regret to inform you that a great light in the firmament no longer shines for us as it has for so many years", writes Johnson on his mother's Instagram account. "Last night, my mother, Nichelle Nichols, succumbed to natural causes and passed away. Her light however, like the ancient galaxies now being seen for the first time, will remain for us and future generations to enjoy, learn from, and draw inspiration."

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He continues, "I, and the rest of our family, would appreciate your patience and forbearance as we grieve her loss until we can recover sufficiently to speak further. Live Long and Prosper."

Nichols' death comes after a dementia diagnosis in 2018. Despite this, she continued to work, carrying out a farewell tour in 2021, after which she planned to retire from public appearances.

After a long career that spanned decades, Nichols will forever be best known for Star Trek's original run, in which she played Lieutenant Uhura. As Uhura, Nichols broke barriers for Black women on television, being one of the first Black actresses to feature in a major series. Her depiction of the Lieutenant was praised by Martin Luther King, who encouraged her to stay in the role, and inspired both Black actresses and astronauts alike to pursue their careers.

Whoopi Goldberg is one such woman who was inspired by Nichols. After growing up watching the Original Series, Goldberg asked to be on The Next Generation. The