NEWSA Legend Lost'Star Trek' Actress Nichelle Nichols Dies At 89
The Star Trek family has lost an important member. Sci-fi legend Nichelle Nichols passed away on Saturday, July 30. The news was confirmed on Sunday morning by her 70-year-old son, Kyle Johnson.
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"I regret to inform you that a great light in the firmament no longer shines for us as it has for so many years," Johnson wrote on her official Facebook page. "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," he continued. "Hers was a life well lived and as such a model for us all."
Johnson added that Nichols' family appreciates "patience and forbearance" as they grieve the loss of the beloved actress, before noting that her funeral service will be private, limited to close friends and family members.
He concluded the message with the famous and memorable words from her most popular show: "Live Long and Prosper."
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Nichols shot to stardom in the mid 1960s after being cast in the sci-fi series that would inspire countless books, comics, television shows, movies and merchandise for decades to come. She starred in Star Trek as Lieutenant Uhura for three seasons, making television history as the first on-screen kiss between a white actor — Trek lead William Shatner — and a Black actress.
She later revitalized her role in several Trek films including The Wrath of Khan, The Search for Spock, and The Final Frontier. Nichols even voiced Lt. Uhura in the short-lived 1970s cartoon Star Trek: The Animated Series. She most recently reprised the role in 2020 for Star Trek First Frontier.
Throughout her illustrious career, she often attended and spoke at fan conventions as she continued to serve as a pioneer for women and minorities in television and film. One of her most recent appearances was at Los Angeles Comic Con in December.
