Nichelle Nichols, singer, model, Broadway actress, television star, and entrepreneur died July 31, 2022 at the age of 89. She was a leading force bringing colored persons to prominence in entertainment. Her most remembered role was the capable and commanding Enterprise bridge officer Lieutenant Nyota Uhura. But she did so much more than Star Trek.

She toured the United States, Canada, and Europe as a singer with the Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton bands; she starred in Broadway plays; she was hired by Hugh Hefner for Playboy for a short time. But it was Star Trek where she had a major effect on society. Being one of the first colored females to play a major character (Lieutenant Nyota Uhura), equal to the male parts (as a capable and commanding star ship bridge officer), on a prime time television series (Star Trek).

From 1977 until 2015 Nichols volunteered her time in a special project with NASA to recruit minority and female personnel for the space agency. She began this work by making an affiliation between NASA and a company which she helped to run, 'Women in Motion'.

Returning to her singing, Nichols released two music albums. Down to Earth is a collection of standards released in 1967, during the original run of Star Trek. Out of This World, released in 1991, is more rock oriented and is themed around Star Trek and space exploration.

The world is depleted by her passing.

The sources I used for this post:
https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/ni.....ek-1235330185/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nichelle_Nichols
https://www.eonline.com/photos/3375.....s-fallen-stars