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Nyota Uhura (), or simply Uhura, is a fictional character in the ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...
'' franchise. In the original television series, the character was portrayed by
Nichelle Nichols Nichelle Nichols ( ; born Grace Dell Nichols; December 28, 1932 – July 30, 2022) was an American actress, singer and dancer whose portrayal of Uhura in ''Star Trek'' and its film sequels was groundbreaking for African American actresses on A ...
, who reprised the role for the first six ''Star Trek'' feature films. A younger Uhura is portrayed by Celia Rose Gooding in the 2022
prequel A prequel is a literary, dramatic or cinematic work whose story precedes that of a previous work, by focusing on events that occur before the original narrative. A prequel is a work that forms part of a backstory to the preceding work. The term ...
series '' Star Trek: Strange New Worlds'', while an alternate timeline version of Uhura has been portrayed by actress
Zoe Saldaña Zoë Yadira Saldaña-Perego ( , ; ; born June 19, 1978) is an American actress. Known primarily for her work in science fiction film franchises, she has starred in four of the seven List of highest-grossing films, highest-grossing films of al ...
in the feature films ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...
'' (2009), ''
Star Trek Into Darkness ''Star Trek Into Darkness'' is a 2013 American science fiction film, science fiction action film directed by J. J. Abrams and written by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof. It is the 12th installment in the ''Star Trek'' franchise ...
'' (2013), and ''
Star Trek Beyond ''Star Trek Beyond'' is a 2016 American science fiction film, science fiction action film directed by Justin Lin, written by Simon Pegg and Doug Jung. It is the 13th film in the ''Star Trek'' franchise and the third installment in List of Star ...
'' (2016). Uhura is a
polyglot Multilingualism is the use of more than one language, either by an individual speaker or by a group of speakers. When the languages are just two, it is usually called bilingualism. It is believed that multilingual speakers outnumber monolin ...
, translator and communications officer who specializes in
linguistics Linguistics is the scientific study of language. The areas of linguistic analysis are syntax (rules governing the structure of sentences), semantics (meaning), Morphology (linguistics), morphology (structure of words), phonetics (speech sounds ...
,
cryptography Cryptography, or cryptology (from "hidden, secret"; and ''graphein'', "to write", or ''-logy, -logia'', "study", respectively), is the practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of Adversary (cryptography), ...
, and
philology Philology () is the study of language in Oral tradition, oral and writing, written historical sources. It is the intersection of textual criticism, literary criticism, history, and linguistics with strong ties to etymology. Philology is also de ...
. She was an important part of the original series'
multicultural Multiculturalism is the coexistence of multiple cultures. The word is used in sociology, in political philosophy, and colloquially. In sociology and everyday usage, it is usually a synonym for ''ethnic'' or cultural pluralism in which various e ...
crew and one of the first
black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
characters to be portrayed in a non-menial role on an American television series.


Name

Gene Roddenberry Eugene Wesley Roddenberry Sr. (August 19, 1921 – October 24, 1991) was an American television screenwriter and producer who created the science fiction series and fictional universe ''Star Trek.'' Born in El Paso, Texas, Roddenberry grew up ...
had intended his new female communications officer to be called "Lieutenant Sulu". Herb Solow pointed out how similar this was to " Zulu" and thought it might act against the plan for racial diversity in the show, so the name
Sulu Sulu (), officially the Province of Sulu (Tausug language, Tausūg: ''Wilaya' sin Lupa' Sūg''; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province of the Philippines in the Sulu Archipelago. It was part of the Bangsamoro, Bangsamoro Autonomous R ...
remained with
George Takei George Takei ( ; born April20, 1937), born , is an American actor, author and activist known for his role as Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the USS ''Enterprise'' in the ''Star Trek'' franchise. Takei was born to Japanese-American parents, with w ...
's character. "Uhura" comes from the Swahili word '' uhuru'', meaning "freedom". Nichols states in her 1994 book ''Beyond Uhura'' that the name was inspired by
Robert Ruark Robert Ruark (December 29, 1915 in Wilmington, North Carolina – July 1, 1965 in London, England) was an American author, syndicated columnist, and big game hunter. Early life Born Robert Chester Ruark Jr., to Charlotte A. Ruark and Robert ...
's 1962 book ''Uhuru'', which she had with her on the day she read for the part. When producer
Robert Justman Robert Harris "Bob" Justman (July 13, 1926 – May 28, 2008) was an American television producer, director, and production manager. He worked on many American TV series including '' Lassie'', '' The Life of Riley'', '' Adventures of Superma ...
explained to Roddenberry what the word ''uhuru'' meant, he changed it to Uhura and adopted that as the character's name. Coincidentally, the end credits of the film '' Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country'' incorrectly refer to Uhura as "Uhuru". Uhura's first name was not used in ''Star Trek'' canon until Abrams's 2009 film. The mystery regarding Uhura's first name is the subject of a
running joke A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling. Though they are similar, catchphrases are not ...
in the film, as
Captain Kirk James Tiberius Kirk, often known as Captain Kirk, is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. Originally played by Canadian actor William Shatner, Kirk first appeared in ''Star Trek'' serving aboard the starship USS ''Enterp ...
repeatedly tries to find out what it is, before finally hearing
Spock Spock is a fictional Character (arts), character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. He first appeared in the Star Trek: The Original Series, original ''Star Trek'' series serving aboard the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), USS ''Enterpri ...
call her "Nyota" in a moment of intimacy. Although other non-canon names had previously existed, "Nyota" had been the most common. Two other proposed names were "Penda" and "Samara". The
FASA FASA Corporation was an American publisher of role-playing games, wargaming, wargames and board games between 1980 and 2001, after which they closed publishing operations for several years, becoming an IP holding company under the name FASA In ...
produced '' Star Trek: The Role Playing Game'' (1982) gave Uhura's first name as "Samara" while the fanzine collection ''The Best of Trek'' (18 volumes, 1978–1996) suggests that Uhura's first name is "Penda", coined when a group of
fanzine A fanzine (blend word, blend of ''fan (person), fan'' and ''magazine'' or ''zine'') is a non-professional and non-official publication produced by enthusiasts of a particular cultural phenomenon (such as a literary or musical genre) for the pleas ...
authors suggested it to Nichols at an early convention. Author
William Rotsler Charles William Rotsler () was an American artist, cartoonist, Pornography, pornographer and science fiction author. Rotsler was a four-time Hugo Award winner and one-time Nebula Award nominee. Rotsler's papers including dozens of matted color ...
created the name "Nyota" for his 1982 licensed tie-in book, ''Star Trek II Biographies'' published by Wanderer (Pocket) Books. Seeking approval for the name he contacted Gene Roddenberry and Nichelle Nichols. Roddenberry approved of the name. Nichols also approved and was very excited when Rotsler informed her that Nyota means "star" in Swahili. After originating in ''Star Trek II Biographies'' "Nyota" started appearing in ''Star Trek'' novels, such as ''
Uhura's Song ''Uhura's Song'' is a '' Star Trek: The Original Series'' novel written by Janet Kagan published in 1985. Kagan was asked to produce an outline by editor David G. Hartwell, after he read the manuscript of her novel '' Hellspark''. She was unfa ...
'' (1985) by Janet Kagan. While guest-starring on the game show '' Super Password'' on January 7, 1987, Nichols stated that Uhura's first name was "Nyota".


Development

Soon after the first scripts for ''Star Trek'' were being written, Roddenberry spoke of a new character, a female communications officer and introduced Herb Solow and Robert Justman to Nichols, who had worked for him on ''
The Lieutenant ''The Lieutenant'' is an American television program, television series, the first created by Gene Roddenberry. An hour-long drama, it aired on NBC on Saturday evenings in the 1963–1964 television schedule. It was produced by Arena Product ...
''. Although "
The Cage The Cage may refer to: Sports * West Fourth Street Courts, also known as "The Cage", as of 1978, a public venue for amateur basketball in New York City * Al-Shorta Stadium, 1990–2014, former football stadium of Al-Shorta SC, nicknamed "The Cag ...
" (the first pilot episode of ''Star Trek'', featuring a female first officer, Number One) was rejected, Roddenberry continued to seek diversity in his casting for the series, including a greater emphasis on racial diversity, with Nichols as Uhura and George Takei as Sulu. Uhura's role of "answering the phone" has been described as gender normative for the era. Nichols planned to leave ''Star Trek'' in 1967 after its first season, wanting to return to
musical theater Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, moveme ...
. She changed her mind after talking to
Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister, civil and political rights, civil rights activist and political philosopher who was a leader of the civil rights move ...
who was a fan of the show. King explained that her character signified a future of greater racial harmony and cooperation. King told Nichols, "You are our image of where we're going, you're 300 years from now, and that means that's where we are and it takes place now. Keep doing what you're doing, you are our inspiration." As Nichols recounted, "''Star Trek'' was one of the only shows that
ing Ing, ING or ing may refer to: Art and media * '' ...ing'', a 2003 Korean film * i.n.g, a Taiwanese girl group * The Ing, a race of dark creatures in the 2004 video game '' Metroid Prime 2: Echoes'' * "Ing", the first song on The Roches' 199 ...
and his wife
Coretta Coretta (foaled February 11, 1994 in Ireland) is a Thoroughbred racemare who competed in the United States. She was bred and raced by Gerald W. Leigh, proprietor of England's Eydon Hall Stud. Leigh owned and bred her dam, Free At Last, who w ...
would allow their little children to watch. And I thanked him and I told him I was leaving the show. All the smile came off his face. And he said, 'Don't you understand for the first time we're seen as we should be seen. You don't have a black role. You have an equal role.'


Depiction

Uhura, from the United States of Africa, speaks Swahili''Star Trek'' episode: "
The Man Trap "The Man Trap" is the first broadcast episode of Star Trek: The Original Series season 1, season one of the American science fiction television series ''Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek''. Written by George Clayton Johnson and directed ...
"
and was born on January 19, 2233.
James Blish James Benjamin “Jimmy” Blish () was an American science fiction and fantasy writer. He is best known for his ''Cities in Flight'' novels and his series of ''Star Trek'' novelizations written with his wife, J. A. Lawrence. His novel ''A Case ...
's
non-canon The adjective canonical is applied in many contexts to mean 'according to the canon' the standard, rule or primary source that is accepted as authoritative for the body of knowledge or literature in that context. In mathematics, ''canonical example ...
novels identify her as Bantu, as does Gene Roddenberry's novelization of '' Star Trek: The Motion Picture''. Uhura first appears in the episode "
The Man Trap "The Man Trap" is the first broadcast episode of Star Trek: The Original Series season 1, season one of the American science fiction television series ''Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek''. Written by George Clayton Johnson and directed ...
", joining the crew of the USS ''Enterprise'' as a lieutenant, and serves as chief communications officer under Captain Kirk. She is depicted as a capable bridge officer and readily assumed control of the helm, navigation and science stations on the bridge when the need arose. Uhura was also a talented singer, and enjoyed serenading her shipmates when off-duty; Spock occasionally accompanied her on the Vulcan lyre in episodes "
Charlie X "Charlie X" is the second broadcast episode of the Star Trek: The Original Series season 1, first season of the American science fiction television series ''Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek''. Written by Dorothy C. Fontana from a story ...
" and "
The Conscience of the King "The Conscience of the King" is the 13th episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series ''Star Trek''. Written by Barry Trivers and directed by Gerd Oswald, it first aired on December 8, 1966. The series, which ...
". In " The Lorelei Signal", a 1973 episode of '' Star Trek: The Animated Series'', Uhura assumes command of the Enterprise when the male officers fall victim to a species of sirens and leads an all-female rescue party. After the sirens are defeated, the Enterprise crew help the sirens, and Uhura bonds with the sirens, who are happy at the thought that they might meet men and have children. She is later promoted to lieutenant commander in '' Star Trek: The Motion Picture'', and to full commander in '' Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan''. '' Star Trek III: The Search for Spock'' sees Uhura take an assignment in the transporter room as part of a plot to steal the ''Enterprise''. After locking a colleague in a closet, Uhura uses the transporter station to beam Kirk,
Leonard McCoy Dr. Leonard H. McCoy, known as "Bones", is a character in the American science-fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. McCoy was played by actor DeForest Kelley in the original ''Star Trek'' series from 1966 to 1969, and he also appears in the anima ...
and
Hikaru Sulu Hikaru Kato Sulu is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. A member of the crew in the original ''Star Trek'' series, Sulu also appears in the animated ''Star Trek'' series, in the first six ''Star Trek'' movies, in one epi ...
to the ''Enterprise'' so they can use it to rescue
Spock Spock is a fictional Character (arts), character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. He first appeared in the Star Trek: The Original Series, original ''Star Trek'' series serving aboard the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), USS ''Enterpri ...
from the Genesis Planet. As planned, Uhura later meets up with her crewmates on Vulcan and witnesses Spock's successful renewal. Uhura has a smaller role in the first, second and third films. ''
Uhura's Song ''Uhura's Song'' is a '' Star Trek: The Original Series'' novel written by Janet Kagan published in 1985. Kagan was asked to produce an outline by editor David G. Hartwell, after he read the manuscript of her novel '' Hellspark''. She was unfa ...
'', a novel published in 1985, developed her character further, placing her at the center of the action and introducing Uhura's interest in alien languages. Elements from this novel influenced her depiction in later films and novels. Following these events and the destruction of the ''Enterprise'', Uhura joins her crewmates on a stolen
Klingon The Klingons ( ; Klingon language, Klingon: ''tlhIngan'' ) are a humanoid species of aliens in the science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. Developed by screenwriter Gene L. Coon in 1967 for the Star Trek: The Original Series, original ''Star T ...
ship amid a crisis on
Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...
in '' Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home''. Traveling to the 20th century, they attempt to save a pair of
humpback whale The humpback whale (''Megaptera novaeangliae'') is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the monotypic taxon, only species in the genus ''Megaptera''. Adults range in length from and weigh u ...
s in order to repopulate the species. During a trip to
San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
, Uhura and
Pavel Chekov Pavel Andreievich Chekov () is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' fictional universe, universe. Walter Koenig portrayed Chekov in the second and third seasons of the original ''Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek'' series and the ...
infiltrate the
aircraft carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and hangar facilities for supporting, arming, deploying and recovering carrier-based aircraft, shipborne aircraft. Typically it is the ...
USS ''Enterprise'' and use emissions from the carrier's nuclear reactor to recharge the Klingon vessel's power supply. Kirk and Spock then procure the whales so the crew can return to the 23rd century and save Earth. In light of their heroics, Starfleet Command exonerates Uhura and the rest of Kirk's crew for their illegal activities. Kirk is demoted to the rank of captain after a prior promotion to admiral, but is assigned to command the USS ''Enterprise''-A. Uhura joins Kirk's crew, and once again serves as chief communications officer throughout the events of '' Star Trek V: The Final Frontier'' and '' Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country''. In ''The Final Frontier'', a romantic interest between Uhura and Montgomery Scott is briefly implied while Uhura seemingly is under the influence of Sybok, but the subplot is never fully developed in the following movies, leading the viewer to assume that the pair continues as friends. A hidden ''Star Trek: Picard'' season 2 Easter egg reveals Nichelle Nichols’ Uhura became a starship captain after ''The Undiscovered Country'', where Cadet
Jean-Luc Picard Jean-Luc Picard is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, most often seen as the commanding officer of the Federation starship . Played by Patrick Stewart, Picard has appeared in the television series '' Star Trek: The Next Gene ...
first experienced lightspeed travel.


Reboot (Kelvin timeline) films

In the 2009 film ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...
'', Zoe Saldana plays a young Uhura who is introduced as a cadet at the academy, but is promoted to a communications officer as the movie unfolds. The film is also notable for officially establishing the character's given name, Nyota. This Uhura is initially cold towards Kirk (and is verbally more than a match for him) after he attempts to flirt with her while intoxicated. However, by the end of film, she comes to respect Kirk as captain of the ''Enterprise''. Although Nichols was not consulted over the character's casting, Saldana personally reached out to Nichols, who in turn helped her prepare for the role. A former student of Spock's, Uhura is also romantically involved with him. In ''Star Trek'', the ongoing comic book series by
IDW Publishing IDW Publishing is an American publisher of comic books, graphic novels, art books, and comic strip collections. It was founded in 1999 as the publishing division of Idea and Design Works, LLC (IDW) and is recognized as the fifth-largest comic ...
, they are shown going on a date during her studies at the Academy. When Uhura is initially assigned to the USS ''Farragut'' in an attempt by Spock to avoid the appearance of favoritism, she demands that he assign her to the ''Enterprise'', arguing she would have been assigned there had they not been involved. She persists in her complaints until Spock relents. Had she remained on the ''Farragut'', she would have been killed, as that vessel is subsequently destroyed by the villain Nero. Uhura quickly receives a field promotion due to her skill with the Romulan language and remains on the bridge for most of the film. The 2009 depiction of Nyota Uhura generated much online debate, with some fans praising her portrayal, while other fans disapproved of her romantic relationship with Spock, or suggested that her expanded role in the film was evidence that she had become a "
Mary Sue A Mary Sue is a type of fictional character, usually a young woman, who is portrayed as free of weaknesses or character flaws. The character type has acquired a pejorative reputation in fan communities, with the label "Mary Sue" often applie ...
" character. Other fans suggested that a romance with Spock was hinted in ''TOS'', but could not be followed up on due to racism at the time, and that it would have been impossible at the time to depict Uhura in a romantic relationship. When discussing her response to the 2009 film, Nichelle Nichols confirmed that "there was always a connection between Uhura and Spock" and that the times did not allow for anything more than "hints". Nichols also discussed meeting with Saldana to discuss Uhura, and praised Saldana's portrayal. One writer said the
intersectionality Intersectionality is an analytical framework for understanding how groups' and individuals' social and political identities result in unique combinations of discrimination and privilege. Examples of these intersecting and overlapping factor ...
of Uhura as a Black woman was important when discussing her romance with Spock, because romances between Black women and white men were largely portrayed as cautionary tales in Hollywood films. In the first sequel, ''
Star Trek Into Darkness ''Star Trek Into Darkness'' is a 2013 American science fiction film, science fiction action film directed by J. J. Abrams and written by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof. It is the 12th installment in the ''Star Trek'' franchise ...
'', Uhura has been serving on the ''Enterprise'' for a year and is still romantically involved with Spock. She and Kirk have a good working relationship and share their frustrations with Spock's emotional unavailability (Uhura as his lover, Kirk as his best friend). Uhura is called upon several times to act as a field officer, attempting to use her fluency in Klingon to assist in the hunt for the fugitive John Harrison. She later contacts Spock Prime (at her Spock's request) to consult him over Harrison's identity, and at the climax of the film, helps Spock defeat and capture Harrison after a long chase and fierce hand-to-hand combat. In the second sequel, ''
Star Trek Beyond ''Star Trek Beyond'' is a 2016 American science fiction film, science fiction action film directed by Justin Lin, written by Simon Pegg and Doug Jung. It is the 13th film in the ''Star Trek'' franchise and the third installment in List of Star ...
'', her exceptional hearing, first referenced in the 2009 film, reveals the identity of the main antagonist. Spock and Uhura amicably discuss ending their relationship and have some tension over Spock's intention to leave
Starfleet Starfleet is a fictional organization in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. Within this fictional universe, Starfleet is a uniformed space force maintained by the United Federation of Planets ("the Federation") as the principal means for conduct ...
to help the Vulcan survivors, in the wake of the death of Spock Prime. Spock later instead chooses to remain in Starfleet, and begins to renew his relationship with Uhura. In a 2012 poll conducted by ''
SFX Magazine ''SFX'' is a British magazine covering the topics of science fiction and fantasy. Its name is a reference to the abbreviated form of "special effects". Description ''SFX'' magazine is published every four weeks by Future plc and was founded in 19 ...
'' to find the 100 sexiest female characters in science fiction and fantasy, Uhura, as portrayed by Saldana in the 2009 film, was voted number one.


''Strange New Worlds''

In ''Star Trek: Strange New Worlds'', the character is featured as a Cadet serving on the ''Enterprise'' as part of an advanced placement. Played by Celia Rose Gooding. The series reveals Uhura's backstory: she is from
Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
and her parents, both university professors, and older brother died when she was younger - possibly in an explosion or shuttle crash (STSNW Subspace Rhapsody). At a dinner in Captain Pike's quarters, Uhura admits that she joined Starfleet as a way of honoring her grandmother who was a Starfleet officer that raised her when her parents died, but is unsure about continuing in the service. This draws negative reactions from other members of the crew, including Spock. However, after her exemplary performance on her first away mission, Spock softens his tone and tells her that she will make an excellent officer if she decides to stay. Season 2 she returns to the Enterprise as an Ensign and the Enterprise's communications officer.


Cultural impact


Role model

When Nichols considered quitting the show in the late 1960s, she was told someone wanted to meet her, claiming to be her biggest fan. By her account the fan was
Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister, civil and political rights, civil rights activist and political philosopher who was a leader of the civil rights move ...
, who convinced her not to leave the show by stating: "You cannot do that. ... For the first time, we are being seen the world over as we should be seen." Nichols decided to stay on the show, explaining her reasons to Roddenberry, who replied "finally, someone gets it."
Whoopi Goldberg Caryn Elaine Johnson (born November 13, 1955), known professionally as Whoopi Goldberg (), is an American actor, comedian, author, and television personality.Kuchwara, Michael (AP Drama Writer)"Whoopi Goldberg: A One-Woman Character Parade". ...
describes Uhura as an inspiration for her acting career and status as a Star Trek fan. Goldberg later recalled watching ''Star Trek'' as a teenager and telling family members: "I just saw a Black woman on television; and she ain't no maid!"''Star Trek Monthly'' issue 56. Goldberg later played Guinan on '' Star Trek: The Next Generation''.
NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...
employed Nichols in a campaign to encourage women and African-Americans to join the organization. In 1978
NASA Astronaut Group 8 NASA Astronaut Group 8 was a group of 35 astronauts announced on January 16, 1978. It was the first NASA selection since NASA Astronaut Group 6, Group 6 in 1967, and was the largest group to that date. The class was the first to include fe ...
yielded the first recruits composed of women and ethnic minorities in the United States. Three were Black ( Guion Bluford, Ronald McNair and Dr. Frederick D. Gregory).
Mae Jemison Mae Carol Jemison (born October 17, 1956) is an American engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut. She became the first African-American woman to travel into space when she served as a mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavou ...
, the first Black woman to fly aboard the
Space Shuttle The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable launch system, reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. ...
, cited ''Star Trek'' as an influence in her decision to join. Jemison herself had a minor role on an episode of ''The Next Generation'' called " Second Chances", playing a transporter operator named Lieutenant Palmer. Jemison was the first of several real-life astronauts to appear on ''Star Trek''. On February 29, 2012, Nichols met with President Obama in the White House Oval Office. She later Tweeted about the meeting, ""Months ago Pres Obama was quoted as saying that he'd had a crush on me when he was younger." Nichols also wrote, "I asked about that & he proudly confirmed it! President Obama also confirmed for me that he was definitely a Trekker! How wonderful is that?!"


Interracial kiss

In the 1968 episode " Plato's Stepchildren", Uhura and
Captain Kirk James Tiberius Kirk, often known as Captain Kirk, is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. Originally played by Canadian actor William Shatner, Kirk first appeared in ''Star Trek'' serving aboard the starship USS ''Enterp ...
kiss. For many years this was claimed to be the first example of a scripted inter-racial kiss on United States television, although other examples have come to light. Originally, the scene was to be filmed both with the kiss, and without it so that the network could later decide to either air the kiss, or exclude it. However, Shatner and Nichols deliberately flubbed every take without the kiss, rendering them useless so that the kiss had to be included.


Reception

In 2013, Uhura was ranked among the top 50 sexiest characters of the science-fiction genre. They note the character is "a whipsmart wise-ass who can hold her own against the guys" of the ''
Enterprise Enterprise (or the archaic spelling Enterprize) may refer to: Business and economics Brands and enterprises * Enterprise GP Holdings, an energy holding company * Enterprise plc, a UK civil engineering and maintenance company * Enterpris ...
''. In 2016,
Screen Rant ''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and comic books. It is owned by Valnet, parent of publications including Comic Book Resources, Collider, MovieWeb and XDA Developers. ...
rated Uhura as the 16th best character in ''Star Trek'' overall as presented in television and film up to that time, highlighting the character as a "lingual expert who could handle herself on away missions". In 2018,
Comic Book Resources ''CBR'', formerly ''Comic Book Resources'', is a news website primarily covering comic book news, comic book reviews, and comic book–related topics involving movies, television, anime, and video games. It is owned by Valnet, parent of publicat ...
ranked Uhura as the 23rd best
Starfleet Starfleet is a fictional organization in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. Within this fictional universe, Starfleet is a uniformed space force maintained by the United Federation of Planets ("the Federation") as the principal means for conduct ...
character of ''Star Trek''. In 2018, ''The Wrap'' placed Uhura as 20th out 39 in a ranking of main cast characters of the ''Star Trek'' franchise. In 2016, Uhura was ranked as the 14th most important character of Starfleet within the ''Star Trek'' science fiction universe by ''Wired'' magazine. In 2017, Screen Rant ranked Uhura the second most attractive person in the ''Star Trek'' universe, in between
Benjamin Sisko Benjamin Lafayette Sisko is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' franchise portrayed by Avery Brooks. He was the main character of the television series '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (''DS9''), which was originally broadcast between 199 ...
and
Jean-Luc Picard Jean-Luc Picard is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, most often seen as the commanding officer of the Federation starship . Played by Patrick Stewart, Picard has appeared in the television series '' Star Trek: The Next Gene ...
. In 2017, Comic Book Resources ranked the performance of Mirror Uhura the 14th "fiercest" female character of the ''Star Trek'' universe. In 2018, Comic Book Resources ranked Uhura the 23rd best member of Starfleet. In 2019, Uhura was ranked the fifth sexiest ''Star Trek'' character by SyFy.


References


Further reading

* * * * *


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Uhura, Nyota Television characters introduced in 1966 Fictional commanders Fictional Kenyan people Fictional female lieutenants Fictional linguists Fictional philologists Fictional singers Star Trek (film franchise) characters Star Trek: Phase II characters Star Trek: Strange New Worlds characters Star Trek: The Animated Series characters Star Trek: The Original Series characters Starfleet commanders Starfleet lieutenant commanders Starfleet lieutenants Female characters in television Fictional characters from the 23rd century Black people in television Black characters in animation Black characters in films Fictional mathematicians Fictional polyglots