Nichelle Nichols, best known for her performance as Nyota Uhura in 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Star Trek: The Original Series has pas🃏sed 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."
He continues, "I, and theౠ 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 , who encouraged her to stay in the role, and inspired both Black actresses and astronauts alike to pursue their careers.
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 character of Guinan was specifically created for her, and would not have happened if Nichols hadn't inspired the young Goldberg.
Nichols leaves behind a legacy of breaking boundaries, fighting for civil rights, and inspiring Black women in media, sci-fi, and even space travel. She is survived by her son, Kyle Johnson. She also leav☂es behind three living Star Trek cast members, William Shatner, George Takei, and Walter Koenig.