Theres a story about Nichelle Nichols and James Doohan that always stuck with me. They were at a convention when they met a fan who was on his last legs emotionally and ready to give up on life. He told them that what kept him going was the convention every year and the fun atmosphere he got to be around for a few days. So they made him a promise that if he kept on going and gave life a chance they would be there at the next convention to meet him again. And they did it for a bit until he wasn't there one time, so the next time they saw him they asked why he didn't come and he said his life had completely changed around for the better and he just couldn't make it. They literally saved that man's life. Just in case you didn't know how much of a hero these people were already. RIP Nichelle, James, DeForest, Leonard, Majel, Grace and Mark. You are so very missed.
I've come across it too, @@Ottophilbut from a source that gave all the credit to JD and didn't mention Nichelle. Guess it's one for the List of Topics to Search; see if we can get the details straight. Wonder if there's more than one case of this happening!
@@alm2187 There could've been more than one incident. Jimmy-and "ST"- had a great influence on many. I got to meet him and De at one convention, Shatner, Walter, Robin, Michael Forest, Ray Bradbury, and Billy Mumy at a bigger one, and Leonard Nimoy at a CP telethon at WTBS as well.
It's one thing to play a role on a TV show about an idealized, integrated future in space - it's another thing to be the one to _actually_ lead the integration of the US space program, making that idealized future a reality in the now. The fact that Nichelle Nichols did that is never not mindblowing.
@@petepanteraman WRONG. If your lazy ass did something called THOROUGH research (instead of repeating the "pick yourself up by your bootstraps" TALKING POINT), then you'd know MAE HERSELF per Nichelle (in her 1994 interview) said the recruitment program Nichelle had with NASA....opened the doors for Mae. But, this is what happens when you're desperate for a talking point and fail to do research.
As a black male, I will say unequivocally as a child she was an inspiration to me. Whoopi Goldberg had said that when she saw Nichelle Nichols as Uhura in Star Trek.... The first thought in her head was there is great future coming and we (people of color) shall be there.... Not as servants but as equals. There is a brilliant scene in the movie The Ten Commandments. Where Joshua tells Moses to stand up on a rock so the people can see him and have hope. For me as a child watching Star Trek, Nichelle Nihcols was that person standing on a rock giving my people hope. Hailing Frequencies Closed
Hi Ian! I find your comment powerful and eye-opening. I’m a white guy from Europe’s (arguably) “whitest country”. We used to watch Star Trek in the 80’s, both actual and re-runs from the ‘60’s. We never considered blacks (or other races) as inferrior, we never even thaught about it. They were exotic and interesting, that was something very “American” and progressive, to have person of other race as a friend or partner. There is small community of “Afro-Croatians” here, they are 99% mixed race and most beautiful people ever, I have neighbours with 2 kids, mother is local (blonde, white), father is Carribean black. Their children are accepted and treated as equal here. We’re starting to have more considerable influx of immigrants only last 3-4 years so it is still exciting to meet someone who’s not white but now you see those people on a weekly bases, not once in the couple of years as it was before. Also we never had colonial past so no bad memories or history. Moreover - Croatian emigrants to New Zealand in the 19th century were the first whites to work and marry local Maori people and treat them equal to us. It’s much appreciated by Polynesian peoples to this day.
As a white male living in America, I hope that the future we see in TOS, TNG, DS9, and VOY can some day come to pass. Where we aren't judged by...how did Kirk put it in "Plato's Stepchildren"? "Where I come from, size, shape, or color makes no difference." "
Whoopi goldberg is a liberal racist piece of trash. She's not worthy to even be mentioned in the same article much less the same sentence with Nichelle Nichols
Maybe this sounds naive and silly, but I was very into Star Trek. My school and community was all white at the time but I'd sit in class and think why can't this room look more like the Enterprise bridge.
@@timojarun7830 thanks for sharing that brother. All I can tell you is if our future is going to resemble Star Trek it's going to be because of people like you. Despite the racism and violence I have seen in different parts of the world I believe as Abraham Lincoln would say in the better angels of our nature. I think deep down inside we all want to be better people. And I think one day we will be better people. Croatia's on my list of places to visit 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂
On an episode of Star Trek, Uhura figured out the native people of the planet Worshipped the son of God and not the sun in the sky which Kirk, Spock and Bones had thought. Uhura also figured out to use the detection equipment to find the cloaked bird of prey in the Undiscovered Country.
Another very brief moment I really enjoyed was in "The Naked Time". Shortly after Sulu takes Uhura in his arms he says something to the effect of "I'll protect you, fair maiden!" -- to which Uhura pushes away and indignantly replies "I am neither!" Almost a blink-and-you'll-miss-it line but just wonderfully done, and hilarious. I also enjoy how the first episode aired, the first scene viewers would've seen on the Enterprise bridge was of Uhura casually flirting with Spock. I was glad to have had the chance to see her speak at a convention nine years ago. She'll be dearly missed.
As a Black male and a retired professor I am thankful to you 🙏🏾 both for making her line clear. I was born in 1964 and always remembered this line. I never heard it clearly. Black people would have loved hearing this more clearly.
I was 11 in 1966 when I saw "Naked Time" and to me, "fair" meant beautiful or attractive. I didn't necessarily associate it with being blonde and blue-eyed. So when I heard "Sorry, neither," I couldn't understand why Uhura was denying she was a beautiful woman. I, as a young white girl, thought she was very pretty. Took me a while longer to understand what she meant, even the "maiden" part.
My favorite will always be when I met her in 2019 at Wondercon. She was an angel surrounded by a cloud of graciousness. Yes, she is a class act I will miss.
Thank you so much for this wonderful tribute to Nichelle Nichols. She inspired me to join the US Air Force at a time when there weren't many women or black officers. Luckily I got married and was able to change my last name from Kirk before getting my commission. I'm sure I would have had to endure Lieutenant and Captain Kirk jokes my entire military career. Rest in Power and Peace Ms. Nichols. 🖖🏾🙏🏾
She was one of my favorite parts of Star Trek. Truly a loss to us all. She'll live on as a shining example of grace and strength, both on screen and off. Thank you for this tribute.
Fun fact I don't know if you pointed out in a past video - Leondegrance was the role Stewart played in 1981's Excalibur, so that easter egg about Uhura's ship is double-layered!
I grew up in an absolutely white-bread little town in Wisconsin in the 70s. When I moved out into the world and started meeting people of different colors and ethnicities, it never entered my mind to think of them as "less" than me--because I grew up looking up to Uhura and Sulu.
Nichelle was a delightful lady. I know because I was lucky enough to work with her back in 1977. We all miss you, Miss Nichols. But we will meet again, I promise! You have already been blessed many times, and in many ways. I know there will be many more. Just because you’re no longer here with us, it doesn’t mean you won’t continue to be blessed!
For "The Undiscovered Country" remember, it was Uhura who brought up the environmental equipment as a possible counter to the cloaked bird-of-prey. "It's got to have a tailpipe." I thought this helped demonstrate her character's ingenuity. Sure, an expert in Comms, but also well versed in critical thinking. It also showcased again, that any member on the Bridge of the ship can contribute.
I bet Hemmer was smilng down on Uhura for coming up with that idea from whatever afterlife Aenars believe in. Would have been even better if she had been part of the team to modify the photon torpedo...but being the genius who thought up the workaround to Chang's prototype cloaking device certainly would have made the crusty engineer proud 😉
Beautifully done. She was always something special for all girls, no matter our background. I first got into Trek in the 70s, and this white British girl, about 8-9 years old, fell in love (as innocently as children do) with this awesome lady on one of my favourite shows. So many others had women as "hangers on", even Dr Who's assistants back then were frankly timid as a rule. I was fortunate enough to have two awesome parents who brought up me and my three sisters to believe in ourselves. Dad told me that the only thing a man could do that a woman couldn't was to be a biological father (and vice versa. He was a firm believer in absolute equality for everyone), and Uhura was the only character that I could relate my upbringing to. On top of that she was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside, and that shone through in everything I ever saw her in. I'm now in the second half of my fifties and I still have a great deal to thank her for. RIP Nichelle, you were something else. So much got done because of you, and your legacy will live on.
As a young, white, American girl in the 70's I watched the original Star Trek and was instantly drawn to the diversity in the show. Especially Nichelle's Uhura. A strong female was rare in those days and it was wonderful to see this happening. My parents taught us that as girls we could be whatever we wanted and to respect others no matter their background. Learned a lot from my parents, and Star Trek. And thank you to Nichelle Nichols for pushing forward for women in many ways. You will be missed.
I’ve been a fan of ‘Star Trek’ since it first aired in the 1960s, when my parents and us kids watched it as a family. Our southern school had been desegregated in 1953 (first one to do that), so we all got along just fine. The highlights in this presentation had my favorite Uhura moments. The alternate universe where she held her own, her lovely singing in ‘Charlie X’, her facial expressions with Ensign Adventure- - where she so wonderfully gave him some real excitement (his reactions are great too), her very lovely dancing with a full moon behind her (I read silly comments about her being nude, if you look closely- - she is wearing a black body leotard). Condolences to her family and friends🥀🕯😪🤧
Seán this is a perfect video in which to honor the beautiful Nichelle Nichols. Such a warm and lovely tribute to our First Lady of Star Trek. Uhura was always one of the best characters and thanks to Nichelle’s performance she was easily a fan favorite. Thank you again for this amazing video to celebrate her finest role.
Probably my favorite Uhura moment is from "The Galileo Seven" when the shuttle first looses control inside the Murasaki 312 quasar, Kirk stating that "finding a needle in a haystack would be childs play" to find the lost shuttle. Within moments, Uhura narrows that search down to just one M-class planet, Tarsus II, that they could have survived a crash on. Nice work temporarily doubling as a science officer and increasing the odds that the lost crew were found.
I'm glad that you recognized Nichols performance in that animated show and that episode especially. Also she sings in the animated shows which is a good thing.
There’s a great moment from one of the books (that I’m remembering poorly, so sorry for that) where she talks about how important and difficult it it is to be a witness to people’s last moments since as com officer she would have to keep listening to the open distress calls until they finally stopped. I know that’s the character and not the actor but it’s always stuck with me
I've shared this story on your other video about Ms. Nichols, this is just a simple copy/paste of it.: A tragedy, indeed. In 2005, I was lucky enough to have the honour of meeting Nichelle at a ComicCon here in my hometown of Hamilton, ON. We grabbed a couple photos together, and chatted for about 5 minutes. A dear woman and beautiful soul, she was. We talked briefly about her kiss with Kirk and how iconic that scene was (at that time I still thought it was the first interracial kiss on tv). I told her that I had never had an interracial kiss and asked her for the honour of a kiss. She laughed and cheerfully said "Absolutely." I turned my face to allow her to kiss my cheek, she put her hands on both sides of my face, turned my head to face her and said, "No no no, Dear, we have to do this right." Then, to my pleasant surprise, she leaned in and kissed me on the mouth. I will never forget her. She WILL be missed.
You should have mentioned the time that Uhura took over navigation duties when the navigator was not at a station at a crucial moment. Shows that she has knowledge of more than just communications. That she is actually bridge trained, she can take over any station if needed and perform competently....
I was gonna say the same thing. Not only was it a critical moment, but the ship was spiraling out of control and about to crash out of orbit into the planet. That takes extreme skill to pull that off!
It's subtle, but in Balance of Terror, after the meeting in the conference room, Kirk hails the bridge. Uhura answers. Every single time someone hails the bridge, the officer who has the con answers. So, while not shown (because we don't pan to the bridge) Uhura has command of the bridge at that moment.
I think you missed one, though it is very very subtle. There's a moment in Star Trek VI where Chang is flying around in his invisible bird of prey, mocking them by radi. Uhura is sitting at her communications console working really hard, hitting buttons and scowling. It's pretty obvious that what she is doing is attempting to find Chang by his transmissions. She's being a signals intelligence operator. It's great!
I had to wince at the movie scene. Uhura would have basic fluency in Klingon and Romulan and Vulcan, as a linguistics expert. She would know communications, computer science and networking, signals, cryptography, and more. She was also a bridge officer who could fill in at any bridge station, since she acted as relief science officer and relief navigator in TOS. So by the movie scene, sure, she might use printed dictionaries for obscure pints, but she herself would likely know enough to have a good accent and grammar, enough to fool an outpost guard. The scene could have still been comedic and used those books, but it also should have shown Uhura as smoothly skilled. TOS didn't give her a lot of scenes, but it did show she was skilled and not someone to be messed with.
(shrug) I always interpreted that there's no call for Cadets to waste neurons on linguistics since computerized translations are good ninety-nine percent of the time, apparently. Bigger question is in NextGen when Riker's prospective First Officer is said to speak forty languages. Viewers tend to ask: "what good does that do?"
Until Trek 09 and the Uhura of SNW, I guess I never thought Uhura was a linguistics expert. Communications and languages aren't the same thing, necessarily. My major was Communications, but the only language I can read (other than English) is Latin and a bit of Klingon!
Another aspect of it may come to light if we research wartime submarines,@@paulfaulkner5786 Would a Comms Officer ever not have proficiency in the enemy language.
100% agree, but this is also a problem that goes well beyond ST VI and indeed all of Star Trek. Earth today still has an estimated 6,000 languages, and the top-spoken languages are as varied as English, Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, and Hindi. Even if English is the main global lingua franca, that doesn't make it "Terran" (and ST:DISCO demonstrates languages other than English are still commonly spoken in the 23rd century). Yet other planets are always depicted as monoglot: Vulcan, Qo'nos, Romulus, Bajor... where are the dialects? (I know, I get it, world-building is more art than science, and the story is the top consideration; I'm just highlighting one of the key challenges of realistically portraying these characters and worlds.)
I enjoy Spock telling Uhura that he would be happy to instruct her on the mathematical theory behind the playing of the Vulcan Lute, but that he had never met a human capable of mastering it.....a few scenes later we see Uhura playing as well as Spock.
Could use some Memory Beta filler on how she can surpass the expectations of the great reasoner, like that. Spock does keep reckoning without emotional intelligence, though. Can feelings improve musicianship that much? We could also use some real-world frame of reference for how mathematically complicated music can really be.
@@alm2187 There was an episode on ST: NG where Data is given a compliment about his skill on the violin. Data disagreed. Sure,he could master the mechanics of the instrument but he lacked "soul".
@@alm2187 Someone who fully understands musical theory can read sheet music and hear the full score in their mind. A novice sees marks on lines, and can perhaps slowly work out each value and slowly translate that to a piano keyboard one. note. at. a. time. Perhaps. EGBDF/FACE. Like any language music can be mastered but is very much complicated to the neopphyte and very mathematical in theory.
For the ten year old African-American girl I was in 1966, Nicholas's presence on the Enterprise made it an "Of course" that we will all be at the table and on the bridge, i.e. part of the folks running things. (We may have work to do, but it's inevitable.) Peace and Long Life; Live Long and Prosper.
Also Far Beyond the Stars which aired in the 90s was really good. I'm a white woman and things have gone far for women since the 60s. And I'm glad it's socially acceptable for me to not get married and to have basically any job I want and that it's okay for women to be in leadership positions, despite what you may hear from feminists.
There was a scene in ST:TMP where Commander Spock figured out V'Ger had been trying to communicate. Quick shot to Uhura looking stunned. WHY did they do that? That should have been HER deduction, not Spock's. I guess they gave it Spock to highlight the fact that he showed up and saved the day for that scene.
Sean, you should have added the final act of Balance of Terror when Stiles left the bridge and Kirk asked Uhura to take his place. The camera does a long and what seems to be unnecessary pan to show here taking a pivotal position in the middle of combat. It only last for a few seconds, but for a women and a women of color to be highlighted even if it wasn't intentional
Lest we not forget she survived the salt vampire by showing that she had the strength to not totally succomb to her raw sexual desires. A strength that even Kirk and Bones lacked. "The Man Trap" indeed!
The scene in “Search for Spock” is one of my favorites in all of Trek movies. If that young Lieutenant hadn’t locked himself in the closet, I was perfectly willing to jump on the screen and punch his lights out. How dare he talk down to Uhura? Moron.
In the 60s when Star Trek came out, I watched it with my Uncle, home on leave from Army. I loved it after that. I was so young that I still played with Barbies and I had assembled a bridge crew for my pretend Enterprise. I had a pretty Barbie with short dark hair. Her name was Uhura. There were no dark skinned Barbies back then.
great vid .love the bit in star trek 5 when uhura gets kirk and gang in a shuttle only for kirk to ask why did you not beep my commutator she says you left it behind . great actress great character always be remembered
Thank you for making such a wonderful tribute to Ms Nicolls. I grew up watching and rewatching every episode of Star Trek. I just knew any door I wanted to open would open to me because I saw Uhuru on TV doing every job required to command that star ship. Women, even WOC could and would do everything and anything they wished.
There's nothing I can say that hasn't been said already. I wish all of her family and fans a safe period of mourning and encourage everyone to let her example continue to show the path forward.
Just wanted to thank you and the TrekCulture crew for this tribute. I have been in tears ever since her passing. About all I can say at this time for I’m tearing up yet again. Just wanted to commend all of you for your tribute.
She did some good, non-canonical Trek too, such as Renegades. She loved the franchise as a whole, and always had time for these little independent productions- as do a lot of old Trek alumni. 🍄
She has great legs. Even 30 years later in ST6 wearing that 90s miniskirt. Oh and the graphic equaliser style voice pattern shown behind the headings for each number is a really nice touch.
She was a truly amazing woman. The character she created was a driving force in so many lives. She may now be gone but her legacy will live on for generations to come.
"In this century we've learned not to fear words" Just proof that despite all our so-called progress, we're just as far away now as we were when TOS was on the air.
Besides pulling a phaser on 'Mr. Adventure' I think my favorite Uhura moment was in ST:6 when Spock says "Its merely ionized gas", Commander Uhura reminds us that they are carrying sensoring equipment. " Well that thing's gotta have a tailpipe!" Good thinking, Ma'am😮❤. I also really like when she says "All my hopes" and beams the guys aboard the ship.
Nichelle Nichols was wonderfully humble, not realizing the impact of her seemingly small role in TOS, it took Martin Luther King Jr, and Gene finally showing her the pile of fan mail the studio had kept from her for her to realize that though on screen her role was small the impact was huge. In the grander scheme of things it had an impact, that will far out live her.
You should definitely add Uhuru's great emotional acting when she sees Captain Kirk floating in a parallel universe and thinking that she's going mad. A tear-jerker for sure!
This is a amazing tribute to the character and the actress that played her. I have to say that I did not know how important and impactful that Uhura is to the legacy of Star Trek.
I love Uhura in the Gamsters of Triskelion where she is forced into combat for sport. She is absolutely fearless and every bit as competent and brave as Kirk and Chekov.
Uhura! The only reason why I started watching Star Trek. I was around 11 years old. That was when my puberty started. My parents were very strict on what I could watch. To them, Star Trek was totally fine. With me, staring at Uhura’s legs was perfect.
She was an absolute badass, and was one of my very earliest screen crushes. I loved her for how awesome she was even more than for how beautiful she was. Which is saying a fair amount. It's easy to forget that she was 3rd in command of the Enterprise.
In Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country, it was Uhura that solved the problem of finding the cloak Bird of Prey so that the Enterprise could fire upon it.
Trying to find the nuclear vessles. I know this was only comedy for "The Voyage Home" but it showed her ability to do light hearted scenes. Now, the timing was off, mostly do to the blocking of the scene, but that is on the director and post-production editing...it was not Nichelle Nichols' fault.
I had the opportunity, privilege, and honor to meet her in 2018 at a comic con. I didn't want to crowd her since I know some celebrities have had poor fan interactions, but she told me to stand closer for the picture. I'll definitely treasure that memory, the picture of me with her, and her autograph for years to come. RIP Nichelle Nichols.
Her response to Lincoln's (perceived) social error shows such grace and dignity, especially in the context of the '60's. Always one of my favorite moments.
I just might have gotten it in the post-Napster era. (I dabbled with Kazaa when it was popular. Shut up! I am not old!) I'd need to go through an external hard drive to find it and then find an expert listener to authenticate it. Guess it's the Stormy Weather of Star Trek soundtracks!
Always a true star. Watch the moment, as she slips her dagger back into her boot. She uses the hesitation... making sure it goes in her boot, as a dramatic pause in the way she leaves the bridge. She was and is a star...
In my century we have learned not to fear words. The most important line ever said in star trek. One that in today's culture has been all but forgotten in the wake of internet censorship.
Ms. Nichols was an inspiration for girls who wanted to get into the sciences and space exploration. She will be sorely missed. My condolences to her family and friends. 😿😢
Nichelle was also a straight up badass both on and off the screen. She was truly a personal hero of mine for decades and will continue to be for decades to come.
One of the reasons why _The Undiscovered Country_ is the best of the Original 6 movies is because it gave every one of the main cast members a moment to shine in what would be their last film together. Uhura had 2: Fooling the Klingons into believing the _Enterprise_ was one of their ships and her suggestion to splice the gaseous anomaly detection equipment into a photon torpedo to turn it into a homing missile. Had she failed or not been there to suggest these actions, the mission would have been doomed.
Theres a story about Nichelle Nichols and James Doohan that always stuck with me.
They were at a convention when they met a fan who was on his last legs emotionally and ready to give up on life.
He told them that what kept him going was the convention every year and the fun atmosphere he got to be around for a few days.
So they made him a promise that if he kept on going and gave life a chance they would be there at the next convention to meet him again. And they did it for a bit until he wasn't there one time, so the next time they saw him they asked why he didn't come and he said his life had completely changed around for the better and he just couldn't make it.
They literally saved that man's life. Just in case you didn't know how much of a hero these people were already.
RIP Nichelle, James, DeForest, Leonard, Majel, Grace and Mark. You are so very missed.
Ive heard this story. But I heard it was a woman
I've come across it too, @@Ottophilbut from a source that gave all the credit to JD and didn't mention Nichelle. Guess it's one for the List of Topics to Search; see if we can get the details straight. Wonder if there's more than one case of this happening!
@@alm2187 I heard it at a convention from the two of them when I was a kid. So I only have that to go on.
@@alm2187 There could've been more than one incident. Jimmy-and "ST"- had a great influence on many. I got to meet him and De at one convention, Shatner, Walter, Robin, Michael Forest, Ray Bradbury, and Billy Mumy at a bigger one, and Leonard Nimoy at a CP telethon at WTBS as well.
That choked me up
It's one thing to play a role on a TV show about an idealized, integrated future in space - it's another thing to be the one to _actually_ lead the integration of the US space program, making that idealized future a reality in the now. The fact that Nichelle Nichols did that is never not mindblowing.
she actually changed the future, for all star voyagers
Yes. Mae Jemison was the first Black female Astronaut…because of Nichelle’s collaboration with NASA.
Mae Jemison earned her spot on that mission and was inspired by Nichelle Nichols. Get it right! And never speak that crap again.
@@petepanteraman WRONG. If your lazy ass did something called THOROUGH research (instead of repeating the "pick yourself up by your bootstraps" TALKING POINT), then you'd know MAE HERSELF per Nichelle (in her 1994 interview) said the recruitment program Nichelle had with NASA....opened the doors for Mae.
But, this is what happens when you're desperate for a talking point and fail to do research.
@@domarq - She recruited personally Sally Ride, Judith Resnick, Guillion Bluford, and Ron McNair - ALL of the first women and men of color.
As a black male, I will say unequivocally as a child she was an inspiration to me. Whoopi Goldberg had said that when she saw Nichelle Nichols as Uhura in Star Trek.... The first thought in her head was there is great future coming and we (people of color) shall be there.... Not as servants but as equals.
There is a brilliant scene in the movie The Ten Commandments. Where Joshua tells Moses to stand up on a rock so the people can see him and have hope.
For me as a child watching Star Trek, Nichelle Nihcols was that person standing on a rock giving my people hope.
Hailing Frequencies Closed
Hi Ian! I find your comment powerful and eye-opening. I’m a white guy from Europe’s (arguably) “whitest country”. We used to watch Star Trek in the 80’s, both actual and re-runs from the ‘60’s. We never considered blacks (or other races) as inferrior, we never even thaught about it. They were exotic and interesting, that was something very “American” and progressive, to have person of other race as a friend or partner. There is small community of “Afro-Croatians” here, they are 99% mixed race and most beautiful people ever, I have neighbours with 2 kids, mother is local (blonde, white), father is Carribean black. Their children are accepted and treated as equal here. We’re starting to have more considerable influx of immigrants only last 3-4 years so it is still exciting to meet someone who’s not white but now you see those people on a weekly bases, not once in the couple of years as it was before. Also we never had colonial past so no bad memories or history. Moreover - Croatian emigrants to New Zealand in the 19th century were the first whites to work and marry local Maori people and treat them equal to us. It’s much appreciated by Polynesian peoples to this day.
As a white male living in America, I hope that the future we see in TOS, TNG, DS9, and VOY can some day come to pass. Where we aren't judged by...how did Kirk put it in "Plato's Stepchildren"?
"Where I come from, size, shape, or color makes no difference." "
Whoopi goldberg is a liberal racist piece of trash. She's not worthy to even be mentioned in the same article much less the same sentence with Nichelle Nichols
Maybe this sounds naive and silly, but I was very into Star Trek. My school and community was all white at the time but I'd sit in class and think why can't this room look more like the Enterprise bridge.
@@timojarun7830 thanks for sharing that brother. All I can tell you is if our future is going to resemble Star Trek it's going to be because of people like you.
Despite the racism and violence I have seen in different parts of the world I believe as Abraham Lincoln would say in the better angels of our nature.
I think deep down inside we all want to be better people. And I think one day we will be better people.
Croatia's on my list of places to visit 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂
This was a lovely tribute. Majel Barrett may have been the first lady of Star Trek, but Nichelle Nichols was truly the Queen.
Well said and very true.
All hail to her Majesty
RIP Nichelle. She was wonderful.
Heaven itself is improved by her presence there…
Yes RIP, Hailing frequencies closed. :(
"The Lorelei Signal" is one of my favorite Uhura episodes. Glad you mentioned it as number 1.
This was an absolutely wonderful tribute. I never knew Uhura made it to the rank of Captain. This is another example of just how awesome Star Trek is.
On an episode of Star Trek, Uhura figured out the native people of the planet Worshipped the son of God and not the sun in the sky which Kirk, Spock and Bones had thought. Uhura also figured out to use the detection equipment to find the cloaked bird of prey in the Undiscovered Country.
She had been monitoring the Empires' "old-style radio waves" and discovered it was the "Son" that the Empire was trying to discredit
Season 2, episode 25 - Bread and Circuses?
Track Gaseous Anomalies from the Bird of Prey in ST:TUC "It's got to have a tailpipe."
@@jasonjimerson7046 yes it was that episode. That episode also has, in my opinion, one of the best insults used in Star Trek
The things gotta have a tailpipe
She was EVERYTHING you said at the outset of your video AND a very classy lady who had high ethics and no drama. In short, a wonderful person.
Another very brief moment I really enjoyed was in "The Naked Time". Shortly after Sulu takes Uhura in his arms he says something to the effect of "I'll protect you, fair maiden!" -- to which Uhura pushes away and indignantly replies "I am neither!" Almost a blink-and-you'll-miss-it line but just wonderfully done, and hilarious. I also enjoy how the first episode aired, the first scene viewers would've seen on the Enterprise bridge was of Uhura casually flirting with Spock.
I was glad to have had the chance to see her speak at a convention nine years ago. She'll be dearly missed.
“Sorry, neither,” it had to be vague to get past the censors
As a Black male and a retired professor I am thankful to you 🙏🏾 both for making her line clear. I was born in 1964 and always remembered this line. I never heard it clearly. Black people would have loved hearing this more clearly.
This was one of my faves. I only saw TOS in syndication but I was shocked this made it to tv.
This was one of the lines that I only fully understood after growing up with the show!
I was 11 in 1966 when I saw "Naked Time" and to me, "fair" meant beautiful or attractive. I didn't necessarily associate it with being blonde and blue-eyed. So when I heard "Sorry, neither," I couldn't understand why Uhura was denying she was a beautiful woman. I, as a young white girl, thought she was very pretty. Took me a while longer to understand what she meant, even the "maiden" part.
My favorite will always be when I met her in 2019 at Wondercon. She was an angel surrounded by a cloud of graciousness. Yes, she is a class act I will miss.
Thank you so much for this wonderful tribute to Nichelle Nichols. She inspired me to join the US Air Force at a time when there weren't many women or black officers. Luckily I got married and was able to change my last name from Kirk before getting my commission. I'm sure I would have had to endure Lieutenant and Captain Kirk jokes my entire military career. Rest in Power and Peace Ms. Nichols. 🖖🏾🙏🏾
Would have been hilarious...umm Captain Kirk. 😆
You lucky, lucky person. On the other hand, the rest of us undoubtedly even luckier. :)
I would have promoted you immediately just for the jokes .
Sounds like you have a story to tell as well ...
She was one of my favorite parts of Star Trek. Truly a loss to us all. She'll live on as a shining example of grace and strength, both on screen and off. Thank you for this tribute.
Fun fact I don't know if you pointed out in a past video - Leondegrance was the role Stewart played in 1981's Excalibur, so that easter egg about Uhura's ship is double-layered!
I came here to say this, but you beat me to it! "Are you with us? Or against us?"
This is a great tribute Sean. RIP Nichelle.
I grew up in an absolutely white-bread little town in Wisconsin in the 70s. When I moved out into the world and started meeting people of different colors and ethnicities, it never entered my mind to think of them as "less" than me--because I grew up looking up to Uhura and Sulu.
Same!
Nichelle was a delightful lady. I know because I was lucky enough to work with her back in 1977. We all miss you, Miss Nichols. But we will meet again, I promise! You have already been blessed many times, and in many ways. I know there will be many more. Just because you’re no longer here with us, it doesn’t mean you won’t continue to be blessed!
Mirror Universe Sulu: You take a lot of chances, LIEUTENANT!
Uhura (holding a dagger): So do you, mister. So do you.
Badass Uhura.
For me this was the best Uhura scene forever.
For "The Undiscovered Country" remember, it was Uhura who brought up the environmental equipment as a possible counter to the cloaked bird-of-prey. "It's got to have a tailpipe." I thought this helped demonstrate her character's ingenuity. Sure, an expert in Comms, but also well versed in critical thinking. It also showcased again, that any member on the Bridge of the ship can contribute.
Its something the ST: TNG crew never thought of in Nemesis, and they had Data, who advised a defense against the “Picard Maneuver”!
I bet Hemmer was smilng down on Uhura for coming up with that idea from whatever afterlife Aenars believe in. Would have been even better if she had been part of the team to modify the photon torpedo...but being the genius who thought up the workaround to Chang's prototype cloaking device certainly would have made the crusty engineer proud 😉
The best tag line in the movie.
@@generalilbis That is one of the best retcons I've seen in a long time - bravo!
Great tribute to an amazing woman. Rip Nichelle Nichols!
Beautifully done. She was always something special for all girls, no matter our background. I first got into Trek in the 70s, and this white British girl, about 8-9 years old, fell in love (as innocently as children do) with this awesome lady on one of my favourite shows. So many others had women as "hangers on", even Dr Who's assistants back then were frankly timid as a rule. I was fortunate enough to have two awesome parents who brought up me and my three sisters to believe in ourselves. Dad told me that the only thing a man could do that a woman couldn't was to be a biological father (and vice versa. He was a firm believer in absolute equality for everyone), and Uhura was the only character that I could relate my upbringing to.
On top of that she was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside, and that shone through in everything I ever saw her in. I'm now in the second half of my fifties and I still have a great deal to thank her for.
RIP Nichelle, you were something else. So much got done because of you, and your legacy will live on.
If ever you think you don't matter or that your life or upright lifestyle doesn't make a difference, remember this story, remember Nichelle Nichols.
As a young, white, American girl in the 70's I watched the original Star Trek and was instantly drawn to the diversity in the show. Especially Nichelle's Uhura. A strong female was rare in those days and it was wonderful to see this happening. My parents taught us that as girls we could be whatever we wanted and to respect others no matter their background. Learned a lot from my parents, and Star Trek. And thank you to Nichelle Nichols for pushing forward for women in many ways. You will be missed.
May her memory inspire future generations to achieve greatness, as it has past. Truly a wonderful lady who deserved so much more screen time!
I’ve been a fan of ‘Star Trek’ since it first aired in the 1960s, when my parents and us kids watched it as a family. Our southern school had been desegregated in 1953 (first one to do that), so we all got along just fine. The highlights in this presentation had my favorite Uhura moments. The alternate universe where she held her own, her lovely singing in ‘Charlie X’, her facial expressions with Ensign Adventure- - where she so wonderfully gave him some real excitement (his reactions are great too), her very lovely dancing with a full moon behind her (I read silly comments about her being nude, if you look closely- - she is wearing a black body leotard). Condolences to her family and friends🥀🕯😪🤧
Seán this is a perfect video in which to honor the beautiful Nichelle Nichols. Such a warm and lovely tribute to our First Lady of Star Trek.
Uhura was always one of the best characters and thanks to Nichelle’s performance she was easily a fan favorite.
Thank you again for this amazing video to celebrate her finest role.
Probably my favorite Uhura moment is from "The Galileo Seven" when the shuttle first looses control inside the Murasaki 312 quasar, Kirk stating that "finding a needle in a haystack would be childs play" to find the lost shuttle. Within moments, Uhura narrows that search down to just one M-class planet, Tarsus II, that they could have survived a crash on. Nice work temporarily doubling as a science officer and increasing the odds that the lost crew were found.
I'm glad that you recognized Nichols performance in that animated show and that episode especially. Also she sings in the animated shows which is a good thing.
What an amazing tribute to an amazing woman. Thanks for the memories, Ms. Nichols.
She was MAGNIFICENT.
There’s a great moment from one of the books (that I’m remembering poorly, so sorry for that) where she talks about how important and difficult it it is to be a witness to people’s last moments since as com officer she would have to keep listening to the open distress calls until they finally stopped. I know that’s the character and not the actor but it’s always stuck with me
I've shared this story on your other video about Ms. Nichols, this is just a simple copy/paste of it.:
A tragedy, indeed. In 2005, I was lucky enough to have the honour of meeting Nichelle at a ComicCon here in my hometown of Hamilton, ON. We grabbed a couple photos together, and chatted for about 5 minutes. A dear woman and beautiful soul, she was. We talked briefly about her kiss with Kirk and how iconic that scene was (at that time I still thought it was the first interracial kiss on tv). I told her that I had never had an interracial kiss and asked her for the honour of a kiss. She laughed and cheerfully said "Absolutely." I turned my face to allow her to kiss my cheek, she put her hands on both sides of my face, turned my head to face her and said, "No no no, Dear, we have to do this right." Then, to my pleasant surprise, she leaned in and kissed me on the mouth. I will never forget her. She WILL be missed.
You should have mentioned the time that Uhura took over navigation duties when the navigator was not at a station at a crucial moment.
Shows that she has knowledge of more than just communications. That she is actually bridge trained, she can take over any station if needed and perform competently....
I was gonna say the same thing. Not only was it a critical moment, but the ship was spiraling out of control and about to crash out of orbit into the planet. That takes extreme skill to pull that off!
@@atlguy00 And the look Sulu gave her as she took her station seemed to me to say - Well done and it's about time!
It's subtle, but in Balance of Terror, after the meeting in the conference room, Kirk hails the bridge. Uhura answers. Every single time someone hails the bridge, the officer who has the con answers.
So, while not shown (because we don't pan to the bridge) Uhura has command of the bridge at that moment.
I think you missed one, though it is very very subtle. There's a moment in Star Trek VI where Chang is flying around in his invisible bird of prey, mocking them by radi. Uhura is sitting at her communications console working really hard, hitting buttons and scowling. It's pretty obvious that what she is doing is attempting to find Chang by his transmissions. She's being a signals intelligence operator. It's great!
I had to wince at the movie scene. Uhura would have basic fluency in Klingon and Romulan and Vulcan, as a linguistics expert. She would know communications, computer science and networking, signals, cryptography, and more. She was also a bridge officer who could fill in at any bridge station, since she acted as relief science officer and relief navigator in TOS. So by the movie scene, sure, she might use printed dictionaries for obscure pints, but she herself would likely know enough to have a good accent and grammar, enough to fool an outpost guard. The scene could have still been comedic and used those books, but it also should have shown Uhura as smoothly skilled. TOS didn't give her a lot of scenes, but it did show she was skilled and not someone to be messed with.
(shrug) I always interpreted that there's no call for Cadets to waste neurons on linguistics since computerized translations are good ninety-nine percent of the time, apparently. Bigger question is in NextGen when Riker's prospective First Officer is said to speak forty languages. Viewers tend to ask: "what good does that do?"
With that scene, i assumed that she might have had a basic proficiency, but would have needed more in order to actually make things work there.
Until Trek 09 and the Uhura of SNW, I guess I never thought Uhura was a linguistics expert. Communications and languages aren't the same thing, necessarily. My major was Communications, but the only language I can read (other than English) is Latin and a bit of Klingon!
Another aspect of it may come to light if we research wartime submarines,@@paulfaulkner5786
Would a Comms Officer ever not have proficiency in the enemy language.
100% agree, but this is also a problem that goes well beyond ST VI and indeed all of Star Trek. Earth today still has an estimated 6,000 languages, and the top-spoken languages are as varied as English, Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, and Hindi. Even if English is the main global lingua franca, that doesn't make it "Terran" (and ST:DISCO demonstrates languages other than English are still commonly spoken in the 23rd century). Yet other planets are always depicted as monoglot: Vulcan, Qo'nos, Romulus, Bajor... where are the dialects?
(I know, I get it, world-building is more art than science, and the story is the top consideration; I'm just highlighting one of the key challenges of realistically portraying these characters and worlds.)
Thank you so much. I loved this tribute to Nichelle Nichols.
I enjoy Spock telling Uhura that he would be happy to instruct her on the mathematical theory behind the playing of the Vulcan Lute, but that he had never met a human capable of mastering it.....a few scenes later we see Uhura playing as well as Spock.
Could use some Memory Beta filler on how she can surpass the expectations of the great reasoner, like that. Spock does keep reckoning without emotional intelligence, though. Can feelings improve musicianship that much? We could also use some real-world frame of reference for how mathematically complicated music can really be.
@@alm2187 There was an episode on ST: NG where Data is given a compliment about his skill on the violin. Data disagreed. Sure,he could master the mechanics of the instrument but he lacked "soul".
@@alm2187 Someone who fully understands musical theory can read sheet music and hear the full score in their mind. A novice sees marks on lines, and can perhaps slowly work out each value and slowly translate that to a piano keyboard one. note. at. a. time. Perhaps. EGBDF/FACE.
Like any language music can be mastered but is very much complicated to the neopphyte and very mathematical in theory.
For the ten year old African-American girl I was in 1966, Nicholas's presence on the Enterprise made it an "Of course" that we will all be at the table and on the bridge, i.e. part of the folks running things.
(We may have work to do, but it's inevitable.)
Peace and Long Life; Live Long and Prosper.
Also Far Beyond the Stars which aired in the 90s was really good.
I'm a white woman and things have gone far for women since the 60s. And I'm glad it's socially acceptable for me to not get married and to have basically any job I want and that it's okay for women to be in leadership positions, despite what you may hear from feminists.
Spock: "Vulcan has no moon."
Uhura: "I'm not surprised!"
There was a scene in ST:TMP where Commander Spock figured out V'Ger had been trying to communicate. Quick shot to Uhura looking stunned. WHY did they do that? That should have been HER deduction, not Spock's. I guess they gave it Spock to highlight the fact that he showed up and saved the day for that scene.
Sean, you should have added the final act of Balance of Terror when Stiles left the bridge and Kirk asked Uhura to take his place. The camera does a long and what seems to be unnecessary pan to show here taking a pivotal position in the middle of combat. It only last for a few seconds, but for a women and a women of color to be highlighted even if it wasn't intentional
Lest we not forget she survived the salt vampire by showing that she had the strength to not totally succomb to her raw sexual desires. A strength that even Kirk and Bones lacked. "The Man Trap" indeed!
Wow! I did not see that one coming! Excellent!!
I had hoped that Nichelle would be playing a small cameo in SNW as Uhura's grandmother. That would have been so sweet.
The scene in “Search for Spock” is one of my favorites in all of Trek movies. If that young Lieutenant hadn’t locked himself in the closet, I was perfectly willing to jump on the screen and punch his lights out. How dare he talk down to Uhura? Moron.
Insubordination to a superior officer is grounds for court martial.
In the 60s when Star Trek came out, I watched it with my Uncle, home on leave from Army. I loved it after that. I was so young that I still played with Barbies and I had assembled a bridge crew for my pretend Enterprise. I had a pretty Barbie with short dark hair. Her name was Uhura. There were no dark skinned Barbies back then.
great vid .love the bit in star trek 5 when uhura gets kirk and gang in a shuttle only for kirk to ask why did you not beep my commutator she says you left it behind . great actress great character always be remembered
1st lady of Trek ❤️
Absolutely! I hope she's with her crew in heaven. May they all rest in glory.
Thank you for this.
She would be proud to know her legacy will live on through us, her fans.
I know she would.
Rest Well Beautiful Lady.
Thank you for making such a wonderful tribute to Ms Nicolls. I grew up watching and rewatching every episode of Star Trek. I just knew any door I wanted to open would open to me because I saw Uhuru on TV doing every job required to command that star ship. Women, even WOC could and would do everything and anything they wished.
There's nothing I can say that hasn't been said already. I wish all of her family and fans a safe period of mourning and encourage everyone to let her example continue to show the path forward.
Just wanted to thank you and the TrekCulture crew for this tribute. I have been in tears ever since her passing. About all I can say at this time for I’m tearing up yet again. Just wanted to commend all of you for your tribute.
Her working under her console also gives us the wonderful moment of praise for her talents by Spock.
She did some good, non-canonical Trek too, such as Renegades.
She loved the franchise as a whole, and always had time for these little independent productions- as do a lot of old Trek alumni.
🍄
The one think you didn't mention is just how simply beautiful she was. RIP. 🕊️🥰
She has great legs.
Even 30 years later in ST6 wearing that 90s miniskirt.
Oh and the graphic equaliser style voice pattern shown behind the headings for each number is a really nice touch.
RIP Nichelle. A beautiful and such an intelligent lady.
She was a truly amazing woman. The character she created was a driving force in so many lives. She may now be gone but her legacy will live on for generations to come.
RIP Miss Nichols. I’m glad to have met you and thank you for signing my program from FanExpo 2011.
"In this century we've learned not to fear words"
Just proof that despite all our so-called progress, we're just as far away now as we were when TOS was on the air.
police monitor twitter. arrested people last week
@@esecallum Proof that that freedom of speech is dead and gone.
Bless you for this video guys.
Ensign as Kirk walks past - "Who's the old man ?"
Uhura (scathingly) "Your chances of surviving this mission have just doubled!"
Besides pulling a phaser on 'Mr. Adventure' I think my favorite Uhura moment was in ST:6 when Spock says "Its merely ionized gas", Commander Uhura reminds us that they are carrying sensoring equipment.
" Well that thing's gotta have a tailpipe!"
Good thinking, Ma'am😮❤.
I also really like when she says "All my hopes" and beams the guys aboard the ship.
Nichelle Nichols was wonderfully humble, not realizing the impact of her seemingly small role in TOS, it took Martin Luther King Jr, and Gene finally showing her the pile of fan mail the studio had kept from her for her to realize that though on screen her role was small the impact was huge. In the grander scheme of things it had an impact, that will far out live her.
Honorable mention: Listening to Dr. King and not leaving the show after the first season.
A fitting tribute to Nichelle Nichols. Beautifully done. ❤❤
In ST VI, wasn't she the one that had the idea on how to find the cloaked ship? "Well the things gotta have a tailpipe." Brilliant!
You should definitely add Uhuru's great emotional acting when she sees Captain Kirk floating in a parallel universe and thinking that she's going mad. A tear-jerker for sure!
Thank you for a very classy tribute to Nichelle Nichols.
This is a amazing tribute to the character and the actress that played her. I have to say that I did not know how important and impactful that Uhura is to the legacy of Star Trek.
This was really emotional for me. What an icon 🥹 may you be at eternal peace 🙏🏾
I love Uhura in the Gamsters of Triskelion where she is forced into combat for sport. She is absolutely fearless and every bit as competent and brave as Kirk and Chekov.
Her refusal to execute the slave, awesome.
A true picture of class and beauty!! She will be sorely missed!!
RIP!!!
Uhura! The only reason why I started watching Star Trek. I was around 11 years old. That was when my puberty started. My parents were very strict on what I could watch. To them, Star Trek was totally fine. With me, staring at Uhura’s legs was perfect.
RIP Ms Nicholas. A trailblazer in the truest sense of the word. Your legacy will live on and prosper.
What a wonderful actress person its a sad ,sad loss down to only three now getting old is a bugger
She was an absolute badass, and was one of my very earliest screen crushes. I loved her for how awesome she was even more than for how beautiful she was. Which is saying a fair amount. It's easy to forget that she was 3rd in command of the Enterprise.
And all with the best pair of legs I have ever seen.
In Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country, it was Uhura that solved the problem of finding the cloak Bird of Prey so that the Enterprise could fire upon it.
"The thing has to have a tailpipe."
She’s is an amazing inspiration and what a person. Respect
Trying to find the nuclear vessles. I know this was only comedy for "The Voyage Home" but it showed her ability to do light hearted scenes. Now, the timing was off, mostly do to the blocking of the scene, but that is on the director and post-production editing...it was not Nichelle Nichols' fault.
The #3 was always my most favorite scene with Uhura
Sean, Well done my friend! what a lovely remembrance of Mrs. Nichols!!
A new 🌟 in the sky.💜
This is a nice tribute to Nichelle Nichols.
This is top 3 of best "Top 10" lists you guys have ever made. Thank you ❤🖖🏽
I had the opportunity, privilege, and honor to meet her in 2018 at a comic con. I didn't want to crowd her since I know some celebrities have had poor fan interactions, but she told me to stand closer for the picture. I'll definitely treasure that memory, the picture of me with her, and her autograph for years to come. RIP Nichelle Nichols.
Her response to Lincoln's (perceived) social error shows such grace and dignity, especially in the context of the '60's. Always one of my favorite moments.
I LOVE the song from ST5. I red somewhere, that a bootleg version sang by Nichelle exists somewhere on the Web... haven't found it so far !
I just might have gotten it in the post-Napster era. (I dabbled with Kazaa when it was popular. Shut up! I am not old!) I'd need to go through an external hard drive to find it and then find an expert listener to authenticate it. Guess it's the Stormy Weather of Star Trek soundtracks!
@@alm2187 ooh!!! Would love to hear that! The only thing I was after at that time were books.
Such a beautiful tribute to an amazing powerhouse on and off screen
Rest in peace
Always a true star. Watch the moment, as she slips her dagger back into her boot. She uses the hesitation... making sure it goes in her boot, as a dramatic pause in the way she leaves the bridge. She was and is a star...
In my century we have learned not to fear words. The most important line ever said in star trek. One that in today's culture has been all but forgotten in the wake of internet censorship.
She will be missed.
Ms. Nichols was an inspiration for girls who wanted to get into the sciences and space exploration. She will be sorely missed. My condolences to her family and friends. 😿😢
Facing down Mirror Sulu was peak Nichelle Nichols. That scene just oozed cool and confidence.
Such an amazing and beautiful woman...in my heart and memories you shall remain always Nichelle ❤!
Those are truly great moments. She will be missed.
You forgot Uhura's quote on "Bread and Circuses," solving a lasting question of the bridge crew: "It's not the sun in the sky, it's the Son of God."
That was the moment I was going to post. That line was the highlight for me of that episode.
I'm only 26s into this but it's clear that you've nailed it once again Seán.
This may be a shallow comment, but I absolutely loved her uniform -- and how good she looked in it!
Nichelle was also a straight up badass both on and off the screen. She was truly a personal hero of mine for decades and will continue to be for decades to come.
One of the reasons why _The Undiscovered Country_ is the best of the Original 6 movies is because it gave every one of the main cast members a moment to shine in what would be their last film together. Uhura had 2: Fooling the Klingons into believing the _Enterprise_ was one of their ships and her suggestion to splice the gaseous anomaly detection equipment into a photon torpedo to turn it into a homing missile. Had she failed or not been there to suggest these actions, the mission would have been doomed.
It truly is a character-driven movie and doesn't deserve as much hate as it gets.
@@vanyadolly TUC hated? By whom? I think you mean TFF.
@@sureshmukhi2316 Yes lol. brain fart on my part.