Nichelle Nichols

[nanila]

From actual astronauts last week, we go to Fictional Astronauts this week. Leading the way with her seminal role as communications officer Lieutenant Uhura in the original TV series Star Trek is actress and singer Nichelle Nichols. After the Star Trek series was cancelled, Nichols volunteered at NASA to help recruit minority and female personnel. One of her recruits was Charles Bolden, who was an astronaut...and is now Administrator of NASA.

Comments

[boundbooks]

Oh, excellent choice! I've been reccing a lot of Star Trek (2009) fic over at fancake, so this was lovely to see!

[nanila]

Ooh. I've been largely fandom-less for the past few years, but I just perused the comm and...and...you recommended The Authority fic. *swoons*

[boundbooks]

Might I recommend.....theauthority? :P

(I've been posting The Authority fic recs there as well on Wednesdays. I'm eventually going to post all The Authority fic I have to rec, until I run out. There's at least a month of recs left, I hope! :D)

[nanila]

You might. And I might subscribe.

Also, I feel the need to share with you an Authority fanpicspam (Is that a word? It is now.) that I wrote several years ago: here.

[kindkit]

*hearts*

Star Trek: TOS also, in one episode (I don't have enough time at the moment to check which one it was) featured a black woman engineer who competently solved a problem, gave orders to the men under her command (which were obeyed), and was not in any way punished or shown to renounce her work for TWU LUUUUUUV. TOS had a lot of moments of gender-related fail, but it's nice to remember the win, too.

[medie]

Lieutenant Charlene Masters from The Alternative Factor. LOVED HER.

[nanila]

Rats, I don't remember that episode. The original series didn't have as big an influence on my formative years as The Next Generation but I'd love to re-watch that one.

[happydork]

So much love for Nichelle Nichols!

My favourite photo of her is this one from NASA's celebration of the Voyager 30th Anniversary at JPL:

[nanila]

That looks spookily like my old office at JPL. O.O

[musesfool]

Oh, heart.

(here via jenna_thorn)

[nanila]

Fantastic. Glad you liked it.

[senmut]

I'd never be able to choose just one picture of her.

[nanila]

I downloaded about fifty. I'd happily reprise this theme just to have an excuse to post a whole bunch more.

[eggcrack]

An incredile, flawless woman. <333

[nanila]

She's the poster-girl for aging well, as far as I'm concerned.

[sinensis]

oh, how I adore her. Love these pictures, thank you!

[nanila]

You're most welcome. Nice icon!

[ironed_orchid]

Fantastic pictures.

I think I'm going to enjoy this week.

[nanila]

I hope you do. I'm having fun putting the posts together.

[akatonbo]

It would take a lot of work to convince me that Nichelle Nichols is not the most beautiful woman in the world.

[nanila]

I don't know who would want to attempt that, anyway.

[st_aurafina]

HOW IS SHE GETTING MORE BEAUTIFUL? Oh, she's so amazing.

[nanila]

I KNOW RIGHT. If I age one tenth as well as that I will be thrilled.

[not_sally]

Epic, gorgeous, kick-ass woman.
Lovely post.

[nanila]

Agreed x 1000.
Glad you liked it.

[zizi_west]

Thank you, thank you! I just adore this post.

Ms. Nichols and my father (African American Navy veteran who worked in aviation & maintained a subscription to Aviation Week and Space Technology magazine) planted the seeds of imagination for a lifelong interest in SF/F and popular science. She remains one of my favorite things about TOS (though the sexism made me uncomfortable even as a little girl).

I admire her honesty about the reality of her life as a Black actress, and her educational and charitable efforts.