Star Trek and Civil Rights

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., didn’t just fight for civil rights. He also made a difference in Star Trek. Nichelle Nichols had decided to quit her role as Lt. Uhura in the science fiction drama because she didn’t have a contract, her lines and responsibility were being cut and the studio was withholding her fan mail. But King stepped in and urged Nichols to stay on the primetime show, calling her a role model for African Americans. Nichols followed King’s advice.