Black History Month 2020
Nichelle Nichols
Nichelle Nichols was the first African-American actress in a leading role on TV. She starred as Lt. Uhura in the Star Trek (TOS) from 1960-1963. After the first season she was considering leaving the show, but Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. persuaded her to stay.
And at this his face totally changed, and he said "What are you talking about?!" and so I told him I would be leaving the show, because; and that was as far as he let me go, and he said, "STOP! You cannot! You cannot leave this show! Do you not understand what you are doing?! You are the first non-stereotypical role in television! Of intelligence, and of a woman and a woman of color?! That you are playing a role that is not about your color! That this role could be played by anyone? This is not a black role. This is not a female role! A blue eyed blond or a pointed ear green person could take this role!" And I am looking at him and looking at him and buzzing, and he said, "Nichelle, for the first time, not only our little children and people can look on and see themselves, but people who don't look like us, people who don't look like us, from all over the world, for the first time, the first time on television, they can see us, as we should be! As intelligent, brilliant, people!
Source.
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I’m super inspired by @anotherplumbob post about Rose Parks. Read more about this project here.