Nichelle Nichols

Nichelle Nichols (/nɪˈʃɛl/ born Grace Dell Nichols; December 28, 1932)[1] is an American actress, singer and dancer best known for her portrayal of Nyota Uhura in Star Trek: The Original Series, and its film sequels. Nichols’ portrayal of Uhura was ground-breaking for African American female characters on American television.[2] From 1977 until 2015, Nichols volunteered her time to promote NASA’s programs, and to recruit diverse astronauts, including women and ethnic minorities

Grace Dell Nichols was born the third of six children on December 28, 1932,[5][6] in Robbins, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois, to Samuel Earl Nichols, a factory worker who was elected both town mayor of Robbins in 1929[7] and its chief magistrate, and his wife, Salish (Parks) Nichols, a homemaker.[citation needed] Later, the family moved into an apartment in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago. For high school, Nichols attended Englewood High School; graduating in 1951.[8][9] Nichols also studied in New York City and Los Angeles.