Of the many observations about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that I grew up hearing about, one of them has consistently escaped my knowledge, and to me, it’s one of the most important ones. As a science fiction fan, I grew up watching Star Trek on TV and Star Wars on the VCR, so I knew all about the multiracial crew on board the Enterprise. However, what I didn’t know was that if it wasn’t for Dr. King, there would have been no Uhura after the first season.
It’s really a staggering tale, and a very goosebump-raising and wonderful story. It’s long, but I suggest you read it all. I can’t speak for black people in America, but when someone as important and influential as Dr. King comes up to you, gushing about how big of a fan he is of your work, I imagine that’d be kind of a big deal and a bit more memorable than any Broadway offers would be.
One of television’s most important characters and one of history’s most important men, banded together forever as trailblazers.
Tags: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Uhura, Star Trek, Nichelle Nichols, how Dr. King saved Uhura, race relations, television, memories, groundbreaking characters