Star of beloved sci-fi series Star Trek: The Original Series, Nichelle Nichols, has sadly passed away.

She was an iconic member of the USS Enterprise crew and an absolute trailblazer when it came to media representation and diversity in television. She leaves a beautiful legacy and a legion of fans who adored her then, and still adore her to this day.

Actress Nichelle Nichols has passed away at the age of 89.
Lt. Uhura holding a tribble.
Best known for her role as Lt. Uhura in Star Trek: The Original Series, her son, Kyle Johnson, confirmed the news with a post to her Facebook page.

“Friends, Fans, Colleagues, World. I regret to inform you that a great light in the firmament no longer shines for us as it has for so many years,” the post reads, “Last night, my mother, Nichelle Nichols, succumbed to natural causes and passed away. Her light however, like the ancient galaxies now being seen for the first time, will remain for us and future generations to enjoy, learn from, and draw inspiration.”

It was a beautiful post to honor an amazing woman.
Uhura sitting at her control station as Capt. Kirk stands next to her chair.
“Hers was a life well lived and as such a model for us all.”

Nichols’ impact is immeasurable, as she was an early example of stellar diversity in television. The kiss her character shared with Capt. Kirk, played by William Shatner, in the episode “Plato’s Stepchildren”, is well known as the first interracial kiss on American television.

She was loved immensely and will be for generations to come.
Actress Nichelle Nichols attends the Rio Vista Universal’s Valkyrie Awards and Holiday Party on December 16, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
So many people looked to her as an inspiration that NASA asked for her help in recruiting more women and other minorities into its space program, which was discussed in the recent documentary Woman in Motion.

She will be honored beautifully, may she rest in peace.