Lieutenant Uhura

News of the Dr Martin Luther King Jr Memorial (next post down or CLICK) reminded me of an anecdote in Star Trek Memories (1993) by William Shatner and Chris Kreski (title link). Nichelle Nichols, who played communications officer Lieutenant Uhura in Star Trek, was disillusioned with her limited role and decided to leave the TV series for Broadway. A chance meeting with Dr King changed her mind. He told Nichelle she was an important role model for black women and that her part in Star Trek was doing more for the civil rights movement than he was. Such humility and sound advice doesn't suggest a man who would be pleased to see a monstrous $120-million effigy of himself in Washington.