I did not know until recently that, after her first season on Star Trek, Ms. Nichols had made decision to leave the show and return to her first love – theater acting.

In fact she had actually turned in her resignation letter. when shortly thereafter a “secret admirer” asked to meet with her just because he was a fan. She was shocked to learn that it was the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. During that meeting she shared with him her plan to leave Star Trek and it was Dr. King who convinced her to change her mind and continue with the show because it was about so much more than just a tv role.

She had the power to break down so many stereotypes and encourage young Black children everywhere to dream big. To believe they can BE whatever it is they want to be…even beyond space!

When I was a young child growing up, the names “Wilt the Stilt” (Wilt Chamberlin), Bill Russell, Muhammad Ali were very common names in my household. My dad, his buddies, my uncles, Black men of that generation period really admired the greatness of such Black male athletes!

Men like Ali, Russell and others were admired as much, if not more so, for the Courage they displayed in their social activism as they were for their superior athletic abilities.