I have been truly moved by the tributes and messages honoring the life and work of Nichelle Nichols, our very own Lieutenant and later Commander Uhura on Star Trek.
Although our original series ran only three seasons, we became bonded as the fans of our show organized, convened and ultimately pressed for movies and spin-offs of the groundbreaking show. Nichelle and I spent the following decades together as not only colleagues from the bridge of the Enterprise, but as lifelong friends.
Much has been said about what a trailblazer and role model Nichelle was for so many young Black women, who saw in her hope and promise for their own future. I wanted to take a moment to share some stories about Nichelle that aren’t as well known, and which highlight her lively spirit, her incredible kindness, and her warm generosity.
Courtesy of the Takei Family
Our friendship began six decades ago, before Star Trek, when she came backstage after a performance of a civil rights musical I was doing called “Fly Blackbird” in Los Angeles. I will never forget that first meeting. She was stunningly beautiful. But beyond her beauty, she stood out. It was a time when many African American women “conked” their hair, which meant straightening it, as was the current fashion. Instead, Nichelle wore an enormous natural “Afro” sphere on her head. It was natural, it was proud, and it was glorious. I knew right then that she was a singular individual.
Back in the 1970s, after our series ended on television, I became active in local politics and even ran for city council in Los Ángeles. That required a lot of fundraising dinners and political campaigning, and I knew that I could always ask Nichelle to be our featured performer. She always donated her talent and made every event feel special and glamorous. Indeed, Nichelle made a point of being at every important milestone of mine that she could, including the opening of Allegiance just a few years ago on Broadway and later in Los Ángeles. As a trained stage actress, Nichelle knew how special such occasions were to us.
Courtesy of the Takei Family
When my husband Brad and I got married, we asked Walter Koenig, who played ensign Chekov on the show, to be our best man at the wedding. We asked Nichelle to be our matron of honor. In her characteristic fashion, Nichelle declared, “I am not a matron! If Walter can be best man, why can’t I be best lady?” Noting that Walter’s “best man” title implied the awkward title of “best woman,” she was determined to be known as the “best lady” to the guests. I told her, “Of course you are.”
When my father passed away, Nichelle came to the funeral and she saw many Japanese Americans with envelopes. They were handing them over to a receptionist in the lobby. She was always a curious soul, so she asked me, “George, what are they bringing to the funeral?” I said it was friends and relatives making financial contributions to support the funeral costs. Nichelle had never heard of the Japanese tradition called koden. A few days later, an envelope arrived in the mail from her. Inside was a check for $500, a very generous koden.
Bettmann / Contributor via Getty Images
So while fans will miss and honor the famous actress who opened so many paths with her presence on the screen, I will also miss the dear friend who always let you know she was there to support you, to love you, and to go through this strange and wonderful life alongside you.
Nichelle Nichols, you were one in a million in so many, many ways.
Hi friends!
First, thank you for tuning in over the past 18 months as my Facebook Watch page has taken shape. Your support always means the world to me.
Now, I'm pleased to announce that "George Takei Presents" will be renamed "George Takei's Oh Myyy" to better represent the amazing artists we feature, stories we tell and places we visit.
OhMyyy is not only my catchphrase but also represents the publishing properties my team works to cultivate every day. So please keep watching and feel free to visit the OhMyyy brands:
- Uncle George
Competition Terms and Conditions
Star Trek Catan Contest
1.The Promoter
The Promoter of this competition is The Social Edge Network Inc. a New York corporation whose registered office is at 1001 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10018 14th Floor
2.The Promotion Period
The Promotion begins on 7/9/18 at 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time ("ET") and ends on 8/1/18 at 11:59 p.m. ET (the "Promotion Period"). Promoter's computer is the official time-keeping device for the Promotion.
3.How To Enter
During the Promotion Period, submit a valid entry to the Star Trek Catan Contest, by submitting your email for the George Takei newsletter. Winner will be a random selection . NO PURCHASE NECESSARY: No purchase will increase one's chances of winning. Subject to official rules at GeorgeTakei.com/privacy. Contestants may enter by postcard to The Social Edge Inc. 1001 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10018 14th Floor with "George Takei Star Trek Catan Contest".
Limit: Each participant may enter multiple times during the Promotion Period but each participant shall only be eligible to win one (1) prize. Multiple entrants are not permitted to share the same email address. The same entrant is not permitted to submit entries from multiple email addresses. Any attempt by any entrant to circumvent these limits by using multiple/different email addresses, home addresses, identities, registrations and logins, or any other methods will void that entrant's entries and that entrant may be disqualified from the competition entirely in Promoter's sole discretion. Use of any automated system to participate is prohibited and will result in disqualification. In the event of a dispute as to any registration, the authorized account holder of the email address used to register will be deemed to be the registrant or player. The "authorized account holder" is the natural person assigned an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted address. The potential winner may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holder. Only fully completed entries that are received by Promoter are eligible. Proof of submission will not be deemed to be proof of receipt by Promoter. No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received within the Promotion Period for whatever reason.
4.Winner selection
- The Competition is a game of chance.
- The winner selection will take place at the end of Promotion Period. One email will be chosen out of all submissions.
- The Prize must be claimed within three (3) months of the Selection Date. If for whatever reason any Prize is not claimed by this date, that Winner's Prize shall be considered forfeited.
- If any person first chosen as a Winner is found to be ineligible, they will be disqualified another entrant will be selected as replacement Winner based on the tally of votes on the Selection Date.
5.Prize
There will be 1 prize (each a "Prize") to be won during the course of the Competition, so comprised:
The Grand Prize being a George Takei signed Star Trek Catan set.
6.Release
Each entrant hereby releases and holds harmless Promoter and its subsidiaries, affiliates, suppliers, distributors, advertising/promotion agencies, and prize suppliers, and each of their respective parent companies and each such company's officers gents' use of winner's name, likeness, photograph, voice, opinions and/or hometown and state for promotional purposes in any media, worldwide, without further payment or consideration. By participating in the Promotion, in addition to any other grants which may be granted in any other agreement entered into between Promoter and any entrant in and/or winner of the Promotion, each entrant irrevocably grants the Promotion Entities and their respective successors, assigns and licensees, the right to use such entrant's submitted captions, name, likeness, and biographical information, and any other personal characteristics, in any and all media for any purpose, including without limitation, advertising and promotional purposes the Website or the Promotion or other promotions, and each entrant and/or prize winner hereby release the Promotion Entities from any liability with respect thereto.
7.General Conditions
Promoter reserves the right to cancel, suspend and/or modify the Promotion, or any part of it, if any fraud, technical failures or any other factor beyond Promoter's reasonable control impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Promotion, as determined by Promoter in its sole discretion. In such case, Promoter, in its sole discretion, may elect to hold a random drawing from among all eligible entries received up to the date of such action by Promoter for any or all of the prizes offered herein. Promoter reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Promotion or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or any other promotion or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Promotion may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Promoter reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Promoter's failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. Prior to accepting his or her prize, each winner (or his/her parent or legal guardian, if such winner has not reached the age of majority in his/her state of domicile) may be required by Promoter to complete, sign, have notarized and return to Promoter a publicity release (except where prohibited by law), an affidavit of eligibility and release of liability, an IRS W-9 and such other documents as may be required by Promoter in its sole discretion.
8.Limitations of Liability
The Released Parties are not responsible for: (1) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by entrants, printing errors or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Promotion; (2) technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; (3) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Promotion; (4) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Promotion or the processing of entries; (5) late, lost, illegible, incomplete, undeliverable, misdirected, deleted, destroyed, corrupted, damaged or stolen entries or mail, which will be disqualified; or (6) any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant's participation in the Promotion or receipt or use or misuse of any prize. No more than the stated number of prizes will be awarded. In the event that production, technical, seeding, programming or any other reasons cause more than the stated number of prizes as set forth in these Official Rules to be available and/or claimed, Promoter reserves the right to award only the stated number of prizes by a random drawing among all legitimate, un-awarded, eligible prize claims.
9.Disputes
Except where prohibited, entrant agrees that: (1) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Promotion or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by binding arbitration before a single arbitrator in New York City, in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association, and judgment upon the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof,; (2) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this Promotion, but in no event attorneys' fees; and (3) under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim, indirect, punitive, incidental and consequential damages and any other damages and equitable relief, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of the entrant and Promoter in connection with the Promotion, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of New York.
10.Entrant's Personal Information
Promoter may use and disclose personal information collected from entrants through this Promotion for the purpose of fulfilling its obligations under these Official Rules, as well as for any other use described herein and in Promoter's privacy policy (Reached at Georgetakei.com/privacy). By entering this Promotion, entrants grant Promoter and its affiliates the right to use any collected information for the marketing purposes of Promoter and its affiliates. Promoter may be contacted directly concerning any request to correct, amend, or delete personal information held by Promoter by writing to The Social Edge Inc. 1001 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10018 14th Floor.
11.Other Parties
- This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter or any other Social Network.
George Takei, along with his Team Takei staff, created GeorgeTakei.com as a place for all things Takei. Updates in this community will keep you informed of George's latest work.
GeorgeTakei.com is a place for George's fans to read the stories from the web George finds interesting—and hopes his fans will, too. Sourced and curated from trending Reddit.com threads about life's more...interesting / peculiar / awkward moments, readers can expect to find the entertaining George Takei content they know and love all under one roof.
GeorgeTakei.com is an Oh Myyy property. Oh Myyy LLC is co-owned by George and Brad Takei (through Hosato Enterprises, Inc., a California corporation) and The Social Edge Network, Inc., a Delaware Corporation, whose principal stakeholders and officers are Lorenzo Thione (CEO) and Jay Kuo (CCO).
LAST UPDATED: 8 August 2018
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