Women of Science Fiction: Nichelle Nichols

Nichelle Nichols (c. 1932-2022) is an American actress, singer, and dancer, best known for her iconic role as Lieutenant Uhura in the original Star Trek television series. Renowned for breaking racial barriers onscreen in the 1960s, Nichelle became a cultural symbol of diversity and inclusion. Beyond her contributions to the entertainment industry, Nichelle worked with NASA to recruit diverse astronauts, leaving an indelible mark on both science fiction and reality.

For Further Reading:

Star Trek’s Nichelle Nichols: ‘Martin Luther King was a Trekker’ Nichelle Nichols, Uhura in ‘Star Trek,’ Dies at 89 Nichelle Nichols, Lieutenant Uhura on ‘Star Trek,’ Dies at 89

This month, we’re talking about Women of Science Fiction. These women inspire us to imagine impossible worlds, alien creatures, and fantastical inventions, revealing our deepest fears... and hopes for the future.

History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more.  Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures. 

Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Adesuwa Agbonile, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, and Abbey Delk. Special thanks to Shira Atkins. 

Original theme music composed by Miles Moran.

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