Watch: Rare footage of Nichelle Nichols at the Smithsonian

Nichelle Nichols left a legacy behind that is unquestionable.

Nichelle Nichols, who played Lt. Uhura on Star Trek: The Original Series and the continuing movies, passed away on July 30th, but the world of Star Trek, the millions of fans, and the many, many people she encouraged to explore space will always carry a piece of her with them. That’s the legacy Nichols left behind. One of encouragement, entertainment, and exploration as evidenced by the piece of rare footage the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum released in honor of the actresss and activist.

The 1978 video was filmed during production of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. In it, Nichols, as her character, traveled back into the past to the museum where a little girl gives her a tour. She’s awed by “Lt. Uhura” and wonders if girls could ever really be like her. Uhura’s response is to sing a song encouraging her to never stop reaching for the stars.

Nichelle Nichols used her fame to encourage more marginalized groups to apply for NASA.

This video was part of a twenty-minute educational film called “What’s In It For Me?” which was filmed by Nichols’ company Woman in Motion, Inc. The film earned Nichols the American Society of Aerospace Education’s Friend of the Year award in 1979 during the Star Trek: The Motion Picture premiere afterparty which was held at the National Air and Space Museum. [via Trekcore.]

Nichols gave so much to Star Trek fans, but, through NASA, she changed lives, working to improve recruitment of women and people of color to join the astronaut program. She visited high schools and colleges across America and used her voice to make a difference, a difference that led to qualified women and minorities fulfilling their lifelong dreams. [Source] We’ll never forget the character Nichelle Nichols portrayed onscreen nor her true character which she displayed offscreen.