A Black girl and her parents settle in to watch an episode of the original Star Trek television show, featuring Captain James T. Kirk exploring the galaxy with his crew. The family “watched to see Lieutenant Uhura perform her duties as the starship’s communication officer. … we burst with pride seeing someone who looked like us standing as an equal to make the future better for everyone.” Actress Nichelle Nichols helped develop the character of Uhura with the show’s creator, Gene Roddenberry, in the mid-1960s, during a period of intense civil rights activism for racial justice. This short biography recounts Nichelle’s life from childhood on, and how the impact of racism intersected with her ambitions as a dancer, performer, and actor. When Uhura’s character began to receive less screen time, Nichelle decided to quit the show until Star Trek fan Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., urged her to stay, stressing the importance of her role for all viewers, so Black people can be seen by the world “as equals, as intelligent people.” Although Lieutenant Uhura’s role was never developed to the extent Nichelle wanted, “she never forgot what her presence meant to the lives of the people who looked like her.” A concluding note describes Nichelle Nichols’s activism for women and people of color that continued long after the series closed in 1969. (Ages 6-9)

A CCBC 2024 Choices for the Historical People, Places, and Events selection!

Perfect for fans of Hidden Figures and Mae Among the Stars! To Boldly Go tells the true story of Nichelle Nichols and how she used her platform on Star Trek to inspire and recruit a new generation of diverse astronauts and many others in the space and STEM fields.

As Lieutenant Uhura on the iconic prime-time television show Star Trek, Nichelle Nichols played the first Black female astronaut anyone had ever seen on-screen. A smart, strong, independent Black woman aboard the starship Enterprise was revolutionary in the 1960s, when only white men had traveled to outer space in real life and most Black characters on TV were servants.

Nichelle not only inspired a generation to pursue its dreams but also opened the door for the real-life pioneering astronauts Sally Ride, Dr. Mae Jemison, and more.

This empowering tribute to the trailblazing pop culture icon reminds us of the importance of perseverance and the power of representation in storytelling. You just might be inspired to boldly go where no one like you has ever gone before!