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The very lovely Lt. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) is gone.

From NN's official site:
Dear Friends, Fans, Colleagues, World,

I regret to inform you that a great light in the firmament no longer shines for us as it has for so many years.

Last night, my mother, Nichelle Nichols, succumbed to natural causes and passed away. Her light, however, like the ancient galaxies now being seen for the first time, will remain for us and future generations to enjoy, learn from, and draw inspiration.

Hers was a life well lived and as such a model for us all.

I, and the rest of our family, would appreciate your patience and forbearance as we grieve her loss until we can recover sufficiently to speak further. Her services will be for family members and the closest of her friends and we request that her and our privacy be respected.

Live Long and Prosper,

Kyle Johnson
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From CNN:
When "Star Trek" began in 1966, Nichols was a television rarity: a Black woman in a notable role on a prime-time television series. There had been African-American women on TV before, but they often played domestic workers and had small roles; Nichols' Uhura was an integral part of the multicultural "Star Trek" crew.

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. called it "the first non-stereotypical role portrayed by a Black woman in television history."
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George Takei on Twitter: "I shall have more to say about the trailblazing, incomparable Nichelle Nichols, who shared the bridge with us as Lt. Uhura of the USS Enterprise, and who passed today at age 89. For today, my heart is heavy, my eyes shining like the stars you now rest among, my dearest friend." / Twitter
then
George Takei on Twitter: "We lived long and prospered together. (pic link)" / Twitter
 
 Nichelle Nichols - born in a Chicago suburb in 1932. She had a career of singing, dancing, and acting since the 1950's, and she was a guest star in an episode of "The Lieutenant", Gene Roddenberry's first series.
Situated at Camp Pendleton, the West Coast base of the U.S. Marine Corps, The Lieutenant focuses on the men of the Corps in peacetime with a Cold War backdrop. The title character is Second Lieutenant William Tiberius Rice, a rifle platoon leader and one of the training instructors at Camp Pendleton. An hour-long drama, The Lieutenant explores the lives of enlisted Marines and officers alike.
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 The Lieutenant It lasted only one season, 1963-64, but many of its guest stars would go on from there to Star Trek's original series.

Back to WP's NN article.
On Star Trek, Nichols was one of the first Black women featured in a major television series. Her prominent supporting role as a bridge officer was unprecedented.[2] Nichols was once tempted to leave the series; however, a conversation with Martin Luther King Jr. changed her mind.

...
Former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison has cited Nichols' role of Lieutenant Uhura as her inspiration for wanting to become an astronaut and Whoopi Goldberg has also spoken of Nichols' influence.[26] Goldberg asked for a role on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the character Guinan was specially created, while Jemison appeared on an episode of the series.[27]
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She didn't get to do much in ST:TOS, however, mostly opening hailing frequencies.
Despite the cancellation of the series in 1969, Star Trek lived on in other ways, and continued to play a part in Nichols' life. She again provided the voice of Uhura in Star Trek: The Animated Series; in one episode, "The Lorelei Signal", Uhura assumes command of the Enterprise.[30] Nichols noted in her autobiography her frustration that this never happened on the original series. Nichols co-starred in six Star Trek films, the last one being Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Following the death of Leonard Nimoy in 2015, and until her own death in July 2022, Nichols was one of four surviving cast members, the others being William Shatner, George Takei, and Walter Koenig.
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She kept busy outside of Star Trek, appearing in a variety of parts in TV series, and even made some albums of her singing.
Despite the cancellation of the series in 1969, Star Trek lived on in other ways, and continued to play a part in Nichols' life. She again provided the voice of Uhura in Star Trek: The Animated Series; in one episode, "The Lorelei Signal", Uhura assumes command of the Enterprise.[30] Nichols noted in her autobiography her frustration that this never happened on the original series. Nichols co-starred in six Star Trek films, the last one being Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Following the death of Leonard Nimoy in 2015, and until her own death in July 2022, Nichols was one of four surviving cast members, the others being William Shatner, George Takei, and Walter Koenig.

... The program was a success.
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Nichelle Nichols conservatorship explained as Star Trek actress dies aged 89
Star Trek: The Motion Picture actress Nichelle Nichols has passed away at the age of 89. Her son Kyle Johnson confirmed the news by stating that the actress, who played communications officer Lt. Uhura, died on Saturday in Silver City, New Mexico.

The actress recently made headlines for being in conservatorship under her son Kyle. Followers pleaded for her emancipation.

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Nichelle Nichols reportedly suffered from dementia which played a role in her being placed under conservatorship. Her son petitioned for him to be her conservator after Nichols’ former manager Gilbert Bell was accused of wrongfully using the actress’ finances.

Johnson successfully managed to be put in charge of her finances and her estate in January 2019.
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