Uhura (TOS)

Uhura is a character from Star Trek: The Original Series, played by Nichelle Nichols. She was the communications officer and a translator aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise. When it was needed, Uhura readily and capably assumed control of the helm, navigation and science stations on the bridge. 
The character was one of the first black women main characters in a major television show, and became a cultural role model, receiving praise from Dr. King himself, and encouraging black women into science careers (see: The Uhura Effect.) The kiss between Uhura and Kirk during 1968 episode "Plato's Stepchildren" is also widely held as holding special significance as a very early occurrence of interracial kissing on American television, although some fans question its significance due to the dubcon aspect of its setup. 
Despite intense fanon interest about her, few canon facts are actually known about Uhura. Noticeably, her first name was never given in the original series, and was a topic of much fannish discussion before finally entering official canon in 2009.
==Canon & Fanon==
In 1967, The Star Trek Writers Guide stated Uhura's birthplace was the United States of Africa, although this was never outright stated in canon.
Uhura is known to speak Swahili. Fanon holds that Uhura is from Kenya, an idea supported by the tie-in novels.An Uhura Question. (Accessed June 4, 2009).
===Uhura's First Name: Penda? Nyota?===
Uhura's first name was never revealed in the original series, and she did not have an official canon name until 2009 when the name "Nyota" was used in Star Trek: Alternate Original Series. In that film, her name is a running joke: Kirk apparently doesn't know either, and only finds it out in an intimate moment between the two of them.
The name used in Abram's movie, however, was first mentioned in William Rotsler's 1982 licensed tie-in book, "Star Trek II Biographies." Despite the fact that Rostler's book contains many errors, such as the existence of a sister for Kirk named "Michele," and the fact that Kirk was not born on Earth, "Nyota" became her accepted canon name.
Fans, however, had agreed upon a different name long before "Nyota." That name was "Penda," and it was used as early as 1975.
 
====1975====
From an LoC by Mary Lou Dodge in T-Negative #27 (April 1975): 
 
====1988====
Regarding Uhura's first name: fanon vs canon:
Natonne Elaine K was starting a fan club called Fans of Penda Uhura and Hikaru Sulu and wants some clarification on those characters' two first names -- she points out that Mary Louise Dodge in her capacity as a spokesperson for the STW has given her some information: 
Among some fannish groups, Uhura's first name became a battle between canon/tie-in novels and fanon/zines:
 
====1990====
In a 1990 zine foreword for Starbound #2, Nichelle Nichols herself affirms that Uhura's nickname is Penda/Upenda. (She spells it "Upenda" in the foreword; the name spelled as "Penda" many times in the story): 
====1992====
====Pre-1985 Fanworks and Penda====
The tie-in novel, "Uhura's Song," was published in January 1985 and that author utilized "Nyota." 
This is a partial list of the many fanworks that used the name "Penda" instead:
* many stories in Diamonds and Rust (1977)
* "Reverie" by Mary Lou Dodge in Interphase #4 (1977)
* "Upenda" by Pat McCormack in Fesarius #2 (1977)
* "Thy Gracious Dews of Solace" by Juanita Salicrup in The Sensuous Vulcan (1977)
* "Third Times a Charm" by Julie Osburn in R & R #11 (1979)
* various stories and filks in Kan't Stop Laughing #2 (1980)
* "Homeward Bound" by Joy Mancinelli in Spin Dizzie #3 (1980)
* many fanworks in Woman, Warrior, Wife (1981)
* The Gallian (1982)
* "Somebody Open the Airlock" by Robert Jan in Spock #38 (1983)
* "Paid in Full" by Robert Jan in Spock #34 (1983)
* "Upenda" by Vel Jaeger in Trekism at Length #3 (1983)
* "In Between Earth and Sky (Epilogue)" by Robert Jan in Spock #38/39 (1984)
===Secondary Canon===
* Uhura's Song by Janet Kagan is a Star Trek: TOS tie-in novel that gives Uhura a leading role. 
* Nichelle Nichols contributed a story to Star Trek: The New Voyages' second issue.
== Cultural Impact ==
===As a Black Role Model===
Despite being a visible presence on the show, Nichols has spoken of her early frustration at the limitations imposed on her role on the series. She faced oppressive resistance from a network concerned about the reactions of its affiliates to her presence onscreen; her lines in scripts were often cut. 
After the first season, Nichols was tempted to leave the series and work toward a Broadway career. The day after Nichols told Gene Roddenberry about her plan to depart the show, she had a conversation with Martin Luther King, Jr. that changed her mind. King (who told her "I am your greatest fan. I am that Trekkie.") told her that she was an important role model for young black children and women across the country. In a 2011 interview, Nichols described meeting King and of his encouragement: 
Indeed, Uhura was a positive influence. Actress Whoopi Goldberg, and astronaut Mae Jamison both claim Uhura as an early role model. Social History: Star Trek as Social Phenomenon. (Accessed May 21, 2009) 
In her book of essays, Racism 101, Nikki Giovanni writes "I've been a Trekkie since the television series Star Trek began. I was intrigued that a sister, Nichelle Nichols, was the communications officer."
After the series ended, Nichols volunteered her time in a successful NASA campaign aimed at recruiting African Americans and women.Wikipedia entry. (Accessed May 24, 2009.)
See: The Uhura Effect
===The Kiss===
The show's episode "Plato's Stepchildren" is often (though mistakenly) cited as one of the first interracial kisses on U.S. television.Was Kirk & Uhura’s Kiss Actually the First Interracial Kiss on TV? on Heavy.com, June 12, 2021
In that episode, a mind controlled Captain Kirk and Lieutenant Uhura kiss. Both Shatner and Nichelle Nichols claim that there was no actual physical contact between them during the scene in question, due to pressure from NBC. Plato's Stepchildren (episode). (Accessed May 26, 2009).
While the studio was concerned about reaction to the episode, viewer reaction was largely positive. In 2001, Nichols said:
Some fans have turned a more critical eye on this kiss. From a 2009 discussion: 
==Fandom==
===Pairings===
* Uhura/Chapel
* Kirk/Uhura
* Spock/Uhura
* Scotty/Uhura
* T'Pring/Uhura
* Kirk/Spock/Uhura
* Uhura/Rand
===Zines===
* Amani, the newsletter of the Nichelle Nichols Fan Club, and the Nichelle Nichols Fan Club Yearbook.
* Delta Triad, a seven-issue Kirk/Uhura zine published between 1974 and 1984.
* Furaha, an anthology zine (edited by Virginia Walker) dedicated to Uhura that ran to at least three issues, all published in 1975. The issues were short, averaging 54 pages. Contributors included Stephen Clarke, Robin Hill, Winston Howlett, Merrie K, Ros O. Ludwig, T'Lay, Anji Valenza, Ellen Vartanoff, Laura Virgil, A. Stuart Walker, Virginia Walker, Johanna Cantor, D.L. Collin, Joel Davis, Jeff Maynard, Jack Townsend, Joni Wagner, Shirley Maiewski, Elizabeth Marshall, Diane McClaugherty, and Sam Segal. The third issue also featured a poem by Nichelle Nichols.
* Hyperion, a gen fanzine which features Uhura as a Captain on the USS Hyperion, published in 2004.
* Kefrendar, an Uhura novel by Bonnie Reitz, published in 1988, set after Star Trek: The Voyage Home. Reprinted in The Worlds of Bonnie Reitz.
* Kiku, a 1986 Kirk/Uhura novel by Jacqueline Comben.
* Spock's Ever Logical Equation, a 1984 Spock/Uhura novel by Millie Fabricius.
* Starbound, an Uhura anthology with at least 3 issues (1998-1990)
* Woman, Warrior, Wife, a gen anthology dedicated to Nichelle Nichols
* Nihura
===Sample Fanart===
====1968====
File:Spockan2-3.jpg|from Spockanalia #2, "The Allure of Uhura" by Kathy Bushman
File:Spockanalia3art8.jpg|from Spockanalia #3, Allan Asherman
File:Plaktow11front.jpg|from Plak-Tow #11, Kathy Bushman
File:Stphile1back.jpg|from ST-Phile #1, by Juanita Coulson, Uhura and The Big Three
File:Stphile2art3.jpg|from ST-Phile #2, by Juanita Coulson
File:Stardate1mcmasters-1.jpg|from StarDate, by Connie Reich
====1969====
File:InsideStarTrek11.jpg|from Inside Star Trek #11, by A.G. Probert
File:Tneg3.jpg|Uhura on the cover of T-Negative #3, by Greg Jein (1969)
====1970====
File:Tneg8.jpg|from T-Negative #8, by Clarica Scott (1970)
File:Vorpalsword3-1.jpg|from The Vorpal Sword #3, by Carol Grosso
====1971====
File:Trisk4art10.jpg|from Triskelion #4, Alice Jones
====1972====
File:Tneg14art1.jpg|from T-Negative #14, by Rosalind Oberdieck (1972)
====1975====
File:Deltatriad1art1.jpg|interior art from Delta Triad #1, artist Mel Shreve (1975)
File:Fuhura1back.jpg|from Furaha #1, by Merrie K
File:Furaha2.jpg|from Furaha #3, by Joni Wagner
File:Fuhura2-3.jpg|from Furaha #3, by D.L. Collin
File:Furaha3-3.jpg|from Furaha #3, by Jack Townsend
File:Furaha4.jpg|from Furaha #4, by Laura Virgil
====1976====
File:Otherside1-1.jpg|from The Other Side of Paradise #1, song by Amy Falkowitz, art by Signe Landon
File:Startreksongbook1976coversmall.jpg|Nichelle Nichols costumed as Aida (reprinted from T-Negative #19, 1973) on the cover of The Star Trek Songbook #3, by George Barr (1976)
File:Weightuhura.jpg|from The Weight by Leslie Fish, Uhura and James Kirk (1976)
File:Landon11.jpg|Art postcard from Signe Landon Star Trek Postcards (1976)
File:Delta3art12.jpg|Art by MEL/Martin from Delta Triad #3 portraying Uhura in the 1860s dress, for the story "To a Time Divided" (1976)
====1977====
File:Otherside2art5.jpg|from The Other Side of Paradise #2, by Leslie Fish
File:Tneg32-33art4.jpg|from T-Negative #32/33 by Gee Moaven
File:Alnitah6art3.jpg|from Alnitah #6, by Mike Eason (1977)
File:Interphase4art7.jpg|from Interphase #4, art by Gee Moaven (1977)
File:Interphase4art4.jpg|from Interphase #4, art by Gee Moaven (1977)
File:Interphase4art4gee.jpg|from Interphase #4, art by Gee Moaven (1977)
File:Fes1.jpg|cover of Fesarius #2, Signe Landon (1977)
File:Talshaya4-4.jpg|Art from Tal Shaya #4, by Cheryl Frashure (1977)
File:Sens2.jpg|from The Sensuous Vulcan by Alice Jones
File:Galdis1art11.jpg|from Galactic Discourse #1 by Suzanne Kirwan
====1978====
File:Warped3435-13.jpg|from Warped Space #34, by Leslie Fish
File:Other side 3 front cover by galye f.jpg|from The Other Side of Paradise #3, Gayle F
File:Interstat-6-200-web.jpg|Uhura on the cover of Interstat #6, by Heather Firth (1978)
File:Probe12-3.jpg|from Probe by Alice Jones: "Black Goddess" (1978)
File:Probe12-4.jpgfrom Probe by Allan Asherman: "Black Goddess" (1978)
File:Idic678-10.jpg|Interior art from the IDIC zine by Connie Faddis (1978)
====1979====
File:Tneg34-35art4.jpg|from T-Negative #34/35 by Signe Landon: "Uhura Transformed"
File:Warped41-11.jpg|from Warped Space #41, by Leslie Fish
File:Warped42-15.jpg|from Warped Space #42, by Leslie Fish
====1980====
File:Daggerart5.jpg|Mei-Moi Lee for "Afro-Disiac" in the zine Dagger of the Mind
File:Daggerart10.jpg|Mei-Moi Lee for "Afro-Disiac" in the zine Dagger of the Mind
File:mena16foglio.jpg|from Menagerie #16, by Phil Foglio
====1982====
File:Baselines2-9.jpg|from Baselines #2, artist is Sat Nam Kaur (1982)
====1984====
File:Parallaxart15.jpg|from Parallax Ring by Barbara P. Gordon
====1985====
File:Livingspirit2-4.jpg| from Katra: The Living Spirit #2, unknown artist (1985)
====1986====
File:Destinys2art2.jpg|from Destiny's Children #2, artist is Anja Gruber
====1987====
File:Idylls2.jpg|Uhura on the cover of Idylls #2 (1987) by Linda Baker
====1990====
File:Spock57-3.jpg|from Spock #57, artist is Marianne Plumridge (1990)
File:Starbound2front.jpg|from Starbound #2, by Chuck Frazier
File:Starbound2-4.jpg|from Starbound #2, by Anja Gruber
====1991====
File:Engagesomeissue2.jpg|Uhura on a cover of Engage! (1991) by Zaquia Tarhuntassa
File:Portraits1-1.jpg|Art from Portraits #1 by David Lawrence (1991)
===2000s and 2010s===
* by Bunk2, 2007 -- Beyonce as TOS Uhura
* by Dredsina, 2009
* by Melanarus, 2010
* by DennisBudd, 2010
* by davidjcutler, 2012
* by stourangeau, 2013 -- redesign of Uhura's TOS uniform
* by Robert-Shane, 2013
* by nightwing1975, 2018 -- doll repainting modifying a barbie doll to look more like TOS Uhura.
====2020s====
File:Uhura with afro.jpg|by Emcee Frodis
* by pilimaginatio, 2020 -- in the style of Alphonse Mucha
* several sketches of Uhura by to-boldly-escape, 2023
===Archives===
* Nyota Uhura, Original Series at Archive of Our Own
* Uhura, Original Series at FanFiction.net
* Nyota Uhura at Trekiverse
* Dreams of Africa, all ratings. (Note: Was hosted on Geocities, now defunct)
* The Uhura Fic Fest, open to gen, het, or slash, any rating. Stories were posted in 2004.
==Meta/Further Reading==
* The Allure of Uhura (1968)
* (2009)
* by laurajv (2009)
* Speaks Romulan, All Three Dialects: The Endurance of Lieutenant Uhura, by Emily Asher-Perrin at Tor.com (December 22, 2010)
* The Endurance of Lieutenant Uhura Means We’re Changing For the Better, by Emily Asher-Perrin at Tor.com (April 10, 2013)
== External Links ==
* Memory Alpha (TOS Uhura)
* Wikipedia
==References==
Category:Star Trek TOS Characters
Category:2022 Featured Articles