Nichelle Nichols Hospitalized After Suffering Mild Stroke

Star Trek actress Nichelle Nichols has been hospitalized after suffering a mild stroke, her agent announced.

Nichelle Nichols is best known for her role as Lieutenant Uhura in Star Trek.

Zach McGinnis wrote on Facebook: “Last night while at her home in LA, Nichelle Nichols suffered from a mild stroke.

“She is currently undergoing testing to determine how severe the stroke was. Please keep her in your thoughts.”

Nichelle Nichols, 82, was handpicked by Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry to appear in the original 1960s TV series.

Her casting as fourth in command of the USS Enterprise broke many racial barriers, with Nichelle Nichols becoming the first black woman to share a kiss with a white man (William Shatner who played Captain James T. Kirk) on US television in 1966.

Up until that point, African-American actresses had typically been cast in servile roles, playing housekeepers or maids. Fans of Nichelle Nichols’ Star Trek role reportedly included Dr. Martin Luther King.

In an updated post on Facebook, Zach McGinnis reported that Nichelle Nichols was “awake, eating, in good spirits and able to have full conversations.”

Zach McGinnis wrote: “Her right side has shown minor signs of mobility loss but she is not showing any signs of paralyses.

“We greatly appreciate all of the love and support her fans are showing at this time.”

The original Star Trek series ran for three years and continues to have a cult following.

Nichelle Nichols went on to star in several Star Trek movies, between 1979 and 1991, including The Wrath of Khan and The Final Frontier.