Black Women in Science Fiction Movie - Essay Example

Task: Black Women in science fiction movie The role of Nichelle Nichols as one of the female movie stars is plausible. Nichelle Nichols was among the main characters in the Star Trek. She is an American. She was born on the 28 December 1932. Her birthplace was in the Illinois. She had a divorce during her first marriage with Duke Mondy. She later married Foster Johnson. For the first time, as a black actress, she acted a non-stereotypical role. She was among the first African-American women to act such a related role associated only by the white. Previously, the depiction of African-American actresses played lesser roles compared to that which she acted, as Uhura. This included roles as housekeepers. She is notably among the first African-American writers to appear on TV show with whites. She played such roles celebrated by all fans and had similar treatment as that of other characters from other races. She also featured in science-fiction series. All the fans of Star Trek enjoyed her role, with celebration and embracement (Kilgore 22). This notably led to the integration of multiculturalism. This is where characters, from diverse races and gender featured in different roles, in science fictions and TV shows. There is a feeling of equality in such a case, and prejudice does not control. In the movie, she had the first on-screen kiss. William Shatner kissed her in Star Trek (1966) depicting a kiss between a black and a white on television in America. She was one of the first black actress to visit the Hollywood’s Chinese theatre. She became the first Black-American receive an award for the Hollywood Walk of fame. This came in 1992. Her appearance in the Star Trek was made with DeForest Kelly. He appeared in other episodes, in other different scenes. She appeared with Leonard Nimoy. This was in the Star Trek (1973). She also featured with Futurama. This was in Star Trek (1999). Apart from acting, she is a singer and a dancer. She returned to singing, in 1992. She produced the song, the Reflections. This was a one-woman musical show. Nichelle has a series of awards. She, in 1980, was nominated for being the best supporting actress. This was the Satiurn Award. In 2007, she had the TV Land Award. She won the award together with William, for sharing the first interracial kiss on TV. In 2006, she was nominated for the TV Land award. She won the ward, once again, with William for the most memorable kiss. In 1992, she won an award the Star on the Walk of Fame. Her role in as an officer in NASA is remarkable. She worked at NASA during the period from the 1970s and proceeded up to 1987. Her mandate was concerned with recruitment. She recruited hopefuls of astronaut (Shayler and Moule 151). Her remembrance during this post was her recruitment of hopefuls from minority groups, cultures and ethnicities. She recruited remarkable figures. This includes the famous G. Bluford. This was the first African-American to be a male astronaut. She also recruited S. Ride. Other top performers of the time came to be recruited during her time. J. Resnik was one of the people who survived when the launch of the Challenger. This was in 1986, January. She also recruited R. McNair, who was a victim of the catastrophe that occurred during the launch of the challenger. Her role in recruiting minority groups was a successful avenue. Her list of recruits was very diverse and considerate to minority groups and other ethnic groups that experienced alienation earlier before that. This furthered the prosperity of the initiative. According to McBride, the role was plausible. It is noteworthy that, during the production of Star Trek, there was a move by civil rights activists. The move aimed at reversing the situation that brought about segregations and oppressions of the blacks. Martin Luther King was a notable leader in the movement (Finkelman 439). By the time the science fiction appeared on NBC, the movement had been at its peak. Racial violence and the fight against economic oppression were among the top agendas of the movement. The role played by Nichols was a sigh of relief for women in the society, at the time. It brought a breakthrough for black women during the war. They felt a sense of representation in various activities, which was one of the visions of the movement of the time. The show, therefore, came at the most suitable historical moment. Nicholas was not aware of the role played by her role in regards to support it brought to enhance civil rights movements. She was not aware of the plausible role she had in anchoring and promoting the movement. At the time, there was a march by the blacks, mainly in the south. There was a notable reaction to her appearance on TV show. The blacks were happy at the move when the show hit in 1966. The south could not show the science fiction. This was due to its influential nature and the happiness that the blacks attached to it. The south viewed the role as an African woman who rose to a powerful position. To worsen the situation, she did not feature as a housekeeper or a mere dance in the science fiction. According to Nicholas, she did not experience discrimination in a broad sense. However, she recalls of an instance when she had restriction from using the same gate with the whites. During other instances, she had no allowance to get in to the studio through the walk-on-gate. She recounts that she had to go through the front gate. At the front gate, she had to first sign in and return before receiving permission to enter. Some of the guards attributed that she did not hold the privilege of being at the studio, being a black American. She had opposition from different people. Racism was, according to her, deep-rooted. It was rampant, even with her mates. Some people branded Nichols as not qualified to take the role she had in the science fiction. She even recounts of the racist nature of the show photographer. In some instances, her pictures were singular. No one wanted to associate with her. They shied off from having a photo together (Speigel 1). In other instances, the photographer shot her behind other characters, where she was slightly visible to the viewers. There were different people who were out to get her comment on the situation ,but she never did so. Nichols wanted to leave Star Trek because of her unhappiness with what was happening (Kenyada 2). This was at the end of the first session. However, she had a life-transforming encounter. This came when she attended a fundraiser. The fundraiser was courtesy of a National Association for the Advancement of colored people. At this point, she met Martin Luther. Martin confessed his happiness for her role. On getting the information on Nichols decision, Martin urged her to change her mind and stay. He emphasized to her the massive importance her role was, in support to the movement. He reassured her that she was heroic, for breaking ground on women role on TV. He reinstated that the role she played meant a lot for their much towards achieving freedom from black suppression. Martin Luther expressed the delight of the blacks when observing her role in the TV show. He emphasized that it added hope to the organizers and the people involved in the movement. After that convincing talk with Martin Luther, she decided to stay at Star Trek. The decision was an appreciation since she had a chance to be legendary for the first televised interracial kiss. It is noteworthy there were concerns aired concerning the show was rightly aired. This was in 1968. There was a concern that the south would raise complaints over the instance. Even Bill himself confessed that he would never do the same except for the fact that it was a direction in the science fiction. Leaving the kiss in the episode was a last decision made by NBC. It, therefore, turned to become the very first TV show interracial kiss. Currently, Nichols is working on a mission to produce a movie project. She plans to feature in the movie and at the same time, she is the producer of the movie. Nichols is a celebration to date. She will always have the title for massively bringing impact to the television scenes. The change she brought was enormous, and she broke a deep-rooted culture. She is still a celebration for her role in strengthening the rights movement during the time and a generational change (Chilton and Chaires 144). She remains a historic figure for having promoted the uplift of the black women. Her endurance and dedication is a landmark move to the encouragement and an appreciation of the role of women in society. She holds several awards and remains epitomic for her role in the society of the historic times. Her role in the position she occupied at NASA remains to sound victorious to date. The people’s thought of each other also changed with her role, given her race. Works Cited Chaires, Robert., and Chilton, Bradley. Star Trek Visions of Law and Justice. Dallas, TX: University of North Texas Press, 2003. Print. Finkelman , Paul. Encyclopedia of African American History, 1896 to the Present: From the Age of Segregation to the Twenty-First Century. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2007. Print. Kenyada, Richard. Reflections in the Dark Room: The Black Essays. Indiana, IN: AuthorHouse, 2009. Print. Kilgore , De Witt. Astrofuturism: Science, Race, and Visions of Utopia in Space. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2003. Print. Shayler , David., and Moule, Ian. Women in Space: Following Valentina. Herts, UK: Springer, 2005. Print. Speigel, Lee. Nichelle Nichols On Having First Major Black Female TV Role And That First Interracial Kiss On 'Star Trek'. Blackvoices. February 10, 2012. Web. May 31, 2012 Read More