Grace Dell Nichols (1932 - 2022)

Born 18 Dec 1932 in Robbins, Cook County, Illinois, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Foster Charles Johnson — married 27 Jan 1951 (to after 14 Aug 1951) in Greenup, Greenup, Kentucky, United States

Died 30 Jul 2022 at age 89 in Silver City, Grant, New Mexico, United States

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Biography

Nichelle Nichols is Notable.

Nichelle Nichols was an American actress made famous by her role as Lieutenant Uhura, communications officer and fourth in command of the U.S.S. Enterprise in the original Star Trek television and film series. One of the first Black women to be featured in a major television series, her prominent supporting role as a bridge officer broke the stereotype for Black women characters.^[1]

Born Grace Dell Nichols on December 18, 1932 in a suburb of Chicago to Samuel Earl Nichols and his second wife, Lishia (Parks) Nichols,^[2] she grew up in Chicago,^[3] and studied in Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles.^[1]

Her known siblings:^[4]

1. Ruth Ethel Nichols (1915)^[5]
2. Olga Cardoza Nichols (1918)^[6]
3. Thelma Lydia Nichols (1920)^[7]
4. Eric Nichols (1924)
5. Samuel Nichols (1928)
6. Frank Aaron Nichols (1930)^[8]
7. Thomas Alva Nichols (1938-1997)^[9]
8. Marian Nichols (1941)^[10]

Before Star Trek, she toured as a jazz singer with the Duke Ellington and Hampton Bands, and sang, danced, and acted in New York, West Coast, and Chicago theater.^[1]

Her first marriage, to Foster Johnson in 1951, lasted less than a year. She has one child from her first marriage, Kyle Johnson, born August 14, 1951. Kyle is an actor, musician, and songwriter.^[1]

She married Duke Mondy in 1967. They divorced, without children, in 1972.^[11]

She has said that in 1966 Dr. Martin Luther King strongly encouraged her to continue in her non-stereotypical role as Uhura because of its positive influence on millions of viewers, Black and white. After Star Trek was cancelled in 1969, she volunteered her time with NASA as a very successful recruiter of minority and female personnel.^[1]

She wrote her autobiography in 1994.^[12] After her 2018 diagnosis of dementia, she retired from convention appearances.^[1]

Nichelle Nichols died at age 90 on July 30, 2022.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5} Wikipedia contributors, "Nichelle Nichols," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nichelle_Nichols&oldid=1068568883 (accessed February 1, 2022).
2. ↑ Birth: "Illinois, Cook County, Birth Certificates, 1871-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKM7-YKHB : accessed 9 May 2016), Grace Dell Nichols, 28 Dec 1932; citing Robbins, Cook, Illinois, United States, reference/certificate 2, Cook County Courthouse, Chicago; FHL microfilm.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KWYV-VSL : accessed 9 May 2016), Grace Nichols in household of Samuel Nichols, Ward 11, Chicago, Chicago City, Cook, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 103-705A, sheet 1A, family 9, NARA digital publication T627 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012), roll 943.

   Samuel Nichols Head Male 46 Mississippi

   Leshia Nichols Wife Female 35 Oklahoma

   Thelma Nichols Daughter Female 19 Illinois

   Samuel Nichols Son Male 11 Illinois

   Frank Nichols Son Male 9 Illinois

   Grace Nichols Daughter Female 7 Illinois

   Thomas Nichols Son Male 1 Illinois

4. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSRT-CDV : accessed 1 February 2022), Samuel E Nichols, Robbins, Cook, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 2061, sheet 8A, line 41, family 232, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 416; FHL microfilm 2,340,151.
5. ↑ "Illinois, Cook County, Birth Certificates, 1871-1949," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q239-TJQY : 18 May 2016), Samuel Earl Nichols in entry for Ruth Ethel Nichols, 27 Jan 1915; Bremen, Cook, Illinois, United States, reference/certificate 4355, Cook County Clerk, Cook County Courthouse, Chicago; FHL microfilm .
6. ↑ "Illinois, Cook County, Birth Certificates, 1871-1949," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N7SG-FRC : 18 May 2016), Samuel Nichols in entry for Olga Cardoza Nichols, 18 Oct 1918; Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States, reference/certificate 39216, Cook County Clerk, Cook County Courthouse, Chicago; FHL microfilm 1,308,862.
7. ↑ "Illinois, Cook County, Birth Certificates, 1871-1949," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q23M-75YK : 18 May 2016), Samuel E Nichols in entry for Thelma Lydia Nichols, 09 Jun 1920; Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States, reference/certificate 66690, Cook County Clerk, Cook County Courthouse, Chicago; FHL microfilm .
8. ↑ "Illinois, Cook County, Birth Certificates, 1871-1949," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVPC-M1Z6 : 18 May 2016), Samuel Earl Nichols in entry for Frank Aaron Nichols, 19 Jul 1930; Robbins, Cook, Illinois, United States, reference/certificate 36, Cook County Clerk, Cook County Courthouse, Chicago; FHL microfilm 100,451,424.
9. ↑ "Illinois, Cook County, Birth Certificates, 1871-1949," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2S8-LW96 : 18 May 2016), Samuel Nichols in entry for Thomas Alva Nichols, 15 Apr 1938; Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States, reference/certificate 17973, Cook County Clerk, Cook County Courthouse, Chicago; FHL microfilm.
10. ↑ "Illinois, Cook County, Birth Certificates, 1871-1949", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6Z8Y-5RT3 : 30 March 2021), Samuel Nichols in entry for Marian Nichols, 1941.
11. ↑ "California Divorce Index, 1966-1984," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPR4-C81 : accessed 11 May 2016), Nichelle Nichols and Duke N Mondy, Mar 1972; from "California Divorce Index, 1966-1984," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2007); citing Los Angeles City, California, Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento.
12. ↑ Nichelle Nichols, Beyond Uhura: Star Trek and Other Memories, (New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1994).

See also:

• "United States Public Records, 1970-2009," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJK7-VTHV : accessed 9 May 2016), Nichelle Nichols, Residence, Chicago, Illinois, United States; a third party aggregator of publicly available information.

• "United States Public Records, 1970-2009," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJY4-NLWQ : accessed 9 May 2016), Nichelle Nichols, Residence, Chicago, Illinois, United States; a third party aggregator of publicly available information.

• "United States Public Records, 1970-2009," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ1S-239N : accessed 9 May 2016), Nichelle L Nichols, Residence, Kewanee, Illinois, United States; a third party aggregator of publicly available information.

• Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
  Find A Grave: Memorial #242189313 (accessed 1 August 2022)
  Memorial page for Nichelle Nichols (28 Dec 1932-30 Jul 2022); Maintained by Bradley M. (contributor 49065929) Burial Details Unknown.