Uhura

From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference.

For the mirror universe counterpart, see Uhura (mirror).

Uhura served as chief communications officer aboard the Starship Enterprise under the command of James T. Kirk for nearly thirty years, after which she continued her career lecturing at Starfleet Academy.

1 Biography
2 Service Record
- 2.1 The five-year mission
  - 2.1.1 Assaults and injuries
  - 2.1.2 Recognition during five-year mission
- 2.2 Later Career
3 Personal Life
4 Appendices

[edit] Biography

Uhura was born on Earth in 2239. She can speak the Swahili language fluently. (TOS: "The Man Trap", "The Changeling", "Spectre of the Gun")

In her youth, she used to run the 100 meter dash in record time. (TAS: "The Slaver Weapon")

[edit] Service Record

[edit] The five-year mission

Lieutenant Uhura in 2266

In 2266, Uhura began her Starfleet career as communications officer aboard the USS Enterprise with the rank of lieutenant. (TOS: "The Corbomite Maneuver") In the years following that vessel's historic five-year mission, she proved to be a proficient technician and was considered by Captain Kirk to be a capable and reliable bridge officer, manning the helm station when the need arose. (TOS: "Balance of Terror")

As shown in the picture to the right, Uhura initially wore the gold command uniform in "The Corbomite Maneuver" and "Mudd's Women". Thereafter, she was outfitted in the more-familiar red uniform of engineering and support services.

On stardate 1704.2, under the influence of polywater intoxication, Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu, fantasizing himself a musketeer, took Uhura, under his "protection" before first officer Spock subdued him with a Vulcan nerve pinch. (TOS: "The Naked Time")

Following a communications blackout caused by Apollo, jamming all communication frequencies between the Enterprise and her landing party on stardate 3468.1, Uhura attempted the delicate task of rewiring the entire communications system in an attempt to break through the interference. In conjunction with Sulu's rigging of all transmission circuits for maximum power generation, Uhura successfully connected the bypass circuit, a task she had not done in several years. Spock praised her work and could think of "no one better equipped" to handle the necessary repairs. (TOS: "Who Mourns for Adonais?")

On stardate 4523.3, while on shore leave aboard Deep Space Station K-7, Uhura met a dealer named Cyrano Jones, who tried to sell rare galactic items, among them, funny little creatures Jones called tribbles. In hopes of more sales, Jones gave one to Uhura, which subsequently, due to their high reproduction rate, threatened to overrun the Enterprise when Uhura took the creature with her on board. Fortunately, the crew was able to find a way to dispose of the tribbles. (TOS: "The Trouble with Tribbles")

On stardate 4372.5, the Enterprise was assigned to transport Elaan, Dohlman of Elas to the planet Troyius for her arranged marriage. Uhura offered Elaan her quarters to stay in while traveling on board the Enterprise. (TOS: "Elaan of Troyius").

In a deleted scene from that episode, Uhura suggested to Captain Kirk that "music hath charms to soothe the savage beast", and thus they entered to find Spock playing the Vulcan lyre. Uhura was deeply impressed with Spock's musical abilities, and asked if he could teach her how to play the lyre. Spock approved, yet wondered whether a non-Vulcan could ever master the skill.

Uhura takes charge on Taurus II.

On stardate 5483.7, the male Enterprise crew was incapacitated by the "siren's song" of Taurus II's female population, necessitating Uhura to take command of the ship. She and Nurse Christine Chapel led a landing party to rescue Captain Kirk, first officer Spock and Dr. McCoy. (TAS: "The Lorelei Signal")

Later that year, on stardate 2291.2, the Enterprise revisited the Shore Leave Planet where Uhura was abducted by the planet's computer, which had taken charge of the planet upon The Keeper's death. Uhura reasoned with the computer, which felt that it was being taken advantage of, and convinced it to cease its hostile actions against the Enterprise crew. (TAS: "Once Upon a Planet")

In 2270, Uhura was again temporarily in command of the bridge when the Enterprise lost contact with Kirk and Spock, half of the ships' contact party, while exploring the surface of Delta Theta III. Per Kirk's orders of avoiding unnecessary risks, she ordered engineer Montgomery Scott and Sulu, the other half of the contact party, to reboard the ship, contrary to their attempt to locate the Spock and the captain. (TAS: "Bem")

Appearing as an infant.

Later that year, Uhura, along with Dr. McCoy and Lieutenant Sulu, became trapped in the ship's holographic recreation room when the Enterprise computer exhibited aberrant behavior following its passage through an energy cloud. (TAS: "The Practical Joker") On stardate 5275.6, Uhura collapsed on the bridge due to the effects of Dramian auroral plague. Fortunately, Dr. McCoy was able to find a cure to rescue her and the rest of the infected crew. (TAS: "Albatross")

On stardate 6770.3, upon entering an anti-matter universe, the Enterprise crew experienced the effects of accelerated reverse aging and Uhura also was reduced to infancy. After returning the ship to normal space, the crew was able to return to their normal age by using the transporters. (TAS: "The Counter-Clock Incident")

[edit] Assaults and injuries

Like most of her Enterprise crewmates, Uhura was exposed to certain dangers on several missions. However, most of these dangers occurred during the original five-year mission.

After Khan took over the Enterprise on stardate 3141.9 and assembled several officers in the briefing room, one of Khan's henchmen forcefully grabbed Uhura by the arm and shoved her into the chair located in front of the computer terminal. When Uhura resisted obeying Khan's orders, the henchman slapped Uhura across the face. (TOS: "Space Seed")

Nomad wipes out Uhura's memory

On stardate 3211.8, Uhura was the victim of an attempted sexual assault. When she, Kirk and Chekov were kidnapped and imprisoned by the Providers of the planet Triskelion, Uhura fought off the advances of the drill thrall Lars with a water pitcher. (TOS: "The Gamesters of Triskelion")

Perhaps her most traumatic experience during her time aboard the Enterprise occurred on stardate 3541.9. This is when Uhura had her memory wiped out by the space probe Nomad which misinterpreted her singing of Beyond Antares as a biological malfunction. This assault required Dr. Leonard McCoy to use advanced medical and educational techniques to restore her memories. (TOS: "The Changeling")

[edit] Recognition during five-year mission

Uhura received a pair of noteworthy recognitions which occurred during the original five-year mission.

She was one of a few officers privileged to dine at a banquet arranged at the request of Lieutenant Marla McGivers for Khan on stardate 3141.9. When Khan later cut life support to the bridge, Kirk listed the names of bridge personnel to be recorded for commendations. Before Kirk ran out of air, he was able to include Uhura in that list. (TOS: "Space Seed")

When the Enterprise was temporarily placed under the control of the M-5 computer as part of an experiment by Doctor Richard Daystrom on stardate 4729.4, Uhura was one of twenty officers selected by the computer to operate the starship for the war games exercise. (TOS: "The Ultimate Computer")

[edit] Later Career

Lt. Commander Uhura in the 2270s.

In the 2270s, Uhura was promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander aboard the Enterprise. She served aboard the refit Enterprise under the command of Captain Willard Decker, and later during the V'Ger crisis, under the command of Admiral Kirk. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)

In 2284, Uhura was promoted to Commander, and assigned to Starfleet Command communications and to Starfleet Academy while the Enterprise was reassigned to cadet training. Part of her duty included giving lectures at the Academy. That same year, the Enterprise became involved with Project Genesis and Khan Noonien Singh's attempt to steal the Genesis Device. Eventually, Kirk was able to stop Khan, but not before the latter had wrought extensive damage upon the Enterprise, requiring Captain Spock to sacrifice his life to save the ship. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)

In 2285, Uhura was assigned to the transporter room at Old City Station per her own request. During the planned rescue attempt of Spock from the Genesis Planet, Uhura played an instrumental role of illegally transporting Admiral Kirk and company to the Enterprise prior to its theft. (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)

In the scene featuring Uhura's posting at Old City Station, Uhura is seen wearing a black skirt with her uniform rather than the otherwise standard black slacks worn by other female personnel. This costume design was made at the request of Nichelle Nichols, and honored by costume designer Robert Fletcher especially for that one scene.

Kirk and his senior staff succeeded in saving Spock, and Uhura met up with her crewmates on Vulcan. Along with the rest of the crew she traveled back to the year 1986 aboard a Klingon Bird-of-Prey – which they named the HMS Bounty – to retrieve two humpback whales to save the planet Earth from an alien probe. While in 20th century San Francisco, Uhura and Pavel Chekov transported aboard the aircraft carrier Enterprise to acquire high-energy photons from its reactor core. Upon their return to the 23rd century, she was among the crew charged with the theft of the Enterprise. However, all charges against them were dropped because they had saved the planet. She was reassigned to communications aboard the USS Enterprise-A. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)

Commander Uhura in 2293.

In 2287, the Enterprise was dispatched to resolve a hostage situation on Nimbus III, the Planet of Galactic Peace. Under the influence of the rebel leader Sybok, Uhura and many other crewmembers cooperated to divert the Enterprise to the galactic core where Sybok convinced them they would find the mythical Sha Ka Ree. In an initial attack on the rebel-held Paradise City, Uhura played a vital part by performing an erotic, moonlit fandance on a sand dune. This prominent distraction drew out a party of rebels, whose horses the Starfleet forces appropriated for use during the attack. (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier)

Up to the Camp Khitomer crisis of 2293, Uhura continued to serve as communications officer of the Enterprise-A. The Enterprise crew played a vital role in the success of the Khitomer Conference by exposing a conspiracy that sought to sabotage the peace process. By the end of the year, Uhura had left the Enterprise and taken a position at Starfleet Academy. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)

[edit] Personal Life

Spock reunited with his shipmates

Uhura was a Starfleet officer who was proud of her African heritage. In fact, she decorated her personal living quarters aboard the Enterprise with a zebra-skin bedspread, some African sculptures and masks, and wall panels containing African images. (TOS: "Elaan of Troyius", "The Tholian Web")

She was also well known among her fellow Enterprise colleagues for entertaining them with her singing talent. On several occasions, she sang "Beyond Antares" in the recreation room or on the bridge – the last incident triggering Nomad's assault. (TOS: "The Conscience of the King", "The Changeling")

In the original screenplay of "Charlie X" Uhura was a talented mimic, who amused her colleagues with miming fellow officers. This was altered to suit Nichelle Nichols' singing abilities.

Throughout their years of serving together, Uhura developed a strong friendship with the other members of the Enterprise senior staff. In 2285, she helped Kirk without hesitation in his quest to find peace for Spock's katra. When the other crew members had recovered Spock's body from the Genesis Planet, Uhura had been waiting for them on Vulcan and witnessed the fal-tor-pan ritual being performed on Spock. (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)

[edit] James T. Kirk

Kirk and Uhura about to kiss

Serving under Kirk for many years, Uhura developed a great respect for him, both as a starship captain and a person. On stardate 5784.2, under the influence of powerful telepaths, Uhura was forced to kiss him. (TOS: "Plato's Stepchildren")

The kiss between Kirk and Uhura became famous, as it was the first kiss between an African-American and a Caucasian portraying fictional characters on American "episodic" television. The scene was seen as groundbreaking, even though the kiss was portrayed as having been forced by alien mind control. It should be noted, however, that on December 11, 1967, NBC broadcast a musical-variety program entitled Movin' With Nancy, during which singers Nancy Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. openly kissed.[1]

[edit] Spock

Spock and Uhura discuss the Vulcan lyre in the recreation room.

Near the beginning of her service aboard the Enterprise, Uhura attempted to reach the human side of Spock.

On stardate 1513.1, she tried to start a conversation with a sardonic Spock and asked him how Vulcan looked when its moon was full. When Spock mentioned to her that Vulcan has no moon, she expressed little surprise at his lack of romanticism. She was also amazed that Spock lacked any curiosity with regards to the identity of a dead officer on planet M-113. (TOS: "The Man Trap")

Soon afterward, when Charles Evans was aboard the Enterprise, Uhura and Spock entertained the crew together in the recreation room on stardate 1533.6. With Spock on the Vulcan harp, Uhura sang the improvised song "Oh, On the Starship Enterprise". (TOS: "Charlie X")

In a 2008 interview, Nichelle Nichols said "I created a relationship between Uhura and Spock as being her mentor and the person she looked up to. Uhura was the only one who could play the Vulcan lyre and the only one who had the audacity to sing a song teasing Spock." [2]

[edit] Montgomery Scott

Uhura and Scotty (2287)

In 2287, Uhura began to show some romantic interest in Montgomery Scott, but their relationship was never pursued. Under the influence of Sybok, however, Uhura became more persuasive. Scotty, nevertheless, politely declined the advance, mindful of her "condition". (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier)

Scotty helped Uhura and Chekov look up Klingon phrases in antique books in 2293, while trying to cross the border into Klingon space to rescue their jailed colleagues. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)

[edit] Appendices

[edit] Appearances

See also: Main character non-appearances

[edit] Background

Uhura was played by Nichelle Nichols, who appeared in approximately sixty-five episodes. Nichols also provided the voice of Uhura (in addition to a few guest character voices) for The Animated Series, and appeared in all but seven of its episodes.

Thirty years later, she would appear in the archived footage of "The Trouble with Tribbles" and "Mirror, Mirror" that was used in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Trials and Tribble-ations". She was additionally slated to make a cameo in "Flashback", but was cut from the episode after demanding more lines for her role.

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[edit] Name and heritage

According to an anecdote told by Nichelle Nichols at Shore Leave 29, she and Gene Roddenberry decided on the name "Uhura" because, before Nichols' audition, she and several others involved in casting had been reading the 1962 novel Uhuru by American author Robert Ruark.

"Uhuru," is the Swahili word for "freedom." Spock, after making a Vulcan mind meld with Kollos, says that Uhura's name means "freedom" and recites a line of poetry about beauty from Lord Byron.

The character's given name was never established in the series or the movies. In Star Trek VI, her name was misspelled "Uhuru" in the credits. By the early 1970s, it was suggested that her first name may have been "Penda", meaning "love". Later, the name "Nyota" ("star" in Swahili) became more commonly used, first by William Rotsler in his book Star Trek II Biographies.

Nichols has said that an author writing about the history of Star Trek had asked Gene Roddenberry what Uhura's first name was and was told that one was never decided. The author then recommended the name "Nyota." Roddenberry liked it, but said to ask Nichols before he allowed the name to be used. Nichols thought the name was perfect. (TOS Season 2 DVD commentary) Alternatively on the video "William Shatner's Star Trek Memories," Nichols also said that she and Gene Roddenberry came up with the name in initial discussions about the character just after her casting.

In the Star Trek RPG published by FASA in the 1980s, the full name given for Uhura was "Samara Uhura," although, like the rest of this game, its source material was stricken from canonical status after the debut of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Paramount Pictures revised canon policies. This possible name appears to not have been accepted outside the original source. Ironically, in the The RPG adaptation, there were several Decker-class starships named for the Enterprise crew, including the USS Samara Uhura.

Although never mentioned on screen, various guides, such as the Star Trek Concordance, the Star Trek Chronology and the official website mention M'Umbha as being the mother of Uhura. This may lead one to believe that the reference to M'Umbha was in the original script for "The Man Trap" or in the TOS writer's guide. According to the Concordance the line referencing M'Umbha in "The Man Trap" was spoken in the past tense, indicating that she was deceased by 2266.

Uhura's date and location of birth were also never established on screen. Her date of birth was instead derived from the Star Trek Chronology and the Star Trek Encyclopedia. In the meantime, the original Star Trek writer's guide and the Star Trek Concordance suggests that she was born in the United States of Africa. Her familiarity with the Swahili language implies—but does not require—an East African origin or heritage. In the novelization of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, she is described as having a "fine-boned Bantu face" (Page 49), and in the novelization of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Pavel Chekov said Uhura was from the Bantu Nation.

It is interesting to note that in the 1977 Writers'/Directors' Guide for Star Trek II—the aborted second series—Uhura was noted as having been born in the "African Confederacy". The full character description, written by Gene Roddenberry and Jon Povill, is as follows:

"Rank of Lieutenant Commander, Communications Officer, played by attractive young actress Nichelle Nichols. Uhura was born in the African Confederacy. Quick and intelligent, she is a highly efficient officer. Her understanding of the ship's computer systems is second only to the Vulcan Science Officer, and expert in all ships systems relating to communications. Uhura is also a warm, highly female female off duty. She is a favorite in the Recreation Room during off duty hours, too, because she sings–old ballads as well as the newer space ballads–and she can do impersonations at the drop of a communicator."

[edit] Legacy

Nichelle Nichols has stated on many occasions during the years, including on the video William Shatner's Star Trek Memories that during the first year of the series, she was tempted to leave the show as she felt her role lacked significance, but a conversation with Martin Luther King, Jr. changed her mind. King personally encouraged her to stay on the show, telling her that he was a big fan of the series and told her she "could not give up" as she was playing a vital role model for young black children and women across the country. After the first season, Uhura's role on the series was expanded beyond merely manning her console.

Former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison has cited Nichols' role of Uhura as her inspiration for wanting to become an astronaut.[3]

Whoopi Goldberg has also spoken of Nichols' influence. It was seeing Nichols play a prominent role on network television that allowed her to see that African American women could contribute more than just as domestic servants. (ST: TNG Companion) She is often fond of recalling that when she saw Uhura on-screen for the first time she ran out of the room telling everyone in her house, "I just saw a black woman on television; and she ain't no maid!" (Star Trek Monthly issue 56)