Uhura and Star Trek and the End Of Time Part 2

Now, that is a very long title. It also describes pretty much what I plan to yatter on about in this post. :)
Let us start with Star Trek, simply because it is easier to explain that before starting on Uhura.
Star Trek is an absolutely wonderful Television program which began in the year 1966. Star Trek The Original Series starred William Shatner as Kirk, DeForrest Kelley as Dr. "Bones" McCoy, Leonard Nimoy as Spock, Jimmy Doohan as Scotty, George Takei as Sulu, Grace Lee Whitney as Yeoman Rand, Walter Koenig as Chekov and, my personal favourite, Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura.
(Okay, I know any Trekkers-It is Trekkers, not Trekkies, both William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols say so!-Will be bemused at the very least at my recapping all this. It is something which everyone in the world should know. Unfortunately, like others, I, until a few months ago, didn't, which is why I am explaining.)
Now, you non-trekkers will have to understand that Star Trek was an extremely radical move in 1966. The first Pilot, The Cage, was rejected because it was too thought provoking. There wasn't enough action!
There were also two characters the network disliked-Number One, thewoman who was Second in Command, and Mr. Spock, a half human and half Vulcan alien who lived a life governed by logic.
The shows creator, Mr. Gene Roddenberry, knew he couldn't keep both characters, so he got rid of Number One-and, as he liked to joke about, married the actress who played her. He did fight to keep Mr. Spock- a wise move, considering how incredibly popular he was to become.
They then began creating a second pilot, entitled "Where no man has gone before". They intorduced for the second pilot an (amazing) actress called Nichelle Nichols, playing the (brilliant) character of Nyota Uhura.
This made television history, because Nichelle Nichols was the first black woman to play a non-stereotypical role on television. She became Uhura, a woman who was strong and extremely intelligent.
Dr. Martin Luther King himself saw her character and her acting as history in the making. Once, when she considered leaving the show because of the racism many people at the studio still mantained and the brutal cuts to her part, and he convinced her to stay.
Nichelle Nichols is such a huge inspiration. Her autobiography, Beyond Uhura, is a mind-blowing read.
She's an amazing actress, singer and dancer who continued to perform and follow her dream despite much adversary. She is amazing.

Actually, this post has been so long and so centered on Star Trek that I don't feel I can actually write about the Doctor Who episode The End Of Time Part 2 now. Maybe the next post....?
All the best,
Tamsin :)