Nichelle Nichols, Actress: Star Trek. Nichelle Nichols was one of 10 children born to parents Lishia and Samuel Nichols in Robbins, Illinois, a Chicago suburb. She was a singer and dancer before turning to acting and finding fame in her groundbreaking role of Lt. Nyota Uhura in the Star Trek (1966) series. As long as she could remember, she wanted to do nothing but sing, dance, act and…