The character of Lt. Uhura played by Nichelle Nichols inspired so many to greatness despite the many societal barriers of the day. As a young child watching Star Trek with my brother in the 1980's I was struck by her character's elegance, competence and equality with her colleagues. I was too young to understand how she blazed a trail for young black girls and others because of her depiction of a black woman in a prominent role. She was unapologetically female and that meant everything to me.