I was 13 years old on September 8, 1966 when Star Trek debuted. I'd been looking forward to it since seeing the full page ad in TV Guide (already being a science fiction fan). I loved it even beyond my expectations (and still do to this day). Nichelle was probably the first black woman I had a crush on (wow, those legs) and I was sorry that we didn't to see her doing more on the show (commanding lower ranked men and visiting more planets ). Glad she's getting this honor with the Roddenberrys .