History is important to me...

So as December 28 is the birthday of Nichelle Nichols, the woman who played the Communications Officer Lieutenant Uhura, on the popular sci-fi television show "Star Trek", which was a pivotal role for it's time, I can't help but pay homage to her, as I reminisce on the time I had the pleasure of channeling her at a sci-fi party in Leicester UK.

Hubby, @scubahead presented himself as a Stormtrooper, his favourite Star Wars character.

Do you like fancy dress?

This was my first time dressing up as a character, and since hubby is a huge Sci-fi fan, we went to town with our costumes.
#StarTrek #StarWars

My Lt. Uhura costume was measured and made to order from Hong Kong.
I tried to look the part, as Lt. Uhura was a childhood fantasy of hubby, and for me, Lt. Uhura is a big deal and very big shoes to fit, even though it was just for "play"!

Here are some excerpts from on why Lieutenant Uhura is so significant:

Making history is something many strive to achieve. But truly leaving your mark on history means providing for the future, as well. Our ever-growing representation in science and television would not be where it is today without the efforts of one strong, Black space traveler.

All of our Blerds out there, we need to take a moment and pay homage to a legend. She not only blazed her own unique trail, but also provided countless opportunities for underrepresented peoples on the screen and off. Nichelle Nichols garnered the role of the feisty Lt. Nyota Uhura, a fixture on Star Trek’s bridge, as she used the platform to uplift others and made history every step of the way.

Nichols' first feat was becoming the first African- American woman to have a continuing co-starring role on television. It doesn’t get much bigger than this. As a result of her casting, many more acting opportunities opened up for women of color. She was celebrated by Ebony magazine in 1967 declaring her character as “the first Negro astronaut, a triumph of modern-day TV over modern-day NASA.” She forced the television and aerospace industries to recognize the unique talents people of color could bring.

It would be easy to think that her place in television history was cemented by the end of one season, but her story doesn’t stop there. She left her stamp in a huge way just two years later. In 1968 Nichols and the show’s lead, Captain Kirk, played by William Shatner, shared the kiss that changed television forever. The least known detail of the whole story is that it almost didn’t happen; if it weren’t for intervention from one hardcore Trekkie we all know very well, then we could’ve kissed the smooch goodbye.

Who was that fan who requested a meeting with Nichols to convince her to stay on the show? It was none other than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. himself. Nichols was considering leaving the show to follow her dreams on Broadway, but Dr. King knew better than to let that happen. He requested that she stay with the program because he knew that the importance of the role delved much deeper than the surface.

Source:

#ThisIsImportant

---

Other Attendees

Doctor Who?

[Uhura apologizes]:

"She couldn’t hear you over the sound of how awesome she is".

Oh, @xwidep? That's you!?

The Doctor!

---

Party Time

🎼 I've got the Moves Baby... 🎼

"An Alien" …

---

About that night...

Stormtrooper and Lt Uhura.

… causing a commotion, while walking through the town of Leicester UK.

Every geek wanted to take their photos.
It was like they'd seen their favourite characters for real; more than we could handle. We had to take a detour...

"I'm connecting the bypass circuit now, sir. It should take another half hour." - Uhura

It was a great night at the Firebug Pub , an old traditional English Pub, which never disappoints.

An artsy pub where rising stars, such as musicians, artists, and creative minds like to hang out.
The food is outstanding and you're guaranteed to walk away realising just how amazing the English cuisine can be when done right :)

The staff are young, hip and on-point. A true cultural experience for visitors, and anyone wanting to have a real English Pub experience.

Whether it be for a sumptuous Full English Breakfast, watching football with fish and chips, or dancing the night away, it's always a splendid night in Leicester.

Have you been here?
[//]:# (!pinmapple 52.637883 lat -1.134705 long Firebug Pub - Traditional English Pub d3scr)