Too Long; Didn't Read
Gene Roddenberry is one of the visionary thinkers of our time. The Star Trek universe and its technology had a huge influence on how technology has evolved in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Martin Luther King Jr. implored Nichelle Nichols to stay on the show when she told him that she was planning to abandon the Uhuru role. King convinced her of the import of a black woman playing a prominent character worthy of respect. He recognized the powerful statements being made by Star Trek. The more important social messages have been forgotten or ignored.