Nichelle Nichols

Nichelle Nichols is an American actress, singer and voice artist. She sang with Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton before turning to acting. Her most famous role is that of communications officer Lieutenant Uhura aboard the USS Enterprise in the popular Star Trek television series , as well as the succeeding motion pictures, where her character was eventually promoted in Starfleet to the rank of commander.

Nichols was born in Robbins, Illinois, near Chicago, to Samuel Earl Nichols, a factory worker who was both the town mayor of Robbins and its chief magistrate, and his wife Lishia Nichols. Later, the family moved into an apartment in Chicago.

Source: Wikipedia