Photo of Nichelle with MLK?

Hi everybody,

I'm a director/editor and I recently shot a new PSA for the ACLU featuring Ms. Nichols. She recalls her interaction with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when he asked her to stay on Star Trek rather than quit. We have archival photos of MLK to use in the spot, but would very much like a photo of her and MLK together -- if such a photo exists. Does anyone know? If there is a photo of the two of them together, where would we find it? We're editing the spot now and would like to know soon.

Much thanks,

John K.
Weirdsmobile Prods.
Los Angeles

 

Somewhere on this site there was a thread that related to Ms. Nichols varying and contradictory versions of the story told over the years. I can't find it with the search feature.

Anyone?

 

She never really met MLK.

 

Sorry I beg to differ. She met him at a fundraiser and he told her she was playing one of the only non-sterotype roles of a black woman on television, and that she should stick it out.

 

Here's a video of the event:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgmMwsrDrEw

 

The exact when's and where's of their exact exchange is irrelevant to my request. I'd just like to know if anyone has ever seen such a photo. Ms. Nichols thought there was one but did not have a copy in her possession; since the whole point of fundraisers is to get some publicity for donating money a photographer is usually present. I'd like to believe someone took a photo of the two of them together...

 

If there is one... none of us have ever seen it.

There have been numerous topics on exactly this subject. If a bunch of us fanatics who hang out on this board for years reading everything were unable to locate said photo, I doubt that your people can.

If you do however manage to track it, will you please share it here? It will put to rest the general belief that such a meeting never occurred.

 

If memory serves, Nichols first had it as a hypothetical:

She thought of dropping out of the show after the first season, and then considered: What would MLK do? So she stuck around.

Stage two, she's thinking of dropping out, and she gets a phone-call from MLK, who remins her of what a positive role-model she is. She decides to stick around.

Stage three, she meets him in person. And you get the idea.

Maybe she met him then, maybe she really did meet him later. But I'd have doubts, just like I have doubts about Fritz Lang's reputed meeting with Joseph Goebbels. Just because Lang or Nichols repeat a story a lot doesn't necessarily mean it is true.

 

^That's my recollection as well. I recall in the early 70s either reading or seeing her at Shore Leave recount the "What would MLK do?" version, and being a bit surprised later when I read that she had actually met with the man.

 

I really think we need Samuel T. Cogley to weigh in on this. His account of her recollection of the meeting is, uh, particularly vivid.

 

Cadet Darwin,
Being the projects director I find it odd that you seem unconcerned on wheather this meeting actually took place.
You have heard the contradictory accounts. Do you hold no alligence to the truth.

 

Never let the truth get in the way of a good story

 

He's directing a PSA which happens to feature her, not doing investigative journalism.

 

What is a PSA, if I may ask?

 

"Public Service Announcement."

TGT

 

Ah. Thank you, The God Thing.

 

Personally, I'd like to see this put to rest or at least laid bare. If she did meet him, great; historic. If she didn't, shame on her for creating this fantasy.

Does anyone have links to any older interviews where she tells a different version of the story.

 

I just got another cease and decist in the mail. The odd thing is, it's signed by Martin Luther King, Jr. And in the post script, he begs me not to leave Star Trek. The handwriting is very feminine, and included in the envelope was a discount coupon for season one of "Heroes" on DVD.

Curiouser and curiouser...