As the story goes, Nichols was at an event when the civil rights icon approached her to tell her he was a fan of the show. She admitted to King that she wasn’t particularly happy with her place in the cast and was planning to leave the show. But he explained that his children enjoyed her and he believed it was important that a Black woman is seen in such an essential role and urged her not to quit. Nichols continued her role on the show until it was cancelled in 1969 and reprised her role in six
Star Trek films.