Point of Divergence ... Nichelle Nichols playing Lieutenant Uhura was a turning point in the history of science fiction. Prior to her there had been no men or women of color on any sci fi show. On Star Trek, she shared the first interracial kiss with William Shatner as Captain Kirk on TV. She almost left, but was encouraged to continue on the show by civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr who mentioned that he and his family loved watching the show themselves. Nichelle has been sited as an inspiration to many women of color who have followed in her footsteps to sci fi, including Whoopi Goldberg who played Guinan in Next Generation.
What if Nichelle had never been cast as Uhura, and what if the role of Uhura had been played by a white woman on the show? How would this have impacted the world of sci fi and the opportunities for women of color being on science fiction shows?