Nichelle Nichols (born Grace Dell Nichols; December 28, 1932) 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. Her Star Trek character was groundbreaking in the racist society at the time.

Nichols was born in Robbins, Illinois, outside of Chicago, to Lishia Nichols (née Parks) and Samuel Nichols, a factory worker who was both the town mayor of Robbins and its chief magistrate. The family later moved to Chicago.