ECBACC 2008 honors television legend

Every year, the East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (ECBACC - pronounced "EKBOK") is held at the main campus at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This year, in their 7th annual event, the organizers, artists and fans got a chance to meet, celebrate and honor a television legend, Nichelle Nichols.

Ms. Nichols played the groundbreaking role of Lt. Uhura, on the Star Trek television series from 1966-1969. She was the communications officer and fourth in command on the Starship Enterprise and among a crew whose aim was to explore new galaxies and strange new worlds. Ms. Nichols received the Pioneer Award from ECBACC and Temple University's Pan-African Studies Community Education Program (PASCEP), the supporting organization of the con.

Nichelle Nichols was born in Robbins, Illinois in 1932. She began singing and dancing at an early age and by the time she was a young woman, she was touring the United States, Canada and Europe with bands led by Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton. In 1968, she was virtually handpicked by creator and executive producer, Gene Roddenberry to star as the Lt. Uhura in the Star Trek television series. After Star Trek was cancelled, Ms. Nichols would go on to star in the first six Star Trek feature films beginning with Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979 and ending with Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country in 1991. During her long career, she has recorded two albums and co-written two science fiction books, Saturn's Child and Saturn's Quest. She has also participated in a special NASA program whose goal was to recruit more minority and female applicants, as well as serve on the Board of the National Space Society. She currently can be seen in the film, Lady Magdalene's, Tru Loved, Are We There Yet? and also as Nana Dawson in Heroes.

Ms. Nichols will be appearing in the Invisible Universe documentary.

Also attending this year's ECBACC was Nell Wilson better known as Fat Momma, the second place winner in Stan Lee's reality program, "Who Wants to be a Superhero?" in 2006.