Answer: Martin Luther King, Jr.

At the time of its airing in 1960s, Star Trek presented a downright utopian view of the future–a future where people of different races worked side by side for the betterment of humanity. Many people were huge fans of the show and of creator Gene Roddenberry’s vision of the future. Among those many fans was none other than famous 20th century pacifist and activist, the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.

Not only was King an enormous fan of the show, but he also had a hand in the direction of the show. When actress Nichelle Nichols (who played Lt. Uhura in the series) confided in him that she was thinking about leaving the show, King strongly encouraged her to continue with the role as her presence on television in such a positive and prominent role was of great importance to his goals of racial equality in America.