Is Star Trek’s First Officer Racially Diverse?

Star Trek, a classic science fiction franchise, has been entertaining viewers for decades with its spacecrafts, alien encounters, and philosophical themes. One interesting aspect of Star Trek is the role of the First Officer, who usually holds a significant position in the character development and plot progression. In this article, we explore whether any Star Trek ships have had a First Officer who was Black. We examine the characters of Benjamin Sisko, Nyota Uhura, Nog, and Michael Burnham to see if any of them fit this description.

Benjamin Sisko in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Benjamin Sisko, played by Avery Brooks in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9), serves as the commanding officer of Deep Space Nine. Though Sisko is of African descent, he is not the First Officer of the DS9. Instead, Commander Julian Bashir andMajor Kira Nerys, both of whom have significant roles, hold these positions. While Sisko's leadership is unquestionable, he leads from the command chair rather than in a subordinate role to a First Officer. Sisko's character, however, is widely recognized as one of the most important and complex characters in Star Trek history.

Nyota Uhura in Star Trek: The Original Series

Nyota Uhura, portrayed by Nichelle Nichols, was the first African-American woman portrayed as a major character in a major network primetime television series. She first appeared in the original *Star Trek* series and later became the Director of Starfleet Intelligence. However, Uhura's official role was Communications Officer, not the First Officer. She achieved great prominence in Starfleet but not in the role of the First Officer.

Nog in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Nog, played by Carson Munro, is the son of Major Kira Nerys and Captain Benjamin Sisko. While Nog holds a significant role as the First Officer of Deep Space Nine, his character is Klingon and does not specifically identify as Black. Thus, he does not fit the criteria of having a Black First Officer.

Michael Burnham in Star Trek: Discovery

Michael Burnham, played by Sonequa Martin-Green, is a key character in *Star Trek: Discovery*. She served as the First Officer of the USS Shenzhou in season 1, before becoming the Captain, and later as the First Officer of the USS Discovery under the character Saru. Burnham's background is complex; she is not Black, but she does represent a significant jump in diversity in the Star Trek universe. In terms of her position, she is the first Black First Officer to serve in the role in the ongoing franchise.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while Star Trek has made strides in diversity, including characters like Michael Burnham representing a significant step forward, the franchise does not currently feature a Black First Officer as of the latest updates in the series. Despite this, the franchise continues to push boundaries and introduce new characters and storylines that reflect a more inclusive universe.