this "first interracial kiss" stuff gets a little annoying.
Yes, I think that there is, in all truthfulness, an element of sadness in that Nichelle's career boils down to THE KISS ANECDOTE and THE MARTIN LUTHOR KING anecdote.
The first has turned into an epic saga in the telling and retelling, thanks to Nichelle, whereas it was probably just another day at work from Shatner's viewpoint. And I have read the MLK anecdote being described as "reportedly apocryphal" before now.
In other words, I feel that Nichelle has tried to assign historic dimensions both times to her presence in the show.
Herself and the others supporting actors never really escaped the show, whereas Shatner and Nimoy managed to branch out into other careers. I don't think that they were robbed though. I don't feel that Nichols, Koenig, Takei or Doohan had either the presence or range to make it as movie stars and were strictly tv standard actors. Particularly Koenig, who I don't think was a very good actor at all.
And while Takei had a few moments of absolute brilliance in THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY, I suspect that a CAPTAIN SULU series would have potentially been an embarrassment, without the genius of Meyer directing every scene and dragging the brilliance out of Takei. I thought the Sulu appearance in VOYAGER was somewhat self consciously played and perhaps even fairly conceited and self important.