This week in history (50 years ago)
To mark the 50th anniversary of the television premiere of “Star Trek,” which aired its first episode on Sept. 8, 1966, the Alumni Association recently told the story of university retiree George Christman. A former computer programmer for U-M’s Space Physics Laboratory, Christman reached out to other Star Trek fans in 1971 by starting a group, the Star Trek Association for Revival, or STAR, and by placing an ad in the Ann Arbor News to appeal for more episodes of the series after it had been canceled. STAR evolved into a fan club with chapters around the country, including one in San Diego that is still active today. The Alumni Association’s article also details the ties to the university of five Star Trek actors.
— From “Keep on Trekkin'” by Alan Glenn, president of the Michigan History Project
