Did the original Star Trek series ever tackle slavery as a theme in one of its episodes?

Question

One of the first science fiction stories I liked was Planet of the Apes. Obviously, it was referencing the transatlantic slavery trade as a subtext. I was too young then to know that when I watched it.

Another series I liked was Star Trek (the original series). However, I don't recall it ever tackling slavery — which would be a strange omission — given that the show was thought up, produced, and directed in the United States!

Does the original Star Trek in fact do so? I'm asking about the original series rather than The Next Generation or any spin-offs that came afterwards.

Answer 1

My favorite original series Star Trek episode, "The Gamesters of Triskelion," deals with slavery. Three members of the crew become gladiatorial slaves on a mysterious planet. Although the gamesters use the word "thrall" (the native Anglo-Saxon-derived English synonym), many narrative tropes about slavery are involved: slave collars, slave auctions, and sexual domination.

From the Wikipedia plot summary:

The Federation starship Enterprise is on a routine inspection of an unmanned station at Gamma II. Captain Kirk, Communications Officer Lt. Uhura and navigator Ensign Chekov attempt to transport, but disappear before the system is activated. Observing no signs of life from the station, Commander Spock orders a system-wide search for their missing crew members. No trace of them is found, but Spock discovers a faint ion trail, and orders the ship to follow it despite the protests of Chief Medical Officer Dr. McCoy, and Chief Engineer Scott.

Meanwhile, Kirk, Uhura, and Chekov find themselves in a gladiator arena on a strange planet. They are attacked by four humanoids and defend themselves for a time but are finally subdued. A humanoid calling himself Galt, Master Thrall of Triskelion, informs the three they are to be trained to participate in games to entertain his masters, the Providers. Each is fitted with a "collar of obedience" that engages when they disobey the Master Thrall's orders. Uhura, Chekov, and Kirk are assigned individual "drill thralls": Lars, Tamoon, and Shahna, respectively; Uhura and Chekov do not get along comfortably with their instructors, but Kirk develops a rapport with Shahna. After a period of training, the Providers bid for the new thralls in their currency, "quatloos".

During a run among ancient ruins outside the arena complex, Kirk tries to gain information about the Providers from Shahna, but her collar is activated when she begins to speak too freely. Kirk protests that he should have been the one punished, and when they are returned to their cells, Shahna expresses her appreciation for this. When she moves to embrace him, Kirk knocks her unconscious, and uses her key to free himself, Uhura, and Chekov, but they are stopped by Galt.

Answer 2

One could argue that “The Cloud Minders” from Star Trek the original series deals with slavery -- the miners are an extremely oppressed underclass whose intelligence is diminished by the mineral they dig for. This diminution of intelligence is used as a justification to keep them working in the mines since this is all they are fit for. Sounds like slavery kind of to me.

This effect on intelligence turns out to be reversable -- don't you bet on that: if anyone offers you a chance to mine zenite (or lead or mercury) don’t take the job; you lose those IQ points, they don’t come back, at least not all of them.

Another one was “Plato’s Stepchildren” — written by Meyer Dolinsky — and a mineral is again involved. This mineral if you can metabolize it (which Michael Dunn’s character can’t due to the same hormone deficiency which affected his height) gives you psychokinetic powers and makes you think you are really something special (or maybe they think that because they are real jerks). So Dunn’s character is enslaved by them.

Also, Kirk is forced to kiss Uhura which meant if you lived in certain parts of the USA you did not watch it when it first came out.

NOTE: Just thinking at the height of the American Civil Rights movement, when Dr. King encouraged Nichols to stay with the show and interestingly how right King was -- I think Whoopi Goldberg was inspired by Lt. Uhura and perhaps other Black actors, that a show so controversial as Plato's Stepchildren was made. I can't imagine that Gene did not anticipate how big of a deal this show would be and I wonder if it had by itself some positive effect on Civil Rights. Star Trek really was an amazingly socially-aware show, even if watching some episodes which tackle social issues (like the "hippie" episode) feels very cringey now.

Answer 3

Other than the Orion slave girl in "The Cage", the closest I can think of are the expy-Roman slaves in "Bread and Circuses."

After the away team beams down they are met and captured by escaped slaves ("The Children of the Sun") and then later when Kirk is Claudius' "guest" we meet his slave Drusilla.

"For this evening I was told I am your slave."

I don't recall that this episode really dwelt on the issue of slavery, though, it was more set-dressing for a "Roman" civilization.

Answer 4

Could you perhaps be thinking about Let that be your last Battlefield (Season 3, Episode 15)?

It's not specifically about slavery, but is very definitely about racism.

The Enterprise gets caught up in a squabble between two aliens who seem to have no discernible differences. They are asymmetric, with one half of their body black and the other white. Kirk struggles to understand their quarrel until Spock remarks that their asymmetries are of different handedness (one is left-white, the other is left-black).

It ends with a Kirk basically saying, "Why can't we all just get along?"