Ah, but you've read it out of context. Nichelle Nichols told a different tale and again, remember the time period. Spock kissing Uhura at that time wasn't that big deal. He was Spock, not the hot white lead. (To give you a reference point - it would be like Buffy kissing Tara instead of Willow. Which she does in the comics and the backlash was interesting. Trek had a similar backlash at that time.)

Shatner stated that if anyone was going to have an interracial romance, that it would be Kirk. Him. He said that if they wanted to make the statement they should do it with the lead.

That's the story that Nichelle Nichols who played Uhura told. The one fans heard was the joke that Roddenberry told, to appease network execs. The true tale was told years later by Nichelle Nichols.

So they wore short dresses, eh?LOL! Yep, it was that time period.