This particular episode owes its life to Ira and Avery Brooks, from what I understand. The writer’s room and studio execs wanted it to be a trite little episode featuring Benny just trying to write the stories of Deep Space Nine and get them published. Avery said “hell no we’re doing an episode in the 50s with a black man, it really needs to be uncomfortable because that’s what Star Trek does best”.

Remember, one of the first things she did when she got on the ship was get into an argument with the chief engineer and break his fucking nose.