Following a week-long non-televised virtual experience, the 52nd NAACP Image Awards celebrated the accomplishments of Black Entertainers in a special ceremony broadcasted on BET live.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris kicked off the evening with a special recorded message signifying the importance of the ceremony.
Anthony Anderson returned as host of the evening for the eighth time in a row. During the non-televised virtual experience, Anderson won Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for his iconic role on “Black-ish.”
The NAACP Image Awards began on Monday, March. 22nd with a virtual experience. They began announcing a group of winners for selective awards every night building up to the televised ceremony. In addition to Anderson, his co-stars Marsai Martin and Deon Cole dominated the comedy series. Issa Rae also walked away with the Outstanding Comedy Series for “Insecure.”
Chadwick Boseman posthumously earned two NAACP Image Wards, which his wife Simone Ledward Boseman accepted on his behalf. During her acceptance speech, Ledward Boseman emotionally advocated for cancer awareness.
During the ceremony, legendary entertainer, and two-time Image Award recipient Eddie Murphy was inducted into the acclaimed NAACP Image Awards Hall Of Fame. The Award was presented by Eddie Murphy’s collaborator and long-time friend Arsenio Hall.
NAACP President and CEO, Derrick Johnson, presented NBA superstar LeBron James, with the President’s Award. The award symbolizes a special achievement and distinguished public service.
Civil Rights Movement Icon Rev. D. James Lawson, was recieved th NAACP Chairman’s Award. In his acceptance speech, he recalled a time in High School in 1944, where he went door-to-door soliciting memberships for his local NAACP chapter in Ohio.
Image Award Outstanding Female Artist nominee Jazmine Sullivan, kicked-off the music portion with a show-stopping performance of “Pick Up Your Feelings” from her latest album Heaux Tales. Grammy Award-winning singer Maxwell took to the stage to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his debut album Urban Hang Suite. He performed “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder)”.
The full list of winners is below:
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series Regé-Jean Page – “Bridgerton”
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series Viola Davis – “How To Get Away With Murder”
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy SeriesIssa Rae – “Insecure”
Outstanding Actress in a Motion PictureViola Davis – “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture Chadwick Boseman – “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
Outstanding Motion Picture “Bad Boys For Life”
Chairman’s Award Rev. D. James Lawson
President’s AwardLeBron James
Hall of Fame Award Eddie Murphy
Entertainer of the Year D-Nice
Social Justice Impact Stacey Abrams
NON-TELEVISED AWARDS:
Outstanding Social Media Personality Tabitha Brown
Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction “The Awkward Black Man” – Walter Mosley
Outstanding Literary Work – Nonfiction “A Promised Land” – Barack Obama
Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author “We’re Better Than This” – Elijah Cummings
Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/Autobiography “The Dead Are Arising” – Les Payne, Tamara Payne
Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional “Vegetable Kingdom” – Bryant Terry
Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry“The Age of Phillis” – Honorée Jeffers
Outstanding Literary Work – Children “She Was the First!: The Trailblazing Life of Shirley Chisholm” – Katheryn Russell-Brown, Eric Velasquez
Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens “Before the Ever After” – Jacqueline Woodson
Outstanding Directing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture) Keith McQuirter – “By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem”
Outstanding Writing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture) Melissa Haizlip – “Mr. SOUL!”
Outstanding Documentary (Film)“John Lewis: Good Trouble”
Outstanding Documentary (Television – Series or Special)“The Last Dance”
Special Award – Youth Activist of the Year Madison Potts
Special Award – Activist of the YearReverend Dr. Wendell Anthony
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series Michaela Coel – “I May Destroy You” – Ep. 112 “Ego Death”
Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series Attica Locke – “Little Fires Everywhere” – Ep. 104 “The Spider Web”
Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special Geri Cole – “The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special”
Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture Radha Blank – “The Forty-Year-Old Version”
Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series Anya Adams – “black-ish” – Ep. 611 “Hair Day”
Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series Hanelle Culpepper – “Star Trek: Picard” – Ep. 101 “Remembrance”
Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie or Special Eugene Ashe – “Sylvie’s Love”
Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture Gina Prince-Bythewood – “The Old Guard”
Outstanding Short Form Series – Comedy or Drama “#FreeRayshawn“
Outstanding Performance in a Short Form Laurence Fishburne – “#FreeRayshawn”
Outstanding Short Form Series – Reality/Nonfiction “Between The Scenes” – The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Outstanding Short-Film (Live Action) “Black Boy Joy”
Outstanding Short-Film (Animated) “Canvas”
Special Award – Spingarn Medal Misty Copeland
Outstanding Talk Series Red Table Talk
Outstanding Reality Program/Reality Competition or Game Show Celebrity Family Feud
Outstanding Variety Show (Series or Special) VERZUZ
Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)The New York Times Presents “The Killing of Breonna Taylor”
Outstanding Children’s Program Family Reunion
Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-Series)Marsai Martin – “Black-ish”
Outstanding Animated Series Doc McStuffins
Outstanding Animated Motion Picture Soul
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television) Laya DeLeon Hayes – “Doc McStuffins”
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Motion Picture Jamie Foxx – “Soul”
Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble Trevor Noah – “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah”
Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble Steve Harvey – “Celebrity Family Feud”
Outstanding Guest Performance – Comedy or Drama Series Loretta Devine- “P-Valley”
Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television) Raynelle Swilling – “Cherish the Day”
Special Award – Founder’s Toni Vaz
Outstanding New Artist Doja Cat – “Say So”
Outstanding Male Artist Drake – “Laugh Now, Cry Later”
Outstanding Female Artist Beyoncé – “Black Parade”
Outstanding Soul/R&B Song “Do It” – Chloe x Halle
Outstanding Hip Hop/Rap Song “Savage Remix” – Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyoncé
Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional) Chloe x Halle – “Wonder What She Thinks Of Me”
Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Contemporary) Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyoncé – “Savage Remix”
Outstanding Album “Chilombo” – Jhené Aiko
Outstanding Producer of the Year Hit-Boy
Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album “Brown Skin Girl” – Beyonce’ feat WizKid, SAINt JHN, Blue Ivy Carter
Outstanding Jazz Album – Instrumental “Music From and Inspired By Soul” – Jon Batiste
Outstanding Jazz Album – Vocal “Holy Room – Live at Alte Oper” -Somi
Outstanding International Song “Lockdown” – Original Koffee
Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album “Soul” Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste, and Tom MacDougall
Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song “Touch from you” – Tamela Mann
Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album “The Return” – The Clark Sisters
Special Award – Sports Award II WNBA Player’s Association (Nneka Ogqumike accepting on behalf of WNBAPA)
