The NAACP rose to the occasion allowing their combined creativity to shine. When we are tossed lemons — we create lemonade so sweet, it sparks the cultural zeitgeist.
In that spirit, the non-televised awards program included a pre-awards show hosted by Entertainment Tonight’s Nischelle Turner and celebrity presenters Nicole Beharie, the cast of BET’s Bigger, Tamar Braxton, Damson Idris, Daymond John, Leslie Jones, Javicia Leslie, Madalen Mills, MAJOR., Method Man, Retta & Reno Wilson (from Good Girls), Marcus Scribner, J.B. Smoove, Terrence Terrell, Susan Kelechi Watson, and CeCe Winans. Award shows are about fashion, glitz, glamour, and style, and to that end, the virtual red carpet was hosted by Tanika Ray.
Keeping issues in the forefront was a priority and a conversation and panel series with the NAACP Hollywood Bureau featuring Miles Brown and President Derrick Johnson included the Our Stories series “A Conversation With…” presented by Ford Motor Company which paid homage to Essential Workers as well as a web series called Fashion Pull-Up hosted by celebrity wardrobe stylists, GooGoo Atkins and Apuje Kalu which explored the most-notable fashion moments from the NAACP Image Awards red carpet.
The NAACP Theatre featured past Image Awards’ performances and speeches, and this content aired in the Virtual Experience during a week of celebration, made available on-demand the next day in the theatre.
They even set up a virtual photo booth and selfie station, where fans took photos with their devices and posted them on their social media platforms.
The gala parties thrown by the NAACP are legendary and they didn’t let COVID-19 stop the party, the post-gala Afterparty immediately followed the live broadcast on BET which featured classic cuts by DJ Questlove, current cuts by DJ Kiss, and a Jazz Lounge performance by Robert Glasper and Lalah Hathaway.
Before the ceremony honors were bestowed to NAACP Image Awards Co-Founder, Toni Vaz, winning the Founder’s Award to spotlight her work at creating the nation’s preeminent multicultural award show. Toni Vaz co-founded the NAACP Image Awards in 1967 as a way to change the perception of Black people in Hollywood.
Civil Rights Movement icon Rev. James Lawson received the prestigious NAACP Chairman’s Award. Past honorees of the Chairman’s Award include Tyler Perry, then-Senator Barack Obama, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Former Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, Ruby Dee, The Neville Brothers, Bono, Danny Glover, and last year’s recipient the late U.S. Congressman John Lewis.
The NAACP inducted legendary entertainer, film icon, and two-time Image Award recipient Eddie Murphy into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame. The award was presented by Murphy’s collaborator and long-time friend Arsenio Hall.
Presenters for the “LIVE” show included Alicia Keys, Andra Day, Arsenio Hall, Cynthia Erivo, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Michelle Obama, Misty Copeland, Regina King, Samuel L. Jackson, the cast of Tyler Perry’s Sistas, Swizz Beatz, and Tracy Morgan.
The non-televised award categories presenters included the cast of BET’s Bigger (Tanisha Long, Angell Conwell, Rasheda Crockett, Tristen J. Winger, and Chase Anthony,) CeCe Winans, Damson Idris, Daymond John, Javicia Leslie, JB Smoove, Leslie Jones, Madalen Mills, MAJOR., Marcus Scribner, Method Man, Nicole Beharie, Retta, Reno Wilson, Susan Kelechi Watson, Tamar Braxton, and Terrence Terrell.
(Getty Images for NAACP Image Awards)
The 52nd NAACP Image Awards is presented by Wells Fargo, and sponsored by AT&T, FedEx, Nike, Bank of America, Alaska Airlines. The NAACP Image Awards honors the accomplishments of people of color in the fields of television, music, literature, and film and also recognizes individuals or groups who promote social justice through creative endeavors.
The NAACP was founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. We have over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, along with well over 2M activists. Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.
The 52nd NAACP Image Awards is presented by Wells Fargo, and sponsored by AT&T, FedEx, Nike, Bank of America, American Airlines, Airbnb, Ford, and Alaska Airlines.
The NAACP Image Awards honors the accomplishments of people of color in the fields of television, music, literature, and film and also recognizes individuals or groups who promote social justice through creative endeavors.
The full list of winners from the show can be found below:
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
For all information and the latest news, please follow NAACP Image Awards on Instagram @NAACPImageAwards.
