Held in late March 2021, President Joe Biden, and Vice President Kamala Harris kicked-off the event with a special recorded message highlighting the importance of the NAACP.
Winners at the virtual 52nd NAACP Image Awards included D-Nice (Entertainer of the Year), Viola Davis (Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series – “How To Get Away With Murder” and Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture- “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”), Regé-Jean Page (Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series –“Bridgerton”), Issa Rae (Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series – “Insecure”), Stacey Abrams (Social Justice Impact) and “Bad Boys For Life” starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence (Outstanding Motion Picture).
Chadwick Boseman received another posthumous award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture – “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” which was accepted by his wife Taylor Simone Ledward. Eddie Murphy was inducted into the acclaimed NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame and was presented his award by friend Arsenio Hall. LeBron James received the President’s Award in recognition of his distinguished public service and Civil Rights Movement Icon Rev. D. James Lawson, was also recognized with the NAACP Chairman’s Award during the ceremony.
Jazmine Sullivan and Maxwell performed at the ceremony which aired live and was broadcast on BET and simulcast across Viacom CBS networks including CBS for its first time, as well as BET Her, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV, MTV2, Paramount, Pop, Smithsonian, TV Land, VH1, BET PLUTO, and CMT.
The NAACP Image Awards honors the accomplishments of people of color in the fields of television, music, literature, and film and recognizes individuals or groups who promote social justice through creative endeavors.
By Samantha Ofole-Prince/ Photos Courtesy of the NAACP