CHADWICK BOSEMAN POSTHUMOUSLY WINS NAACP IMAGE BEST ACTOR AWARD FOR MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM (1608 hits)
(LOS ANGELES) - March 29, 2021 - Following the week-long virtual experience, tonight the NAACP celebrated the stellar achievements of the 52nd NAACP Image Awards winners during a special LIVE broadcast on BET and simulcast across ViacomCBS 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.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris kicked-off the night in a special recorded message highlighting the importance of the NAACP and saluting its work.
Winners of the night 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).
The late Chadwick Boseman won the award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture – “Ma Rainey's Black Bottom”. Chadwick’s wife, Taylor Simone Ledward, accepted the award in his honor, encouraging fans to be proactive about their health and visit StandUpToCancer.org for more information about detecting the signs of colon cancer.
Chadwick Boseman in a 2017 interview with Tanisha LaVerne Grant
During the ceremony, legendary entertainer, film icon and two-time Image Award recipient Eddie Murphy was inducted into the acclaimed NAACP Image Awards Hall Of Fame. The Hall of Fame Award was presented by Eddie Murphy’s collaborator and long-time friend Arsenio Hall.
NAACP President and CEO, Derrick Johnson, presented NBA superstar, business entrepreneur, and philanthropist, LeBron James, with the President’s Award which was presented in recognition of a special achievement and distinguished public service.
Civil Rights Movement Icon Rev. D. James Lawson, was recognized with the NAACP Chairman’s Award during the ceremony. 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 an electrifying performance of “Pick Up Your Feelings” from her latest album Heaux Tales. Additionally, Grammy Award-winning singer Maxwell took to the stage to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his debut album Urban Hang Suite, performing “Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)”.
Additional guest appearances 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. MC Lyte served as the night’s Voice Over announcer.
Tonight’s LIVE show followed the week long NAACP Image Awards Virtual Experience, which invited fans to join the Image Awards in a celebration of “Black Excellence”--including the non-televised awards program, virtual red carpet, and a curated conversation series. The Virtual Experience additionally played host to the night’s post-show virtual afterparty which featured classic cuts by DJ Questlove, current cuts by DJ Kiss, and a Jazz Lounge performance by Robert Glasper and Lalah Hathaway. Fans can relive all of the Image Awards moments from the week in the Virtual Experience’s NAACP Theatre at virtualexperience.naacpimageawards.net.
The 52nd NAACP Image Awards is presented by Wells Fargo, and sponsored by AT&T, FedEx, Nike, Bank of America, American Airlines, Airbnb, Alaska Airlines, AARP, Ford, and Hilton.
MEDIA ASSETS FROM SHOW:
52nd NAACP Image Awards Show Images *select highlights, populated throughout the show 52nd NAACP Image Awards Show Footage *hi-res screengrabs, populated throughout the show
-Password: pressNAACP
Winners Press Experience Images *hi-res screengrabs, populated throughout the show NAACP Image Awards Additional Assets (Logos, Press Releases)
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.
For all information and the latest news, please follow NAACP Image Awards on Instagram @NAACPImageAwards.
Following is the complete list of winners for the 52nd NAACP Image Awards:
LIVE SHOW CATEGORIES
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 Series
Issa Rae – “Insecure”
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Viola 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 Award
LeBron 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)
“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)
NAACP
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 in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.
In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP.
NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund – also referred to as the NAACP-LDF was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP but separated in 1957 to become a completely separate entity. It is recognized as the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization, and shares our commitment to equal rights.
ABOUT BET
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks – BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.