The NAACP has begun handing out its 53rd annual Image Awards, which will roll out over six consecutive nights starting tonight.
Winners in non-televised award categories will be announced starting at 5 p.m. PT every night this week on naacpimageawards.net and the NAACP Image Awards YouTube channel, leading up to the televised ceremony on Saturday, February 26. The virtual shows will be hosted by actor-comic Affion Crockett, with Black-ish star Anthony Anderson emceeing the main event, which BET will air live at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET.
Former ESPN personality Jamele Hill is the first double winner at this year’s Image Awards, scoring twice for her podcast Jemele Hill Is Unbothered. Other big-name winners announced Monday night include Will Smith, Stacey Abrams, Cicely Tyson, Sherri Shepherd and Tabitha Brown. See the list of winners revealed so far below and the nightly list of categories here.
This year’s Roy Wilkins Civil Rights Award will be presented to members of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, Texas House Democratic Caucus and Texas Legislative Black Caucus. Samuel L. Jackson previously was revealed as recipient of the NAACP Chairman’s Award, and Nikole Hannah-Jones — the Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of the 1619 Project — will receive the Social Justice Impact Award.
The Activist of the Year award will be presented to Scot X. Esdaile, president of the Connecticut State Conference of NAACP Branches and a member of the NAACP National Board of Directors, and Youth Activist of the Year will be presented to Channing Hill, NAACP Chapter President of Howard University.
Here are the winners of the 53rd annual NAACP Image Awards announced so far:
Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction
“Long Division” – Kiese Laymon
Outstanding Literary Work – Non-Fiction
“The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story” – Nikole Hannah-Jones
Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author
“Just As I Am” – Cicely Tyson
Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/ Autobiography
“Will”- Will Smith
Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional
“Feeding the Soul (Because It’s My Business)” – Tabitha Brown
Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry
“Perfect Black”- Crystal Wilkinson
Outstanding Literary Work – Children
“Stacey’s Extraordinary Words” – Stacey Abrams Kitt Thomas
Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens
“Ace of Spades”- Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
Outstanding Podcast – News and Information
“Blindspot: Tulsa Burning”
Outstanding Podcast – Arts and Entertainment
“Jemele Hill is Unbothered”
Outstanding Podcast – Society and Culture
“Jemele Hill is Unbothered”
Outstanding Podcast – Lifestyle / Self-Help
“Two Funny Mamas” – Sherri Shepherd & Kym