- Awards
The NAACP’s Image Awards: Celebrating the Best in Black Achievement
The 53rd NAACP Image Awards celebrating Black Excellence in entertainment happens on Saturday, February 26, 2022, on BET 8/7 Central. It culminates a week of awards on consecutive days starting February 21 that encompasses not only film, television and music, but also literature, fashion, news, podcasts and more.
Before each awards show, an in-depth discussion will take place on ‘Inside the Industry: Diaspora Perspectives’ where some of Hollywood’s biggest stars discuss global Black film. A Celebrity Golf Invitational happens on February 22. A luncheon and fashion show take place on February 25 showcasing fashion designer Kevan Hall’s Fall Collection: Trading Post. He will also introduce four rising Black stars in the fashion stakes. Covid protocols mean that the events will take on a combination of virtual and in-person shows and participation. Each night a special award will be made, from NAACP Youth Activist of the Year on February 22 to the Roy Wilkins Civil Rights Award on February 23, and the NAACP Humanitarian of the Year Award on February 24. Nominees include a diverse group from Lil Das X, to Zendaya, Rebecca Hall, Billy Porter, Drake, Beyoncé and more.
Did you know that the NAACP Image Awards were founded in 1967 by singer Sammy Davis Jr., blues artist Maggie Hathaway and civil rights pioneer Willis Edwards? For those who question the need for a celebration of Black achievement, one need only look at the latest study from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative that found that fewer than 2% of all top-grossing directors were women of color in the last decade and a half.
Click on the link to learn how to view the week’s events: