Entertainment
51st NAACP IMAGE AWARDS HOSTED BY ANTHONY ANDERSON
RIHANNA RECEIVED THE PRESIDENT’S AWARD AND
U.S. CONGRESSMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER JOHN LEWIS WAS HONORED WITH THE NAACP CHAIRMAN’S AWARD DURING THE LIVE CEREMONY
THE STAR STUDDED EVENING FEATURED APPEARANCES FROM ANGELA BASSETT, TRACEE ELLIS ROSS, JAMIE FOXX,TIFFANY HADDISH, DEON COLE, JANELLE MONAE, JILL SCOTT, LENA WAITHE, LESLIE ODOM JR., LIZZO, LYNN WHITFIELD, MARSAI MARTIN, MICHAEL B. JORDAN, OCTAVIA SPENCER, STERLING K. BROWN, TAMRON HALL, TICHINA ARNOLD, WINSTON DUKES, YARA SHAHIDI, YVETTE NICOLE BROWN, ROBIN THEDE, BRIE LARSON, CHLOE BAILEY AND HAROLD PERRINEAU
POWERFUL PERFORMANCES BY JILL SCOTT AND H.E.R. WITH
SKIP MARLEY
NAACP celebrated the stellar achievements of the 51st NAACP Image Awards winners during a special ceremony which was broadcasted live on BET Saturday, February 22, 2020 at 8 p.m./7 p.m. CT from the Pasadena Civic Center Auditorium. Winners of the night included Lizzo (Entertainer of the Year), Angela Bassett (Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series – “9-1-1”), Jamie Foxx (Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture – “Just Mercy”), Lupita Nyong’o (Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture – “Us”), Marsai Martin (Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture – “Little”), Tracee Ellis Ross (Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series – “black-ish”) and “Just Mercy” (Outstanding Motion Picture).
During the ceremony, NAACP President and CEO, Derrick Johnson, presented global music and fashion icon, business entrepreneur, and philanthropist, Rihanna, with the President’s Award which is presented in recognition of a special achievement and distinguished public service.
Rihanna accepted the award saying “Thank you to the NAACP for all of your efforts to ensure equality for our communities. Thank you for celebrating our strength and tenacity. We’ve been denied opportunities since the beginning of time. Still, we prevail. so I’m honored. Imagine what we can do together. Thank you for this honor.”
U.S. Congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis (D-GA), was recognized with the NAACP Chairman’s Award during the ceremony and sent in a special video accepting the award.
Jill Scott took to the stage with an electric performance of “Do You Remember” and “Is It The Way” and Skip Marley joined H.E.R for a medley of “Slide”, “Slow Down” and “Turn THe Lights Down Low”.
Additional guests in attendance included Brie Larson, Chloe Bailey, Deon Cole, Elaine Welteroth, Harold Perrineau, Janelle Monae, Lena Waithe, Leslie Odom Jr., Logan Browning, Lukka Sabbatt, Lynn Whitfield, Octavia Spencer, Robin Thede, Shahidi Wright Joseph, Sterling K. Brown, Tamron Hall, Tichina Arnold, Tiffany Haddish, Winston Dukes, Yara Shahidi, Yvette Nicole Brown.
