BEVERLY HILLS, CA (March 22, 2021) โ Last night, the NAACP kicked-off night one of the 52nd NAACP Image Awards announcing the first round of winners in the non-televised award categories, which included literary, documentary (film and television), and activist and youth activist of the year awards. The awards were announced as part of the NAACP Image Awardsโ Virtual Experience presented by Wells Fargo and hosted Nischelle Turner at virtualexperience.naacpimageawards.net.
The nightโs winners included President Barack Obama for Outstanding Literary Work – Nonfiction category, Walter Mosely for Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction, โJohn Lewis: Good Troubleโ for Outstanding Documentary (Film), and as previously announced Reverend Dr. Wendell Anthony for Activist Of The Year and Madison Pottsfor Youth Activist Of The Year.
The night additionally featured appearances from presenters including entrepreneur and Shark Tank investorDaymond John, star of Netflixโs Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, Madelen Mills and Emmy Award Winning Actor Terrence Terrell. Performers included Tonya Boyd Cannon and Zul-Qarnain who put together a creative mash-up of both a traditional and a reimagined interpretation of the Negro National Anthem.
The week-long 52nd NAACP Image Awards Virtual Experience from March 22-26, will invite fans to join the Image Awards in a celebration of โBlack Excellenceโ–including the nightly non-televised awards program, virtual red carpet, curated conversation series, a theatre featuring past performances and speeches and an after party celebration following the LIVE show airing on BET and simulcast across ViacomCBS Networks including CBS, BET Her, VH1, MTV, MTV2, and LOGO on Saturday, March 27th, 2021 at 8/7c.
The full list of winners from tonight can be found below:
Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction
โThe Awkward Black Manโ – Walter Mosley
Outstanding Literary Work – Nonfiction
โA Promised Landโ – Barack Obama
Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author
โWe’re Better Than Thisโ – Elijah Cummings
Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/Autobiography
โThe Dead Are Arisingโ – Les Payne, Tamara Payne
Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional
โVegetable Kingdomโ – Bryant Terry
Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry
โThe Age of Phillisโ – Honorรฉe Jeffers
Outstanding Literary Work – Children
โShe Was the First!: The Trailblazing Life of Shirley Chisholmโ – Katheryn Russell-Brown, Eric Velasquez
Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens
โBefore the Ever Afterโ – Jacqueline Woodson
Outstanding Directing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture)
Keith McQuirter – โBy Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlemโ
Outstanding Writing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture)
Melissa Haizlip – โMr. SOUL!โ
Outstanding Documentary (Film)
โJohn Lewis: Good Troubleโ
Outstanding Documentary (Television – Series or Special)
โThe Last Danceโ
Special Award – Youth Activist of the Year
Madison Potts
Special Award – Activist of the Year
Reverend Dr. Wendell Anthony
Be sure to tune into the The 52nd NAACP Awards Virtual Experience this week for all things โBlack Excellenceโ including:
โ The non-televised awards program which will include a pre-awards show hosted by Entertainment Tonightโs Nischelle Turner and celebrity presenters Nicole Beharie, the cast of BET’s Bigger, Tamar Braxton,Damson Idris, Daymond John, Leslie Jones, Javicia Leslie, Madalen Mills, MAJOR., Method Man, Retta & Reno Wilson (from Good Girls), Marcus Scribner, JB Smoove, Terrence Terrell, Susan Kelechi Watson and CeCe Winans.
โ Virtual red carpet hosted by Tanika Ray.
โ A conversation and panel series with the NAACP Hollywood Bureau featuring Miles Brown and President Derrick Johnson.
โ The Our Stories, Our Culture program including โA Conversation Withโฆโ presented by Ford Motor Company which will salute to Essential Workers as well as a web series called Fashion Pull-Up hosted by celebrity wardrobe stylists, GooGoo Atkins and Apuje Kalu which will explore the most-notable fashion moments from the NAACP Image Awardsโ red carpet.
โ The NAACP Theatre which will showcase past Image Awardsโ performances and speeches. Additionally all content that airs in the Virtual Experience throughout the week will be made available on demand the next day in the theatre.
โ A virtual photo booth and selfie station, where fans can take a photo with their personal device and post to their social media platforms.
โ Post-gala Afterparty immediately following the live broadcast on BET which will feature classic cuts by DJ Questlove, current cuts by DJ Kiss, and a Jazz Lounge performance by Robert Glasper and Lalah Hathaway.
Attendees can RSVP/pre-register for the 52nd NAACP Image Awards Virtual Experience at 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, Ford, and Alaska Airlines.
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.