Every year, black excellence is celebrated at the NAACP Image Awards, and during Monday night’s airing of the 49th annual event, held at the Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, Calif., Ava DuVernay took home the Entertainer of the Year Award.
During DuVernay’s acceptance speech, she mentioned her fellow black creatives such as Ryan Coogler, Kenya Barris and Shonda Rhimes.
“This is our time,” DuVernay said. “We can say we were here when all this gorgeous art was happening, and that we supported it—that we lifted each other up, that we did as Dr. King said we would do: Live the dream. We’re the dream.”
With all eyes on the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements, Laverne Cox, Kerry Washington, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Lena Waithe and Angela Robinson issued a call to everyone to pledge their support for Time’s Up and urged people to head to the polls.
“The midterms are a perfect moment for us to use our voices,” Robinson said. “If we can take back a Senate seat in Alabama ... ”
“Then we have the ability to shift the imbalance of power,” Smollett-Bell said.
Of course, with Anthony Anderson hosting, his monologue included jokes directed at the White House, and he took a stab at Omarosa Manigault Newman. But he wasn’t the only one who expressed contempt.
During Will Packer’s acceptance speech for the outstanding film award, which, of course, went to Girls Trip, the director referenced Donald Trump’s “shithole” comments.
“Sisters, especially the ones from Haiti and Africa, we love you as your brothers,” he said.
Other winners of the night included the film Get Out, which won for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for star Daniel Kaluuya, and writing and directing awards for Jordan Peele.
“I don’t think you’re allowed to beat Denzel Washington in acting competitions,” Kaluuya said during his acceptance speech.
“So many people didn’t believe in me, and you did, and you made all of us feel included,” Kaluuya said. “Thank you so much for letting us be seen.”
Among the winners in TV categories were Power, Insecure, Scandal and Black-ish, which won five awards, including outstanding comedy series.
Below is the complete list of winners:
Entertainer of the Year
Ava DuVernay
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Octavia Spencer, Gifted
Outstanding Motion Picture
Girls Trip
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Idris Elba, Thor: Ragnarok
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Tiffany Haddish, Girls Trip
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish
Outstanding Comedy Series
Black-ish
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
Omari Hardwick, Power
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
Taraji P. Henson, Empire
Outstanding Drama Series
Power
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Jay Ellis, Insecure
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Marsai Martin, Black-ish
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Joe Morton, Scandal
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Naturi Naughton, Power
Outstanding Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special
The New Edition Story
Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special
Idris Elba, Guerrilla
Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special
Queen Latifah, Flint
Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)
Unsung
Outstanding Talk Series
The Real
Outstanding Reality Program/Reality Competition Series
The Manns
Outstanding Variety or Game Show, (Series or Special)
Lip Sync Battle
Outstanding Children’s Program
Doc McStuffins
Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
Detroit
Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited Series)
Caleb McLaughlin, Stranger Things
Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special), Individual or Ensemble
Roland Martin, News One Now
Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special), Individual or Ensemble
LL Cool J, Lip Sync Battle
Recording
Outstanding New Artist
SZA
Outstanding Male Artist
Bruno Mars
Outstanding Female Artist
Mary J. Blige
Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration
Kendrick Lamar, featuring Rihanna
Outstanding Jazz Album
Petite Afrique, Somi
Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album (Traditional or Contemporary)
Greenleaf Soundtrack Volume 2, Greenleaf Soundtrack
Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album
“That’s What I Like,” Bruno Mars
Outstanding Song—Traditional
“That’s What I Like,” Bruno Mars
Outstanding Album
Damn., Kendrick Lamar
Outstanding Song—Contemporary
“Humble.,” Kendrick Lamar
Literature
Outstanding Literary Work—Fiction
The Annotated African American Folktales, Henry Louis Gates Jr. (editor), Maria Tatar (editor)
Outstanding Literary Work, Nonfiction
Defining Moments in Black History: Reading Between the Lies, Dick Gregory (author)
Outstanding Literary Work, Debut Author
No One Is Coming to Save Us, Stephanie Powell Watts (author)
Outstanding Literary Work, Biography/Autobiography
Becoming Ms. Burton, From Prison to Recovery to Leading the Fight for Incarcerated Women, Susan Burton (author), Cari Lynn (author), Michelle Alexander (foreword by); the New Press
Outstanding Literary Work—Instructional
The Awakened Woman: Remembering & Reigniting our Sacred Dreams, Dr. Tererai Trent (author), Oprah Winfrey (foreword by)
Outstanding Literary Work—Poetry
Incendiary Art: Poems, Patricia Smith (author); TriQuarterly Books/Northwestern University Press
Outstanding Literary Work—Children
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History, Vashti Harrison (author); Hachette Book Group
Outstanding Literary Work, Youth/Teens
Clayton Byrd Goes Underground, Rita Williams-Garcia (author), Frank Morrison (illustrator); Amistad/HarperCollins Publishers
Documentary
Outstanding Documentary (Film)
Step
Outstanding Documentary (Television)
The 44th President: In His Own Words
Writing
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
Janine Barrois, Claws, “Batsh*t”
Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series
Gina Prince-Bythewood, Shots Fired, “Hour One: Pilot”
Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special
Abdul Williams, The New Edition Story—Part 2
Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture
Jordan Peele, Get Out
Directing
Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
Anton Cropper, Black-ish, “Juneteenth”
Outstanding Directing in a Dramatic Series
Carl Franklin, 13 Reasons Why, “Tape 5, Side B”
Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie or Special
Allen Hughes, The Defiant Ones
Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture
Jordan Peele, Get Out
Animated/CGI
Outstanding Character Voiceover Performance
Tiffany Haddish, Legends of Chamberlain Heights
DISCUSSION
I like how the NAACP Image Awards have more than three categories that are dedicated to aspects outside of the music/film/TV business. To be honest, this is one of the things that I believe the BET Awards need to possess.