Night one winners include Cicely Tyson, Will Smith, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Tabitha Brown and more.
Tonight, the NAACP kicked-off night one of the 53rd NAACP Image Awards announcing the first round of winners in the non-televised award categories, which included literary, podcast, and youth activist of the year awards. The awards were announced tonight during the NAACP Image Awards' Virtual Experience presented by Wells Fargo and hosted by actor and comedian Affion Crockett at naacpimageawards.net.
Tonight's winners included Nikole Hannah-Jones for Outstanding Literary Work - Nonfiction category, Will Smith for Outstanding Literary Work - Autobiography, Blindspot: Tulsa Burning for Outstanding Podcast (News & Information), Sherri Shepherd and Kym Whitley for Outstanding Podcast, and as previously announced, Channing Hill, NAACP Chapter President of Howard University, for Youth Activist of The Year.
The night additionally featured appearances from presenters including Asiahn Bryant, Lauren Wesley Wilson, Wisdom Cole and Luke Lawal Jr.
The week-long 53rd NAACP Image Awards Virtual Experience from February 21-25, will invite fans to join in a celebration of the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color across more than 80 competitive categories.
The "53rd NAACP Image Awards," hosted by seven-time NAACP Image Awards winner Anthony Anderson, will air Saturday, February 26 at 8:00 PM ET/ 5:00 PM PT on BET, featuring a performance by nine-time Grammy Award-winning singer and two-time Academy Award-nominated actress and producer Mary J. Blige.
The full list of winners from tonight can be found below:
"Long Division" - Kiese Laymon
"The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story" - Nikole Hannah-Jones
"Just As I Am" - Cicely Tyson
"Will"- Will Smith
"Feeding the Soul (Because It's My Business)" - Tabitha Brown
"Perfect Black"- Crystal Wilkinson
"Stacey's Extraordinary Words" - Stacey Abrams, Kitt Thomas
"Ace of Spades"- Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
Blindspot: "Tulsa Burning"
"Jemele Hill is Unbothered"
"Jemele Hill is Unbothered"
"Two Funny Mamas" - Sherri Shepherd & Kym Whitley
Channing Hill
Be sure to tune into the 53rd NAACP Awards Virtual Experience this week on naacpimageawards.net and YouTube, including:
Videos