Chadwick Boseman's wife Simone Ledward Boseman gave an important speech about colon cancer at the 2021 NAACP Image Awards, which aired this Saturday (March 27th). Chadwick posthumously won the Outstanding Actor Award for his role in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and Simone accepted the award on his behalf.
During her speech, she said, “This disease is beatable if you catch it in its early stages so you don’t have any time to waste even if you have no family history and even if you think nothing is wrong. And if you are younger than 45, please be proactive about your health. Know the signs, know the science, listen to your body. . Please, you are so needed and you are so loved. Please take your health into your own hands. Thank you.”
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris opened the show, praising the NAACP and their contribution to America. Harris also praised the contributions Black entertainers have made to advance social justice in America.
THE BIG WINNERS
Other big winners included Bad Boys 4 Life, which was awarded Outstanding Motion Picture. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence accepted their award and revealed they may work on a fourth Bad Boys film. Smith said, “Hopefully, we will try to get one more. You guys seem to like it so we’re going to try to get one more before we be the sad boys.”
D-Nice won Entertainer of the Year and Eddie Murphy took home the Hall of Fame Award, whch was presented to him by Arsenio Hall. Viola Davis took home Outstanding Actress for Netflix‘s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Outstanding Drama Series actress for her final season of How to Get Away With Murder.
Meanwhile, NBA star LeBron James was honored with the President's Awards.
On the music side, Beyonce won four awards — more than anyone else this year. She was named Outstanding Female Artist. Meanwhile, Jhene Aiko's Chilombo took home Outstanding Album. And for the first time, Drake won Outstanding Male Artist.
PERFORMANCES
Jazmine Sullivan gave off retro vibes with a sultry performance of “Pick Up Your Feelings.”
Maxwell threw it back with a performance of “Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)” in the streets of New York City.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS
Hall of Fame Award
Eddie Murphy
Entertainer of the Year
D-Nice
Chairman's Award
Rev. D. James Lawson
Presidents Award
LeBron James
Social Justice Impact
Stacey Abrams
Motion Pictures
Outstanding Motion Picture
Bad Boys For Life
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Viola Davis – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Outstanding supporting actor in a motion picture
Chadwick Boseman – Da 5 Bloods
Outstanding supporting actress in a motion picture
Phylicia Rashad – Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
Outstanding ensemble cast in a motion picture
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Outstanding breakthrough performance in a motion picture
Madalen Mills – Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
Outstanding breakthrough creative (motion picture)
Nadia Hallgren – Becoming
Outstanding independent motion picture
The Banker
Outstanding international motion picture
NIGHT OF THE KINGS
Outstanding writing in a motion picture
Radha Blank – The Forty-Year-Old Version
Outstanding directing in a motion picture
Gina Prince-Bythewood – The Old Guard
Outstanding animated motion picture
Soul
Outstanding documentary (film)
John Lewis: Good Trouble
Outstanding short-film (live action)
Black Boy Joy
Outstanding short-film (animated)
Canvas
Outstanding character voice-over performance – motion picture
Jamie Foxx – Soul
Music
Outstanding female artist
Beyoncé – “Black Parade”
Outstanding male artist
Drake – “Laugh Now, Cry Later”
Outstanding duo, group or collaboration (traditional)
Chloe x Halle – “Wonder What She Thinks Of Me”
Outstanding duo, group or collaboration (contemporary)
Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyoncé – “Savage Remix”
Outstanding album
Chilombo — Jhené Aiko
Outstanding soul/R&B song
“Do It” – Chloe x Halle
Outstanding hip hop/rap song
“Savage Remix” – Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyoncé
Outstanding new artist
Doja Cat – “Say So”
Outstanding producer of the year
Hit-Boy
Outstanding music video/visual album
“Brown Skin Girl” – Beyonce' feat WizKid, SAINt JHN, Blue Ivy Carter
Outstanding soundtrack/compilation album
Soul original motion picture soundtrack – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste and Tom MacDougall
Outstanding gospel/Christian song
“Touch From You” – Tamela Mann
Outstanding gospel/Christian album
The Return – The Clark Sisters
Outstanding jazz album – instrumental
Music from and Inspired by Soul – Jon Batiste
Outstanding jazz album – vocal
Holy Room – Live at Alte Oper – Somi
Outstanding international song
“Lockdown” – Original Koffee
Television
Outstanding drama series
Power Book II: Ghost
Outstanding comedy series
Insecure
Outstanding talk series
Red Table Talk
Outstanding reality program/reality competition or game show
Celebrity Family Feud
Outstanding variety show (series or special)
VERZUZ
Outstanding news/information (series or special)
The New York Times Presents The Killing of Breonna Taylor
Outstanding children’s program
Family Reunion
Outstanding animated series
Doc McStuffins
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
Regé-Jean Page – Bridgerton
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
Viola Davis – How To Get Away With Murder
Outstanding supporting actor in a drama series
Clifford “Method Man” Smith – Power Book II: Ghost
Outstanding supporting actress in a drama series
Mary J. Blige – Power Book II: Ghost
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Issa Rae – Insecure
Outstanding actor in a comedy series
Anthony Anderson – black-ish
Outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series
Deon Cole – black-ish
Outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series
Marsai Martin – black-ish
Outstanding performance by a youth (series, special, television movie or limited-series)
Marsai Martin – black-ish
Outstanding writing in a comedy series
Michaela Coel – I May Destroy You – Ep. 112 “Ego Death”
Outstanding writing in a drama series
Attica Locke – Little Fires Everywhere – Ep. 104 “The Spider Web”
Outstanding writing in a television movie or special
Geri Cole – The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special
Outstanding directing in a comedy series
Anya Adams – black-ish – Ep. 611 “Hair Day”
Outstanding directing in a drama series
Hanelle Culpepper – Star Trek: Picard – Ep. 101 “Remembrance”
Outstanding directing in a television movie or special
Eugene Ashe – Sylvie’s Love
Outstanding short form series – comedy or drama
#FreeRayshawn
Outstanding performance in a short form series
Laurence Fishburne – #FreeRayshawn
Outstanding short form series – reality/nonfiction
“Between The Scenes” – The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Outstanding documentary (television – series or special)
The Last Dance
Outstanding character voice-over performance (television)
Laya DeLeon Hayes – Doc McStuffins
Outstanding television movie, limited-series or dramatic special
Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker
Outstanding actor in a television movie, limited-series or dramatic special
Blair Underwood – Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker
Outstanding actress in a television movie, limited-series or dramatic special
Octavia Spencer – Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker
Outstanding host in a talk or news/information (series or special) – individual or ensemble
Trevor Noah – The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Outstanding host in a reality/reality competition, game show or variety (series or special) – individual or ensemble
Steve Harvey – Celebrity Family Feud
Outstanding guest performance – comedy or drama series
Loretta Devine- P-Valley
Outstanding breakthrough creative (television)
Raynelle Swilling – Cherish the Day
Television or Motion Picture
Outstanding directing in a documentary (television or motion picture)
Keith McQuirter – By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem
Outstanding writing in a documentary (television or motion picture)
Melissa Haizlip – Mr. SOUL!
Outstanding literary works
Fiction
The Awkward Black Man – Walter Mosley
Nonfiction
A Promised Land – Barack Obama
Debut author
We're Better Than This – Elijah Cummings
Biography/autobiography
The Dead Are Arising – Les Payne, Tamara Payne
Instructional
Vegetable Kingdom – Bryant Terry
Poetry
The Age of Phillis – Honorée Jeffers
Children
She Was the First!: The Trailblazing Life of Shirley Chisholm – Katheryn Russell-Brown, Eric Velasquez
Youth/teens
Before the Ever After – Jacqueline Woodson
Special Awards
Activist of the year
Reverend Dr. Wendell Anthony
Youth activist of the year
Madison Potts
Spingarn medal
Misty Copeland
Founder's
Toni Vaz
Sports award I
Stephen Curry
Sports award II
WNBA Player's Association (Nneka Ogqumike accepting on behalf of WNBAPA)
Key of life
Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett