Tag: Bad Boys for Life

by Carla Hay

With five prizes, the ABC comedy series “Black-ish” was the top winner at the 52nd Annual NAACP Image Awards, which were presented on March 27, 2021, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. “Black-ish” star Anthony Anderson hosted the show, which he has done every consecutive year since 2014. “Black-ish” went into the ceremony as the top contender, with 11 nominations. CBS, BET, CBS, BET Her, VH1, MTV, MTV2, and Logo had simulcasts of the ceremony. Some of the winners were announced in pre-televised webcasts.

According to a press release from the NAACP: “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.”

“Black-ish” won the prizes for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series (for Anderson); Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (for Deon Cole); Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (for Marsai Martin); Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series (for Anya Adams). Martin also got the prize for Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited Series).

Other multiple winners of the 2021 NAACP Image Awards included the Beyoncé and the Pixar Animation Studios film “Soul,” with four awards each. Getting three awards each were the Netflix dramatic film “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”; the Starz drama series “Power Book II: Ghost” and the Netflix limited series “Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker.”

D-Nice received the prize for Entertainer of the Year. “Bad Boys for Life” was named Outstanding Motion Picture, while “Insecure” received the awards for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Comedy Series (for Issa Rae).

Eddie Murphy was inducted in the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame. There were other special awards given in non-competitive categories. Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett received the Key of Life Award. Stephen Curry was given the Sports Award, while WNBA Player’s Association received the Sports Award II. Misty Copeland received the Springarn Medal. Reverend Dr. Wendell Anthony was named Activist of the Year, while Madison Potts was named Youth Activist of the Year.

Here is the complete list of the winners and nominees for the 2021 NAACP Image Awards:

*=winner

SPECIAL AWARD CATEGORIES

Entertainer of the Year

• D-Nice*
• Regina King
• Trevor Noah
• Tyler Perry
• Viola Davis

Social Justice Impact

• April Ryan
• Debbie Allen
• LeBron James
• Stacey Abrams*
• Tamika Mallory

TELEVISION + STREAMING CATEGORIES

Outstanding Comedy Series

• #blackAF (Netflix)
• Black-ish (ABC)
• grown-ish (Freeform)
• Insecure (HBO)*
• The Last O.G. (TBS)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series

• Anthony Anderson – Black-ish (ABC)*
• Cedric The Entertainer – The Neighborhood (CBS)
• Don Cheadle – Black Monday (Showtime)
• Idris Elba – In the Long Run (Starz)
• Tracy Morgan – The Last O.G. (TBS)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series

• Issa Rae – Insecure (HBO)*
• Folake Olowofoyeku – Bob Hearts Abishola (CBS)
• Regina Hall – Black Monday (Showtime)
• Tracee Ellis Ross – Black-ish (ABC)
• Yara Shahidi – Grown-ish (Freeform)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

• Andre Braugher – Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC)
• Deon Cole – Black-ish (ABC)*
• Jay Ellis – Insecure (HBO)
• Kenan Thompson – Saturday Night Live (NBC)
• Laurence Fishburne – Black-ish (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

• Jenifer Lewis – Black-ish (ABC)
• Marsai Martin – Black-ish (ABC)*
• Natasha Rothwell – Insecure (HBO)
• Tichina Arnold – The Neighborhood (CBS)
• Yvonne Orji – Insecure (HBO)

Outstanding Drama Series

• All Rise (CBS)
• Bridgerton (Netflix)
• Lovecraft Country (HBO)
• Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)*
• This Is Us (NBC)

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series

• Jonathan Majors – Lovecraft Country (HBO)
• Keith David – Greenleaf (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
• Nicco Annan – P-Valley (Starz)
• Regé-Jean Page – Bridgerton (Netflix)*
• Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us (NBC)

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series

• Angela Bassett – 9-1-1 (FOX)
• Brandee Evans – P-Valley (Starz)
• Jurnee Smollett – Lovecraft Country (HBO)
• Simone Missick – All Rise (CBS)
• Viola Davis – How To Get Away With Murder (ABC)*

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

• Clifford “Method Man” Smith – Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)*
• Delroy Lindo – The Good Fight (CBS All Access)
• J. Alphonse Nicholson – P-Valley (Starz)
• Jeffrey Wright – Westworld (HBO)
• Michael Kenneth Williams – Lovecraft Country (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

• Adjoa Andoh – Bridgerton (Netflix)
• Aunjanue Ellis – Lovecraft Country (HBO)
• Lynn Whitfield – Greenleaf (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
• Mary J. Blige – Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)*
• Susan Kelechi Watson – This Is Us (NBC)

Outstanding Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special

• Hamilton (Disney+)
• Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu)
• Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker (Netflix)*
• Sylvie’s Love (Amazon Studios)
• The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel (Lifetime)

Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special

• Blair Underwood – Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker (Netflix)*
• Chris Rock – Fargo (FX)
• Daveed Diggs – Hamilton (Disney+)
• Leslie Odom, Jr. – Hamilton (Disney+)
• Nnamdi Asomugha – Sylvie’s Love (Amazon Studios)

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special

• Aunjanue Ellis – The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel (Lifetime)
• Kerry Washington – Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu)
• Michaela Coel – I May Destroy You (HBO)
• Octavia Spencer – Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker (Netflix)*
• Tessa Thompson – Sylvie’s Love (Amazon Studios)

Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)

• AM Joy: Remembering John Lewis Special (MSNBC)
• Desus & Mero: The Obama Interview (Showtime)
• The Color of Covid (CNN)
• The New York Times Presents “The Killing of Breonna Taylor” (FX)*
• The Reidout (NBC)

Outstanding Talk Series

• Red Table Talk (Facebook Watch)*
• Tamron Hall (Syndicated )
• The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)
• The Oprah Conversation (Apple TV+)
• The Shop: Uninterrupted (HBO)

Outstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition or Game Show (Series)

• Celebrity Family Feud (ABC)*
• Iyanla: Fix My Life (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
• Shark Tank (ABC)
• United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell (CNN)
• Voices of Fire (Netflix)

Outstanding Variety Show (Series or Special)

• 8:46 (Netflix)
• Black Is King (Disney+)
• The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion (HBO Max)
• VERZUZ (APPLE TV)*
• Yvonne Orji: Momma I Made It! (HBO)

Outstanding Children’s Program

• Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices (Netflix)
• Craig of the Creek (Cartoon Network)
• Family Reunion (Netflix)*
• Raven’s Home (Disney Channel)
• We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited–Series)

• Alex R. Hibbert – The Chi (Showtime)
• Lexi Underwood – Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu)
• Lyric Ross – This Is Us (NBC)
• Marsai Martin – Black-ish (ABC)*
• Miles Brown – Black-ish (ABC)

Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble

• Don Lemon – CNN Tonight with Don Lemon (CNN)
• Jada Pinkett Smith – Red Table Talk (Facebook Watch)
• Joy Reid – The Reidout (NBC)
• LeBron James – The Shop: Uninterrupted (HBO)
• Trevor Noah – The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)*

Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble

• Alfonso Ribeiro – America’s Funniest Home Videos (ABC)
• Iyanla Vanzant – Iyanla: Fix My Life (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
• Steve Harvey – Celebrity Family Feud (ABC)*
• W. Kamau Bell – United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell (CNN)
• RuPaul – RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1)

Outstanding Guest Performance – Comedy or Drama Series

• Chris Rock – Saturday Night Live (NBC)
• Courtney B. Vance – Lovecraft Country (HBO)
• Dave Chappelle – Saturday Night Live (NBC)
• Issa Rae – Saturday Night Live (NBC)
• Loretta Devine – P-Valley (Starz)*

Outstanding Animated Series

• Big Mouth (Netflix)
• Central Park (Apple TV+)
• Doc McStuffins (Disney Junior)*
• She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (Netflix)
• Star Trek: Lower Decks (CBS All Access)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)

• Aisha Tyler – Archer (FX)
• Courtney B. Vance – Hollywood’s Architect: The Paul R. Williams Story (PBS)
• Dawnn Lewis – Star Trek: Lower Decks (CBS All Access)
• Deon Cole – Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts (Netflix)
• Laya DeLeon Hayes – Doc McStuffins (Disney Junior)*

Outstanding Short Form Series – Comedy or Drama

• #FreeRayshawn (Quibi)*
• CripTales (BBC America)
• Lazor Wulf (Adult Swim)
• Mapleworth Murders (Quibi)
• Sincerely, Camille (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Outstanding Performance in a Short Form Series

• Giancarlo Esposito – The Broken and the Bad (AMC.com )
• J.B. Smoove – Mapleworth Murders (Quibi)
• Jasmine Cephas Jones – #FreeRayshawn (Quibi)
• Laurence Fishburne – #FreeRayshawn (Quibi)*
• Stephan James – #FreeRayshawn (Quibi)

Outstanding Short Form Series – Reality/Nonfiction

• American Masters – Unladylike2020 (PBS)
• Benedict Men (Quibi)
• Between The Scenes – The Daily Show (Comedy Central)*
• In The Making (PBS)
• Inspire Change Series (NFL Network)

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television)

• Katori Hall – P-Valley (Starz)
• Keith Knight – Woke (Hulu)
• Ramy Youssef – Ramy (Hulu)
• Raynelle Swilling – Cherish the Day (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)*
• Teri Schaffer – Cherish the Day (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

RECORDING CATEGORIES

Outstanding New Artist

• Chika – High Rises (Warner Records)
• Doja Cat – Say So (RCA Records/Kemosabe )*
• D Smoke – Black Habits (WoodWorks Records / EMPIRE)
• Giveon – When It’s All Said And Done (Epic Records)
• Skip Marley – Higher Place (Island Records/ Tuff Gong Records)

Outstanding Male Artist

• Big Sean – Detroit 2 (Def Jam Recordings/G.O.O.D Music)
• Black Thought – Streams of Thought, Vol. 3: Cane & Able (Republic Records)
• Charlie Wilson – All of My Love (P Music Group/BMG)
• Drake – Laugh Now, Cry Later (Republic Records)*
• John Legend – Bigger Love (Columbia Records)

Outstanding Female Artist

• Beyoncé – Black Parade (Columbia Record/ Parkwood)*
• H.E.R. – I Can’t Breathe (RCA Records/MBK Entertainment)
• Jazmine Sullivan – Lost One (RCA Records)
• Ledisi – Anything For You (Listen Back Entertainment/BMG)
• Alicia Keys – Alicia (RCA Records)

Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album

• I Can’t Breathe – H.E.R. (RCA Records/MBK Entertainment)
• Anything For You – Ledisi (Listen Back Entertainment/BMG)
• Black is King – Beyoncé (Columbia Record/ Parkwood)
• Brown Skin Girl – Beyoncé feat WizKid, SAINt JHN, Blu Ivy Carter (Columbia Record/ Parkwood)*
• Do It – Chloe x Halle (Columbia Record/ Parkwood)

Outstanding Album

• Alicia – Alicia Keys (RCA Records)
• b7 – Brandy (Brand Nu/eOne)
• Bigger Love – John Legend (Columbia Records)
• Chilombo – Jhené Aiko (Def Jam Recordings)*
• The Wild Card – LEDISI (Listen Back Entertainment/BMG)

Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album

• Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Music from the Netflix Film) – Branford Marsalis (Milan)
• Insecure: Music from the HBO Original Series – Various Artists (Atlantic Records)
• Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey – Various Artists (Atlantic Records )
• Soul Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste and Tom MacDougall (Walt Disney Records)*
• The First Ladies of Gospel: The Clark Sisters Biopic Soundtrack – Donald Lawrence (Relevé Entertainment)

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album

• Chosen Vessel – Marvin Sapp (RCA Inspiration)
• Gospel According to PJ – PJ Morton (Morton Inspiration / Tyscot Records)
• I Am – Koryn Hawthorne (RCA Inspiration)
• Kierra – Kierra Sheard (Karew/RCA Inspiration)
• The Return – The Clark Sisters (Karew/Motown)*

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song

• All in His Plan – PJ Morton (Morton Inspiration / Tyscot Records)
• Never Lost – CeCe Winans (Pure Springs Gospel)
• Something Has To Break – Kierra Sheard feat. Tasha Cobbs-Leonard (Karew/RCA Inspiration)
• Strong God – Kirk Franklin (Fo Yo Soul/RCA Records)
• Touch from You – Tamela Mann (TillyMann Inc.)*

Outstanding Jazz Album – Instrumental

• Be Water – Christian Sands (Mack Avenue Music Group)
• Music From and Inspired By Soul – Jon Batiste (Walt Disney Records)*
• Omega – Immanuel Wilkins (Blue Note Records)
• Reciprocity – George Burton (Inner Circle Music)
• The Iconoclast – Barry Stephenson (Independent)

Outstanding Jazz Album – Vocal

• Donny Duke and Wonder – Nathan Mitchell (ENM Music Group)
• Holy Room – Live at Alte Oper – Somi (Salon Africana)*
• Pulling Off The Covers – Mike Phillips (Sono Recording Group)
• Stronger – Jeff Bradshaw (Bone Deep Enterprises)
• The Eddy (From The Netflix Original Series) – The Eddy (Arista Records)

Outstanding Soul/R&B Song

• I Can’t Breathe – H.E.R. (RCA Records/MBK Entertainment)
• Anything For You – LEDISI (Listen Back Entertainment/BMG)
• B.S. feat. H.E.R – Jhené Aiko (Def Jam Recordings)
• Black Parade – Beyoncé (Columbia Record/ Parkwood)
• Do It – Chloe x Halle (Columbia Record/ Parkwood)*

Outstanding Hip Hop/Rap Song

• Deep Reverence feat. Nipsey Hussle – Big Sean (Brand Nu/eOne)
• Savage (Remix) – Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyoncé (300 Entertainment / 1501 Certified Ent. LLC)*
• Cool Off – Missy Elliott (Atlantic Records)
• Laugh Now, Cry Later – Drake (Republic Records)
• Life Is Good – Future & Drake (Epic Records)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional)

• Alicia Keys feat. Jill Scott – Jill Scott (RCA Records)
• Chloe x Halle – Wonder What She Thinks Of Me (Columbia Record/ Parkwood)*
• Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis feat. Babyface – He Don’t Know Nothin’ Bout It (BMG)
• Kem feat. Toni Braxton – Live Out Your Love (Motown Records)
• Ledisi and PJ Morton – Anything For You (Listen Back Entertainment/BMG)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Contemporary)

• Alicia Keys feat. Khalid – So Done (RCA Records)
• Big Sean feat. Nipsey Hussle – Deep Reverence (Def Jam Recordings/G.O.O.D Music)
• Chloe x Halle – Do It (Columbia Record/ Parkwood)
• Jhené Aiko feat. H.E.R. – B.S. (Def Jam Recordings)
• Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyoncé – Savage Remix (300 Entertainment / 1501 Certified Ent. LLC)*

Outstanding International Song

• Blessed – Buju Banton (Roc Nation Records)
• Lockdown – Original Koffee (Promise Land Recordings)
• Pressure (Remix) – Original Koffee feat. Buju Banton (Promise Land Recordings)*
• Tanana – Davido feat. Tiwa Savage (RCA Records/Sony Music U.K./Davido Worldwide Entertainment)
• Temptation – Tiwa Savage (Motown Records)

Outstanding Producer of the Year

• Donald Lawrence
• Hit-Boy*
• Jathan Wilson
• Sean Keys
• TM88

MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES

Outstanding Motion Picture

• Bad Boys For Life (Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Entertainment)*
• Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)
• Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)
• Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)
• One Night In Miami… (Amazon Studios)

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture

• Anthony Mackie – The Banker (Apple)
• Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)*
• Delroy Lindo – Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)
• Forest Whitaker – Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)
• Will Smith – Bad Boys For Life (Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Entertainment)

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture

• Issa Rae – The Photograph (Universal Pictures)
• Janelle Monáe – Antebellum (Lionsgate)
• Madalen Mills – Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)
• Tracee Ellis Ross – The High Note (Focus Features)
• Viola Davis – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)*

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

• Aldis Hodge – One Night In Miami… (Amazon Studios)
• Chadwick Boseman – Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)*
• Clarke Peters – Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)
• Colman Domingo – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)
• Glynn Turman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

• Anika Noni Rose – Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)
• Gabourey Sidibe – Antebellum (Lionsgate)
• Nia Long – The Banker (Apple)
• Phylicia Rashad – Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)*
• Taylour Paige – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture

• Emperor (Universal Home Video)
• Farewell Amor (IFC Films)
• Miss Juneteenth (Vertical Entertainment)
• The 24th (Vertical Entertainment)
• The Banker (Apple)*

Outstanding International Motion Picture

• Ainu Mosir (ARRAY)
• His House (Netflix)
• Night of the Kings (Neon)*
• The Last Tree (ArtMattan Productions)
• The Life Ahead (La vita davanti a se) (Netflix)

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture

• Dayo Okeniyi – Emperor (Universal Home Video)
• Dominique Fishback – Project Power (Netflix)
• Jahi Di’Allo Winston – Charm City Kings (HBO Max)
• Jahzir Bruno – The Witches (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Madalen Mills – Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)*

Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture

• Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)
• Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)
• Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)*
• Soul (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• The Banker (Apple)

Outstanding Animated Motion Picture

• Onward (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Over the Moon (Netflix)
• Scoob! (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Soul (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)*
• Trolls World Tour (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Motion Picture

• Ahmir-Khalib Thompson aka Questlove – Soul (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Angela Bassett – Soul (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Chris Rock – The Witches (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Jamie Foxx – Soul (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)*
• Phylicia Rashad – Soul (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Outstanding Short Form. (Live Action)

• Baldwin Beauty (Powderkeg Media)
• Black Boy Joy (Film Independent Project Involve )*
• Gets Good Light
• Home
• Mr. & Mrs. Ellis (AMB Productions)

Outstanding Short Form (Animated)

• Canvas (Netflix)*
• Cops and Robbers (Netflix)
• Loop (Pixar Animation Studios)
• The Power of Hope (The Power Of Hope)
• Windup (Unity Technologies)

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture)

• Loira Limbal – Through the Night (Third Shift Media, Inc.)
• Melissa Haizlip – Mr. Soul! (Shoes In The Bed Productions)
• Nadia Hallgren – Becoming (A Higher Ground Productions and Big Mouth Productions Film for Netflix)*
• Radha Blank – The Forty-Year-Old Version (Netflix)
• Remi Weekes – His House (Netflix)

DOCUMENTARY CATEGORIES

Outstanding Documentary (Film)

• All In: The Fight For Democracy (Amazon Studios)
• Coded Bias (7th Empire Media)
• John Lewis: Good Trouble (Magnolia Pictures/Participant)*
• Mr. Soul! (Shoes in the Bed Productions)
• On the Record (HBO Max)

Outstanding Documentary (Television)

• And She Could Be Next (PBS)
• Black Love (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
• Enslaved: The Lost History of the Transatlantic Slave Trade (EPIX)
• The Last Dance (ESPN / Netflix)*
• Unsung (TV One)

WRITING CATEGORIES

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series

• Issa Rae – Insecure – “Lowkey Feelin’ Myself” (HBO)
• Lee Eisenberg, Kumail Nanjiani, Emily V. Gordon – Little America – “The Rock” (Apple TV+)
• Michaela Coel – I May Destroy You – “Ego Death” (HBO)*
• Mindy Kaling, Lang Fisher – Never Have I Ever “Pilot” (Netflix)
• Rajiv Joseph – Little America – “The Manager” (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series

• Attica Locke – Little Fires Everywhere – “The Spider Web” (Hulu)*
• Erika L. Johnson, Mark Richard – The Good Lord Bird – “A Wicked Plot” (Showtime)
• Jessica Lamour – Little Voice – “Love Hurts” (Apple TV+)
• Katori Hall – P-Valley – “Perpetratin'” (Starz)
• Tanya Barfield – Mrs. America – “Shirley” (FX)

Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special

• Diallo Riddle, Bashir Salahuddin, D. Rodney Carter, Emily Goldwyn, Rob Haze, Zuri Salahuddin, Bennett Webber, Evan Williams, Will Miles – Sherman’s Showcase Black History Month Spectacular (IFC)
• Eugene Ashe – Sylvie’s Love (Amazon Studios)*
• Geri Cole – The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special (HBO Max)
• Lin-Manuel Miranda – Hamilton (Disney+)
• Sylvia L. Jones, Camille Tucker – The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel (Lifetime)

Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture

• David E. Talbert – Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)
• Kemp Powers – One Night in Miami… (Amazon Studios)
• Lee Isaac Chung – Minari (A24)
• Pete Docter, Kemp Powers, Mike Jones – Soul (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Radha Blank – The Forty-Year-Old Version (Netflix)*

Outstanding Writing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture)

• Mary Mazzio – A Most Beautiful Thing (Peacock)
• Melissa Haizlip – Mr. Soul! (Maysles Documentary Center)*
• Nile Cone – The Beat Don’t Stop (TV One)
• Royal Kennedy Rodgers – Hollywood’s Architect: The Paul R. Williams Story (PBS)
• Yoruba Richen, Elia Gasull Balada, Valerie Thomas – The Sit-In: Harry Belafonte Hosts the Tonight Show (Peacock)

DIRECTING CATEGORIES

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series

• Anya Adams – Black-ish – “Hair Day” (ABC)*
• Aurora Guerrero – Little America – “The Jaguar” (Apple TV+)
• Eric Dean Seaton – Black-ish – “Our Wedding Dre” (ABC)
• Kabir Akhtar – Never Have I Ever – “… started a nuclear war” (Netflix)
• Sam Miller, Michaela Coel – I May Destroy You – “Ego Death” (HBO)

Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series

• Cheryl Dunye – Lovecraft Country – “Strange Case” (HBO)
• Hanelle Culpepper – Star Trek: Picard – “Remembrance” (CBS All Access)*
• Misha Green – Lovecraft Country – “Jig-a-Bobo” (HBO)
• Nzingha Stewart – Little Fires Everywhere – “The Uncanny” (Hulu)
• Steve McQueen – Small Axe – “Mangrove” (Amazon Studios)

Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie or Special

• Beyoncé Knowles Carter, Emmanuel Adeji, Blitz Bazawule, Kwasi Fordjour – Black Is King (Disney+)
• Christine Swanson – The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel (Lifetime)
• Chuck Vinson, Alan Muraoka – The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special (HBO Max)
• Eugene Ashe – Sylvie’s Love (Amazon Studios)*
• Kamilah Forbes – Between The World And Me (HBO)

Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture

• David E. Talbert – Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)
• George C. Wolfe – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)
• Gina Prince-Bythewood – The Old Guard (Netflix)*
• Radha Blank – The Forty-Year-Old Version (Netflix)
• Regina King – One Night in Miami… (Amazon Studios)

Outstanding Directing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture)

• Keith McQuirter – By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem (EPIX)*
• Muta’Ali – Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn (HBO)
• Sam Pollard, Maro Chermayeff – Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children (Ep. 1 & 2) (HBO)
• Simcha Jacobovici – Enslaved: The Lost History of the Transatlantic Slave Trade (EPIX)
• Yoruba Richen – The Sit-In: Harry Belafonte Hosts the Tonight Show (Peacock)

LITERARY CATEGORIES

Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction 

• Black Bottom Saints – Alice Randall (HarperCollins Publishers)
• Lakewood – Megan Giddings (HarperCollins Publishers)
• Riot Baby – Tochi Onyebuchi (TorDotCom Publishing, imprint of Tom Doherty Associates)
• The Awkward Black Man – Walter Mosley (Grove Atlantic)*
• The Vanishing Half – Brit Bennett (Riverhead Books)

Outstanding Literary Work – Nonfiction

• A Black Women’s History of the United States – Daina Berry (Beacon Press)
• A Promised Land – Barack Obama (Crown)*
• Driving While Black – Gretchen Sorin (W. W. Norton & Company)
• Long Time Coming: Reckoning with Race in America – Michael Eric Dyson (St. Martin’s Press)
• We’re Better Than This – Elijah Cummings (HarperCollins Publishers)

Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author 

• A Knock at Midnight – Brittany Barnett (Penguin Random House)
• Greyboy: Finding Blackness in a White World – Cole Brown (Skyhorse)
• Lakewood – Megan Giddings (HarperCollins Publishers)
• The Compton Cowboys – Walter Thompson-Hernandez (HarperCollins Publishers)
• We’re Better Than This – Elijah Cummings (HarperCollins Publishers)*

Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/Autobiography 

• A Most Beautiful Thing: The True Story of America’s First All-Black High School Rowing Team – Arshay Cooper (Macmillan)
• A Promised Land – Barack Obama (Crown)
• Olympic Pride, American Prejudice – Deborah Draper (Simon & Schuster)
• The Dead Are Arising – Les Payne, Tamara Payne (W. W. Norton & Company)*
• Willie: The Game-Changing Story of the NHL’s First Black Player – Willie O’Ree (Penguin Canada)

Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional

• Do Right by Me: Learning to Raise Black Children in White Space – Valerie Harrison (Temple University Press)
• Living Lively – Haile Thomas (HarperCollins Publishers)
• The Black Foster Youth Handbook – Ángela Quijada-Banks (Soulful Liberation)
• The Woman God Created You to Be: Finding Success Through Faith–Spiritually, Personally, and Professionally – Kimberla Lawson Roby (Lenox Press)
• Vegetable Kingdom – Bryant Terry (Penguin Random House)*

Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry 

• Homie – Danez Smith (Graywolf Press)
• Kontemporary Amerikan Poetry – John Murillo (Four Way Books)
• Seeing the Body – Rachel Eliza Griffiths (W. W. Norton & Company)
• The Age of Phillis – Honorée Jeffers (Wesleyan University Press)*
• Un-American – Hafizah Geter (Wesleyan University Press)

Outstanding Literary Work – Children

• I Promise – LeBron James, Nina Mata (HarperCollins)
• Just Like a Mama – Alice Faye Duncan, Charnelle Pinkney Barlow (Simon & Schuster)
• Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice – Nikki Grimes, Laura Freeman (Simon & Schuster)
• She Was the First!: The Trailblazing Life of Shirley Chisholm – Katheryn Russell-Brown, Eric Velasquez (Lee & Low Books)*
• The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver – Gene Barretta, Frank Morrison (HarperCollins)

Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens 

• Before the Ever After – Jacqueline Woodson (Penguin Random House)*
• Black Brother, Black Brother – Jewell Parker Rhodes (Hachette Book Group)
• Dear Justyce – Nic Stone (Crown Books for Young Readers)
• Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning – Jason Reynolds (Hachette Book Group)
• This is Your Time – Ruby Bridges (Delacorte Books for Young Readers)