The 49th NAACP Image Awards ceremony, presented by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), honored outstanding representations and achievements of people of color in motion pictures, television, music, and literature during the 2017 calendar year. The ceremony took place on January 15, 2018, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, was hosted by Anthony Anderson and broadcast on TV One.
During the ceremony American actor and film director Danny Glover was honored with the President's Award for being «a true inspiration who always uses his celebrity status to advance the cause of social justice and respect for our diverse society. [...] Glover has is known for wide-reaching community activism and philanthropic efforts with a particular emphasis on advocacy for economic justice, access to health care and education programs in the United States and Africa». William Lucy was honored with the «in recognition of his role in the labour movement and his accomplishments as a labor organizer and justice advocate. His work with Martin Luther King Jr. during the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike and the instrumental role he played in the Anti-Apartheid Movement».
The award show also honored with the Vanguard Award the surviving of 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike "I Am a Man" workers for supporting the African-American community and the workers' struggle in the Southern United States to recognise equal pay and rights for the labour force.
All nominees are listed below, and the winners are listed in bold.
Special awards
Vanguard Award The surviving 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike "I Am a Man" workersPresident's Award Danny GloverChairman's Award William LucyEntertainer of the Year Ava DuVernay Bruno Mars Chance the Rapper Issa Rae Jay-Z
Motion Picture
Girls Trip Detroit Get Out Marshall Roman J. Israel, Esq. Jordan Peele – Get Out Reginald Hudlin – Marshall Malcolm D. Lee – Girls Trip Stella Meghie – Everything, Everything Dee Rees – Mudbound Daniel Kaluuya – Get Out Chadwick Boseman – Marshall Idris Elba – The Mountain Between Us Algee Smith – Detroit Denzel Washington – Roman J. Israel, Esq. Octavia Spencer – Gifted Halle Berry – Kidnap Danai Gurira – All Eyez on Me Natalie Paul – Crown Heights Amandla Stenberg – Everything, Everything Idris Elba – Thor: Ragnarok Nnamdi Asomugha – Crown Heights Sterling K. Brown – Marshall Laurence Fishburne – Last Flag Flying Lil Rel Howery – Get Out Tiffany Haddish – Girls Trip Regina Hall – Girls Trip Audra McDonald – Beauty and the Beast Keesha Sharp – Marshall Tessa Thompson – Thor: Ragnarok Jordan Peele – Get Out Kenya Barris and Tracy Oliver – Girls Trip Mark Boal – Detroit Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani – The Big Sick Dee Rees and Virgil Williams – Mudbound Detroit Last Flag Flying Mudbound Professor Marston and the Wonder Women Wind River
Television Best SeriesOutstanding Drama SeriesOutstanding Comedy Series Power Greenleaf Queen Sugar This Is Us Underground Black-ish Ballers Dear White People Insecure Survivor's RemorseOutstanding Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic SpecialOutstanding Variety or Game Show – (Series or Special) The New Edition Story Flint The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Shots Fired When Love Kills: The Falicia Blakely Story Lip Sync Battle Black Girls Rock! 2017 Dave Chappelle: The Age of Spin & Deep in the Heart of Texas Def Comedy Jam 25 Saturday Night LiveOutstanding Children's Program Doc McStuffins Free Rein Nella the Princess Knight Project Mc2 Raven's HomeBest Acting in a Drama SeriesOutstanding Actor in a Drama SeriesOutstanding Actress in a Drama Series Omari Hardwick – Power Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us Mike Colter – The Defenders Terrence Howard – Empire Kofi Siriboe – Queen Sugar Taraji P. Henson – Empire Viola Davis – How to Get Away with Murder Jurnee Smollett-Bell – Underground Kerry Washington – Scandal Rutina Wesley – Queen SugarOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama SeriesOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Joe Morton – Scandal Trai Byers – Empire Bryshere Gray – Empire Jussie Smollett – Empire Dondre Whitfield – Queen Sugar Naturi Naughton – Power Tina Lifford – Queen Sugar Susan Kelechi Watson – This Is Us Lynn Whitfield – Greenleaf Samira Wiley – The Handmaid's TaleBest Acting in a Comedy SeriesOutstanding Actor in a Comedy SeriesOutstanding Actress in a Comedy Series Anthony Anderson – Black-ish Aziz Ansari – Master of None Dwayne Johnson – Ballers Keegan-Michael Key – Friends from College RonReaco Lee – Survivor's Remorse Tracee Ellis Ross – Black-ish Danielle Brooks – Orange Is the New Black Loretta Devine – The Carmichael Show Niecy Nash – Claws Issa Rae – InsecureOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy SeriesOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Jay Ellis – Insecure Tituss Burgess – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Ernie Hudson – Grace and Frankie Omar Miller – Ballers John David Washington – Ballers Marsai Martin – Black-ish Uzo Aduba – Orange Is the New Black Tichina Arnold – Survivor's Remorse Leslie Jones – Saturday Night Live Yvonne Orji – InsecureBest Acting in a Movie/Limited SeriesOutstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic SpecialOutstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special Idris Elba – Guerrilla Laurence Fishburne – Madiba Bryshere Gray – The New Edition Story Woody McClain – The New Edition Story Mack Wilds – Shots Fired Queen Latifah – Flint Regina King – American Crime Sanna Lathan – Shots Fired Jill Scott – Flint Oprah Winfrey – The Immortal Life of Henrietta LacksOutstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited Series) Caleb McLaughlin – Stranger Things Lonnie Chavis – This Is Us Ethan Hutchison – Queen Sugar Marsai Martin – Black-ish Michael Rainey – PowerReality & VarietyOutstanding Talk SeriesOutstanding Reality Program/Reality Competition Series The Real The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Jimmy Kimmel Live Super Soul Sunday The View The Manns Iyanla: Fix My Life Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party Shark Tank United Shades of AmericaOutstanding News / Information – (Series or Special)Outstanding Host in a Talk, Reality, News/ Information or Variety (Series or Special) Unsung News One Now Oprah's Master Class The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman Through the Fire: The Legacy of Barack Obama Roland S. Martin – NewsOne Now Neil deGrasse Tyson – StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson Morgan Freeman – The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman Trevor Noah – The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Fredricka Whitfield – Fredricka WhitfieldDirectingOutstanding Directing in a Dramatic SeriesOutstanding Directing in a Comedy Series Carl Franklin – 13 Reasons Why – "Tape 5, Side B" Jeffrey Byrd – Switched at Birth – "Occupy Truth" Jonathan Demme – Shots Fired – "Hour Six: The Fire This Time" Ernest R. Dickerson – The Deuce – "Show and Prove" Gina Prince-Bythewood – Shots Fired – "Hour One: Pilot" Anton Cropper – Black-ish – "Juneteenth" Barry Jenkins – Dear White People – "Chapter 5" Spike Lee – She's Gotta Have It – "#NolasChoice" Justin Simien – Dear White People – "Chapter 1" Ken Whittingham – Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt – "Kimmy Bites an Onion!"Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie or Special Allen Hughes – The Defiant Ones Mark Ford – Biggie: The Life of Notorious B.I.G. Kevin Hooks – Madiba Codie Elaine Oliver – Black Love Chris Robinson – The New Edition Story – "Night 1" WritingOutstanding Writing in a Dramatic SeriesOutstanding Writing in a Comedy Series Gina Prince-Bythewood – Shots Fired – "Hour One: Pilot" Erica Anderson – Greenleaf – "The Bear" Ava DuVernay – Queen Sugar – "Dream Variations" Vera Herbert – This Is Us – "Still Here" Anthony Sparks – Queen Sugar – "What Do I Care for Morning" Janine Barrois – Claws – "Batsh*t" Aziz Ansari – Master of None – "Thanksgiving" Issa Rae – Insecure – "Hella Great" Issa Rae – Insecure – "Hella Perspective" Justin Simien – Dear White People – "Chapter 1"Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special Abdul Williams – The New Edition Story May Chan – An American Girl Story - Ivy & Julie 1976: A Happy Balance Peter Landseman, Alexander Woo and George C. Wolfe – The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Alison McDonald – An American Girl Story - Ivy & Julie 1976: Summer Camp, Friends for Life Cas Sigers-Beedles – When Love Kills: The Falicia Blakely Story
Documentary Outstanding Documentary – (Film) STEP I Called Him Morgan The Rape of Recy Taylor Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities Whose Streets?
Outstanding Documentary – (Television) The 44th President: In His Own Words Birth of a Movement Black Love The Defiant Ones What the Health
Animated/CGI Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – (Television or Film) Tiffany Haddish – Legends of Chamberlain Heights Yvette Nicole Brown – Elena of Avalor Loretta Devine – Doc McStuffins David Oyelowo – The Lion Guard Kerry Washington – Cars 3
Music Outstanding New Artist SZA – Ctrl Demetria McKinney – Officially Yours Khalid – American Teen Kevin Ross – The Awakening Vic Mensa – The Autobiography
Outstanding Male Artist Bruno Mars – "Versace on the Floor" JAY-Z – 4:44 Kendrick Lamar – Damn Brian McKnight – Genesis Charlie Wilson – In It to Win It
Outstanding Female Artist Mary J. Blige – Strength of a Woman Beyoncé – "Die with You" Andra Day – "Stand Up For Something" Ledisi – Let Love Rule SZA – Ctrl
Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration Kendrick Lamar feat. Rihanna – "LOYALTY." Mary J. Blige feat. Kanye West – "Love Yourself" Andra Day feat. Common – "Stand Up For Something" SZA feat. Travis Scott – "Love Galore" Charlie Wilson feat. T.I. – "I'm Blessed"
Outstanding Jazz Album Somi – Petite Afrique Damien Escobar – Boundless Najee – Poetry in Motion Cécile McLorin Salvant – Dreams and Daggers Preservation Hall Jazz Band – So It Is
Outstanding Gospel Album – Traditional or Contemporary Greenleaf Soundtrack – Greenleaf Soundtrack Volume 2 Tasha Cobbs – Heart. Passion. Pursuit. Travis Greene – Crossover Live From Music City Marvin Sapp – Close CeCe Winans – Let Them Fall In Love
Outstanding Music Video Bruno Mars – "That's What I Like" Mary J. Blige – "Strength of a Woman" JAY-Z – "4:44" Maxwell – "Gods" Ledisi – "High"
Outstanding Song, Traditional Bruno Mars – "That's What I Like" Mary J. Blige – "U + Me (Love Lesson)" Ledisi – "High" John Legend – "Surefire (Piano Version)" MAJOR. – "Honest"
Outstanding Song, Contemporary Kendrick Lamar – "HUMBLE." JAY-Z – "The Story of O.J." Mali Music – "Gonna Be Alright" Jazmine Sullivan x Bryson Tiller – "Insecure" SZA feat. Travis Scott – "Love Galore"
Outstanding Album Kendrick Lamar – Damn Mary J. Blige – Strength of a Woman JAY-Z – 4:44 Brian McKnight – Genesis Charlie Wilson – In It to Win It
Literature Outstanding Literary Work, Fiction Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Maria Tatar – The Annotated African American Folktales Marita Golden – The Wide Circumference of Love Celeste Ng – Little Fires Everywhere Jesmyn Ward – Sing, Unburied, Sing Stephanie Powell Watts – No One Is Coming to Save Us
Outstanding Literary Work, Non-Fiction Dick Gregory – Defining Moments in Black History: Reading Between the Lies Herb Boyd – Black Detroit – A People’s History of Self-Determination Paul Butler – Chokehold: Policing Black Men Ta-Nehisi Coates – We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy Adrian Miller – The President's Kitchen Cabinet: The Story of the African Americans Who Have Fed Our First Families, from the Washingtons to the Obamas
Outstanding Literary Work, Debut Author Stephanie Powell Watts – No One Is Coming to Save Us Devin Allen – A Beautiful Ghetto Leland Melvin – Chasing Spaces: An Astronaut’s Story of Grit, Grace & Second Chances