The 55th NAACP Image Awards, presented by the NAACP, honored outstanding representations and achievements of people of color in motion pictures, television, music, and literature during the year 2023. The ceremony was hosted by Queen Latifah and aired on March 16, 2024, on BET and simulcasted on CBS. Non-televised Image Awards categories were livestreamed March 11 to 14, on the Image Awards website.
Submissions were received online from July 31 to November 3, 2023, and public online voting on the shortlisted nominations for performance categories ran from January 25 to February 24, 2024, on the Image Awards website.
The nominations were announced on January 25, 2024, with the film The Color Purple and actor Colman Domingo leading the motion picture categories with 16 and three nominations, respectively, and Ayo Edebiri leading the nominations for television and streaming categories with two for Abbott Elementary and The Bear. In the recording categories, Victoria Monét and Usher led the nominations with six and five nominations, respectively. RCA Records collectively led the nominations in the recording categories with 20 nominations, while HarperCollins Publishers and Penguin Random House led the literary categories with seven and four nominations, respectively.
Poet, writer and activist Amanda Gorman was honored with the Chairman's Award. Creative director and costume designer June Ambrose received the Vanguard Award at the award ceremony's NAACP Fashion Show on March 15, 2024.
The film The Color Purple became the most nominated and most awarded motion picture in the ceremony's history at the time, receiving 16 nominations and winning eleven. It broke the record previously held by The Best Man (1999), Black Panther (2018) and Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020), which were all tied with ten nominations. This record would be broken two years later by Sinners (2025), when it received 18 nominations and won 13 awards, respectively.
Category changes Eight new categories were created: Outstanding Youth Performance in a Motion Picture Outstanding Cinematography in a Motion Picture Outstanding Short Form Documentary Motion Picture Outstanding Original Score for TV/Film Outstanding Scripted Series Podcast Outstanding Limited Series/Short Form Podcast Outstanding Graphic Novel Outstanding Stunt Ensemble
Winners and nominees
All nominees are listed below, and the winners are listed in bold.
Special awards President's Award UsherChairman's Award Amanda GormanVanguard Award June AmbroseEntertainer of the Year Usher Colman Domingo Fantasia Barrino Halle Bailey Keke PalmerNAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award Joy Buolamwini
Motion Picture Outstanding Motion PictureOutstanding Directing in a Motion Picture The Color Purple American Fiction Origin Rustin They Cloned Tyrone Ava DuVernay – Origin Antoine Fuqua – The Equalizer 3 George C. Wolfe – Rustin Juel Taylor – They Cloned Tyrone Michael B. Jordan – Creed IIIOutstanding Actor in a Motion PictureOutstanding Actress in a Motion Picture Colman Domingo – Rustin Denzel Washington – The Equalizer 3 Jamie Foxx – The Burial Jeffrey Wright – American Fiction John Boyega – They Cloned Tyrone Fantasia Barrino – The Color Purple Aunjanue Ellis–Taylor – Origin Halle Bailey – The Little Mermaid Teyana Taylor – A Thousand and One Yara Shahidi – Sitting in Bars with CakeOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion PictureOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Colman Domingo – The Color Purple Corey Hawkins – The Color Purple Glynn Turman – Rustin Jamie Foxx – They Cloned Tyrone Sterling K. Brown – American FictionTaraji P. Henson – The Color Purple Danielle Brooks – The Color Purple Da'Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers Erika Alexander – American Fiction Halle Bailey – The Color PurpleOutstanding International Motion PictureOutstanding Independent Motion Picture Brother Anatomy of a Fall Mami Wata Rye Lane Society of the Snow Brother Back on the Strip Story Ave Sweetwater The Angry Black Girl and Her MonsterOutstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion PictureOutstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture Phylicia Pearl Mpasi – The Color Purple Aaron Pierre – Brother Laya DeLeon Hayes – The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster Mila Davis–Kent – Creed III Teyana Taylor – A Thousand and One The Color Purple American Fiction Rustin The Blackening They Cloned TyroneOutstanding Animated Motion PictureOutstanding Character Voice Performance – Motion Picture Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Elemental Lil' Ruby Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Wish Issa Rae – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Ariana DeBose – Wish Brian Tyree Henry – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Daniel Kaluuya – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Shameik Moore – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-VerseOutstanding Short Form (Live Action)Outstanding Short Form (Animated) The After Flower Gaps Lucille Rocky Road on Channel Three Lil' Ruby Blueberry Bridges Burning Rubber Ego' CurseOutstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture)Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture Blitz Bazawule – The Color Purple A.V. Rockwell – A Thousand and One Choice Skinner – A New Life Dewayne Perkins – The Blackening Juel Taylor – They Cloned Tyrone Cord Jefferson – American Fiction A.V. Rockwell – A Thousand and One Juel Taylor, Tony Rettenmaier – They Cloned Tyrone Maggie Betts, Doug Wright – The Burial Marcus Gardley – The Color PurpleOutstanding Youth Performance in a Motion PictureOutstanding Cinematography in a Feature Film Mila Davis–Kent – Creed III Aaron Kingsley Adetola – A Thousand and One Aven Courtnery – A Thousand and One Calah Lane – Wonka Lennox Simms – Origin Eric K. Yue – A Thousand and One C. Kim Miles, Julia Liu, Clair Popkin – Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie Guy Godfree – Brother Ken Seng – They Cloned Tyrone Paul Yee – Joy Ride
Television
Drama Outstanding Drama Series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Bel-Air Black Cake Found SnowfallOutstanding Actor in a Drama SeriesOutstanding Actress in a Drama Series Damson Idris – Snowfall Forest Whitaker – Godfather of Harlem Idris Elba – Hijack Jabari Banks – Bel–Air Jesse L. Martin – The Irrational India Amarteifio – Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Angela Bassett – 9-1-1 Octavia Spencer – Truth Be Told Queen Latifah – The Equalizer Zoe Saldaña – Special Ops: LionessOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama SeriesOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Adrian Holmes – Bel–Air Amin Joseph – Snowfall Giancarlo Esposito – Godfather of Harlem LaRoyce Hawkins – Chicago P.D. Wendell Pierce – Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan Gail Bean – Snowfall Adjoa Andoh – Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Arsema Thomas – Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Golda Rosheuvel – Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Nicole Beharie – The Morning ShowOutstanding Directing in a Drama SeriesOutstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series Dawn Wilkinson – Power Book II: Ghost Alonso Alvarez–Barreda – Snowfall Amin Joseph – Snowfall Carl Seaton – Godfather of Harlem Geary McLeod – Power Book II: Ghost Carla Banks-Waddles – Bel–Air Lee Sung Jin – Beef Marissa Jo Cerar – Black Cake Nkechi Okoro Carroll – Found Shonda Rhimes – Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
Comedy Outstanding Comedy Series Abbott Elementary Harlem Survival of the Thickest The Neighborhood UnPrisonedOutstanding Actor in a Comedy SeriesOutstanding Actress in a Comedy Series Mike Epps – The Upshaws Cedric The Entertainer – The Neighborhood Delroy Lindo – UnPrisoned Dulé Hill – The Wonder Years Tone Bell – Survival of the Thickest Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary Kerry Washington – UnPrisoned Meagan Good – Harlem Michelle Buteau – Survival of the Thickest Tichina Arnold – The NeighborhoodOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy SeriesOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series William Stanford Davis – Abbott Elementary Kenan Thompson – Saturday Night Live Roy Wood Jr. – The Daily Show Tyler Lepley – Harlem Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary Ayo Edebiri – The Bear Ego Nwodim – Saturday Night Live Janelle James – Abbott Elementary Sheryl Lee Ralph – Abbott Elementary Shoniqua Shandai – HarlemOutstanding Directing in a Comedy SeriesOutstanding Writing in a Comedy Series Neema Barnette – Grand Crew Amy Aniobi – Survival of the Thickest Donald Glover – Swarm Numa Perrier – UnPrisoned Robbie Countryman – The Upshaws Norman Vance Jr. – Saturdays Ava Coleman – Abbott Elementary Brittani Nichols – Abbott Elementary Donald Glover, Janine Nabers – Swarm Michelle Buteau – Survival of the Thickest
Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special Swarm Black Girl Missing First Lady of BMF: The Tonesa Welch Story Heist 88 Lawmen: Bass ReevesOutstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic SpecialOutstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special Keith Powers – The Perfect Find Brian Tyree Henry – Class of '09 Courtney B. Vance – Heist 88 Lance Reddick – The Caine Mutiny Court–Martial Samuel L. Jackson – Secret Invasion Chlöe Bailey – Praise This Ali Wong – Beef Dominique Fishback – Swarm Gabrielle Union – The Perfect Find Meagan Good – Buying Back My DaughterOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic SpecialOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special Don Cheadle – Secret Invasion Carl Anthony Payne II – Binged to Death Damon Wayans – Cinnamon Damson Idris – Swarm Jharrel Jerome – Full Circle Phylicia Rashad – Heaven Down Here Aja Naomi King – Lessons in Chemistry CCH Pounder – Full Circle Michaela Jaé Rodriguez – American Horror Story: Delicate Tisha Campbell – Every Breath She TakesOutstanding Directing in a Television Movie or SpecialOutstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special Chris Robinson – Shooting Stars Bryian Keith Montgomery Jr. – Cinnamon Keke Palmer – Big Boss Numa Perrier – The Perfect Find Vivica A. Fox – First Lady of BMF: The Tonesa Welch Story Dwayne Johnson–Cochran – Heist 88 Frank E. Flowers, Tony Rettenmaier, Juel Taylor – Shooting Stars Marlon Wayans – Marlon Wayans: God Loves Me Sam Jay – Sam Jay: Salute Me or Shoot Me Tina Gordon, Brandon Broussard, Hudson Obayuwana, Jana Savage, Camilla Blackett – Praise This
Overall Acting Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)Outstanding Guest Performance Kyla Pratt – The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder Cree Summer – Rugrats Issa Rae – Young Love Keke Palmer – The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder Scott Mescudi – Young Love Michael B. Jordan – Saturday Night Live Ayo Edebiri – Abbott Elementary Garcelle Beauvais – Survival of the Thickest Giancarlo Esposito – The Mandalorian Roy Wood Jr. – The Daily ShowOutstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-series) Leah Sava Jeffries – Percy Jackson and the Olympians Alaya High – That Girl Lay Lay Elisha “EJ” Williams – The Wonder Years Jalyn Hall – The Crossover Keivonn Woodard – The Last of Us
Reality and Variety Outstanding Talk SeriesOutstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition Series or Game Show The Jennifer Hudson Show Hart to Heart Sherri Tamron Hall Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts Wild 'N Out America's Got Talent Barbecue Showdown Celebrity Family Feud Critter Fixers: Country VetsOutstanding News / Information – (Series or Special)Outstanding Host in a Talk or News / Information (Series or Special) 20/20 – Kerry Washington: Thicker Than Water – A Conversation with Robin Roberts The 1619 Project TheGrio with Marc Lamont Hill The Reidout Into America Sherri Shepherd – Sherri Bomani Jones – Game Theory with Bomani Jones Joy Reid – The Reidout Tamron Hall – Tamron Hall