HOLLYWOOD—It was a night celebrating Black excellence and people of color as the 2026 NAACP Image Awards were handed out on Saturday, February 28. The ceremony was hosted by comedian and actor Deon Cole, who opened the ceremony talking about prayer and light laughter with the jokes for the audience.
It was political without being overly political which is appreciated at award shows that sometimes can do a bit much. Cole talked about ICE, as well as threw some daggers at rapper Nicki Minaj that had many in the audience laughing. Some highlights of the night included Oscar-winner Viola Davis receiving the Chairman’s Award, while the girl rap group, Salt-n-Pepa were inducted into NAACP Image Awards’ Hall of Fame.
Actor Samuel L. Jackson also took a moment during the ceremony to pay tribute to the late civil rights activist Jesse Jackson who passed away in February. Multiple winners were announced throughout the week on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Amongst those winners included actor Delroy Lindo for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for his work in “Sinners.” Lindo, who with Michael B. Jordan, were the talk of the town after that unfortunate incident at the BAFTA Awards on February 22 received kudos from their peers.
That included actresses Regina Hall and Quinta Brunson. I didn’t point this out last week, but I have to do so this week. Jordan and Lindo had a ton of composure after having a racial slur shouted while they were presenting on stage by John Davidson who suffers from Tourette’s Syndrome. They didn’t react; they remained calm and continued to present like professionals.
With that said, “Sinners” dominated the competition earning 13 wins including Outstanding Motion Picture. Michael B. Jordan was a big winner taking home 2 trophies, one for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for “Sinners” and the big prize of the night for Entertainer of the Year. There is plenty of momentum for Jordan, who had a great weekend with the NAACP Image Awards and Actors Awards. Dare I say dark horse come Oscar Sunday people?
Jordan’s co-star Miles Caton won the award for Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture, while Cynthia Erivo won the Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for her performance in “Wicked.” Quinta Brunson was honored with a trophy for Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on “Abbott Elementary,” while Sterling K. Brown and Angela Bassett earned trophies for Actor and Actress in a Drama Series for their work on “Paradise” and “9-1-1” respectfully.
Overall, a fun ceremony that whipped thru 2 hours without feeling like a frag, like most other award shows.
Written By LaDale Anderson
