LOS ANGELES (September 29, 2023) – Today, the NAACP and BET announced that the “55th NAACP Image Awards” will broadcast live in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 16 (at 8:00 PM ET/PT) on BET and CBS. Nominees will be announced on Thursday, January 25.

NAACP will also recognize winners in non-televised Image Awards categories March 12- March 14, which will stream on www.naacpimageawards.net and during the NAACP Image Awards Dinner, which will be held on Friday, March 15 in Los Angeles.

Recognized as the nation’s preeminent multicultural awards show from an African American perspective, the “55th NAACP Image Awards,” celebrates the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color across more than 80 competitive categories spanning film, television + streaming, music, literature, and podcasts. The “55th NAACP Image Awards” will also include eight new submission categories including:
Motion Picture: Outstanding Youth Performance; Outstanding Cinematography in a Motion Picture; Outstanding Short Form Documentary;
Recording: Outstanding Original Score for TV/Film
Podcast: Outstanding Scripted Series Podcast; Outstanding Limited Series/Short Form Podcast
Literature: Outstanding Graphic Novel
Stunt: Outstanding Stunt Ensemble

“We are thrilled to bring back the Image Awards along with our partner BET and CBS once again,” said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP. “With such a significant year in achievement among African-Americans in all areas in 2023, we know the show will celebrate and inspire our community once again.”
“BET Media Group is honored to continue our long-standing partnership with the NAACP to celebrate Black Excellence and the countless contributions made by the Black community,” said BET President and CEO
Scott Mills. “We are thrilled CBS is joining us to bring viewers this powerful awards program, honoring the many talented individuals and our diverse stories of humanity and resilience.”

Only submitted work will be reviewed for consideration. All entries are evaluated and narrowed to the top five in each category by members of the NAACP Image Awards Nominating Committees, which are comprised of individuals within the entertainment industry (studio/network executives, actors, artists, managers, agents, publicists, journalists, literary agents, and others) and NAACP Board members, NAACP Foundation Trustees, staff, partners and others. The submission deadline is November 3, 2023.

One of the most iconic annual celebrations of Black excellence, the NAACP Image Awards draws the biggest and brightest stars in Hollywood. Previous years’ attendees and winners include Beyoncé, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Michael B. Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Jamie Foxx, Chloe x Halle, Regé-Jean Page, Michaela Coel, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, Blair Underwood, Will Smith, Taraji P. Henson, Marsai Martin, Viola Davis, Gabrielle Union, Kerry Washington, Anthony Anderson, Sterling K. Brown, Loni Love, Sheryl Underwood, Mandy Moore, Halle Berry, Common, Dwayne Johnson, Audra Day, John Legend, Lena Waithe, Tracee Ellis Ross, David Oyelowo, Laverne Cox, Octavia Spencer, Issa Rae, Trevor Noah, Yara Shahidi, Danai Gurira, Jacob Latimore, Jill Scott, H.E.R., Jay Pharoah, Jemele Hill, Josh Gad, Loretta Devine, Sylvester Stallone, Meta Golding, Michael Smith, Tyler James Williams, Ava DuVernay, the late Chadwick Boseman, and many more.

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