Living Black History - 41st NAACP Image Awards

www.naacpimageawards.net

By Jim Neusom

Friday, Feb 26th (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT on FOX networks) will be the 41st annual celebration of the NAACP Image Awards. The Image Awards is the nation's premier event celebrating the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color in the arts.

The NAACP Image Awards honors and salutes, projects and individuals that promote diversity in the arts (television, recording, literature and motion pictures) as well as acknowledging those individuals and/or groups involved in the fight for social justice.

This year Tyler Perry will receive the NAACP's coveted Chairman's Award. The Chairman's Award, chosen by NAACP Board Chairman Julian Bond, is bestowed in recognition of special achievement and distinguished public service. Past honorees include President Barack Obama and former Vice President Al Gore, Aretha Franklin, Bono, Danny Glover, and Janet Jackson.

The NAACP received over 1,200 nomination entries. From those entries, a special committee of 300 industry professionals and NAACP leaders from across the country selected five nominees in each of 53 categories. The final selections are voted on by NAACP members, and winners will be announced during the live airing of the 41st NAACP Image Awards.

The ABC network led with a total of 23 nominations, followed by NBC with 13, CBS with 12, and FOX, Lifetime and TNT with 9 each. "Grey's Anatomy" received 7 nominations, followed by "Everybody Hates Chris" and "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" both receiving 4

nominations, followed by "Ugly Betty" with 3.

In the Recording Category, Columbia Records leads with 7 nominations, followed by

Roc Nation and Def Jam both with 5 nominations. J Records/MBK Entertainment received 4, and Interscope Records with 3. Jay-Z and Maxwell both received 5 nominations, followed by Alicia Keys with 3 and Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston, and Rihanna with 2 each.

In the Motion Picture category, Lionsgate received 13 nominations. Warner Bros. Pictures follows with 7 nominations, Columbia Pictures with 4, and Overture Films with 3. (To see a full list of Image Award nominees go to http://www.naacpimageawards.net/41/media/press-releases/releases/010610/41st%20NIA%20Nom%20Press%20Release.pdf)

I'll be on the Red Carpet that night, but if you can't wait to see pictures, go to Big the magazine (www.bigthemagazine.net ) or simply Google my name with the key words NAACP, to view some great slideshows from previous NAACP Image Award shows. Keep your inbox open for my full report of the only completely Black owned and operated, non-commercial or industry influenced, international, entertainment awards show.

Remember: We Must Share The Knowledge (Network)...To Share The Dollars!

---About The NAACP---

Founded in 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its half-million adult and youth members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities and monitor equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.