R&B singer and actor Mary J. Blige has hit quite a winning streak lately!
BET announced, along with the NAACP, the nine-time Grammy Award-winning singer and two-time Academy Award-nominated actress and producer Mary J. Blige will be the scheduled performer of this year’s 53rd NAACP Image Awards.
It was also revealed that the 53rd NAACP Image Awards would be hosted by seven-time NAACP Image Awards winner Anthony Anderson of Law & Order and black-ish fame. The televised show will air on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on BET.
Esteemed actor Samuel L. Jackson will be given the NAACP Chairman’s Award and the Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of the 1619 Project, Nikole Hannah-Jones, will be presented with the Social Justice Impact Award.
Also announced were the presenters for the show, which will be televised live. The list includes Issa Rae, Kerry Washington, LL Cool J, Michael Strahan, Morgan Freeman, Paula Patton, Questlove, Simu Liu, Tiffany Haddish, Zendaya, NAACP President Derrick Johnson,
and NAACP Board Chairman Leon W. Russell.There will be awards that will not be a part of the televised live show on Feb. 26, but those categories will be announced February 21–25 at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT on naacpimageawards.net and the NAACP Image Awards YouTube channel.
The virtual show will be shown nightly and hosted by actor and comedian Affion Crockett. The presenters during those days include Aida Rodriquez, Asiahn Bryant, Clint Coley, Cory Hardrict, Courtney Nichole, Demetrius Shipp Jr., Derrick Johnson, Karen Boykin-Towns, Khleo Thomas, Lauren Wesley Wilson, Leon W. Russell, Lori Harvey, Luke Lawal, Jr., Marcel Spears, Matt Cedeno, Melissa L. Williams, Wendy Raquel Robinson, and Wisdom Cole.
Members of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, Texas House Democratic Caucus, and Texas Legislative Black Caucus will receive the Roy Wilkins Civil Rights Award. The honorees exemplify
the spirit of Wilkins, who led the NAACP during the pivotal years of the modern civil rights movement. The award winners embrace the organization’s work fighting for justice, protecting voting rights, and encouraging full participation in the political process.The Activist of the Year award will be presented to Scot X. Esdaile, president of the Connecticut State Conference of NAACP Branches and a member of the NAACP National Board of Directors. The Youth Activist of the Year will be presented to Channing Hill, NAACP Chapter President of Howard University.