Despite Downpours, Pasadena Civic Auditorium Plays Perfect Host to NAACP Image Awards

The NAACP Image Awards went ahead at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium despite the heavy rain and thunderstorms that battered the area on Saturday. The show was televised live on BET for the first time three years after pandemic restrictions thwarted the in-person awards ceremony that recognizes outstanding achievements by people of color in film, television, music, and literature.

Queen Latifah hosted the celebrity-studded event, becoming the first woman to serve as a solo host of the show since Diana Ross in 2000. Over 80 competitive categories were recognized during the ceremony, which awarded top talent and outstanding achievements in various fields.

Angela Bassett took home three awards, including Entertainer of the Year, at the 54th annual NAACP Image Awards, which aired live on BET from Pasadena on Saturday night. The actress won Outstanding Actress in a drama series for 9-1-1 and Supporting Actress for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the latter of which also won Best Motion Picture.

In her acceptance speech for Entertainer of the Year, Bassett gave a shout-out to fellow nominee Ariana DeBose, who had gone viral with a rap at the BAFTA Awards the previous weekend. Bassett also thanked directors Spike Lee, John Singleton, and Ryan Coogler, who helmed Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and “showed us that we are royalty and he built the crown for us all to wear.”

Viola Davis won Outstanding Actress for the action epic The Woman King, a project she championed and starred in. Will Smith won for the slavery drama Emancipation, his first release since last year’s Academy Awards, where he slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage before winning his first Best Actor trophy.

“Abbott Elementary” won for Outstanding Comedy Series. Creator and series star Quinta Brunson invited her co-stars onstage and praised shows like “black-ish” for paving the way for her series.

Serena Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion, received the prestigious Jackie Robinson Sports Award. The award recognizes individuals in sports for their high achievement in athletics, as well as their contributions to the pursuit of social justice, civil rights, and community involvement.

Jackie Robinson grew up in Pasadena. Bigger-than-life busts honoring Jackie and his brother Mack face Pasadena City Hall, keeping their memories and local connection alive.

Previous recipients of the Jackie Robinson Sports Award include Steph Curry, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Wilma Rudolph, and the Harlem Globetrotters, among others. The award was named after the baseball legend Jackie Robinson, who was the first African American to play in Major League Baseball.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which led the Image Awards nominations with 12 nods, won a total of eight awards, including Outstanding Supporting Actor for Winston Duke, Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album, and Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture.

In his acceptance speech for Best Motion Picture, director Ryan Coogler paid tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman, who starred in the original Black Panther and passed away in 2020. “While we lost him, we gained an ancestor. He’s with us every day, motivating us, and I can’t think of anyone who done more to advance our image,” Coogler said. “I’m honored to represent him.”

Other winners at the NAACP Image Awards included Idris Elba for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series for Luther, Yara Shahidi for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for Grown-ish, and Michael B. Jordan for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for Creed III.

Benjamin Crump, the civil rights attorney who represented the families of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, received the Chairman’s Award, which recognizes individuals who demonstrate exemplary public service and “create programs and initiatives that provide opportunities for underserved communities.”

In his acceptance speech, Crump called for people to “fight for our children’s future until hell freezes over. And then, we have to be ready to fight on the ice.”