The 47th NAACP Awards Is A Celebration For Winners and Nominees

The 47th NAACP Image Awards, which aired Friday night on TVOne, answered the Oscars exclusion with an awards show that was an inclusive celebration for musicians, actors and activists of color.  Winners and nominees cheered each other on, cracked jokes while presenting and accepting their awards, and passionately and adorably lip-synched to John Legend’s performance.

black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross perfectly encapsulated the energy in the room while accepting her award for Best Actress in A Comedy Series.  “I just want to take a moment to breath it all in.  Thank you NAACP for seeing us, for celebrating us, for recognizing us and for giving us this moment to see each other in our beauty and our talent and our power.” 

The jubilant mood didn’t stop host and winner for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series Anthony Anderson from skewering Hollywood and the Oscar nominations that excluded people of color in his NWA-style rap (Nominees With Attitude) opening. Drama-magnet and obvious target Stacey Dash was an obvious target. Anderson refered to her as an “Ann Coulter dipped in butterscotch.” 

The big winners were an adorably gobsmacked Michael B. Jordan for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture and Entertainer of the Year in Creed.  Musician and activist John Legend was honored with the President’s Award.  Taraji P. Henson received Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series in Empire.  And Straight Outta Compton won Outstanding Motion Picture.  You can find the complete list of winners here.

Winners for Funniest Unscripted Moment Of The Night: Oscar nominee and Creed star, Sylvester Stallone being shocked by the standing ovation he received when he took the stage to present: “I certainly didn’t expect that, thank you.”

Check out all the fun, fabulosity and fashion in the slideshow below!

Photo Credit: celebritiesofcolor.tumblr.com