NAACP Image Awards 2026 Creative Honors Celebrate Ryan Coogler, Taraji P. Henson

The NAACP continued its celebration of Black excellence with the “57th NAACP Image Awards” Creative Honors, recognizing outstanding achievements across film, television, documentaries, and digital media. The ceremony was hosted by KevOnStage and Angel Laketa Moore.

The evening featured a tribute honoring the legacy of Angie Stone and D’Angelo, with performances from Jane Handcock, BJ The Chicago Kid, and Mali Music.

Rev. Dr. Jamal-Harrison Bryant received the Mildred Bond Roxborough Social Justice Impact Award and reflected on the organization’s role in his journey. “Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we converge while the world is in crisis, knowing 117 years later that the NAACP is necessary. I’m grateful that coming out of college, this organization saw my potential and made an investment in me by making me the youngest national youth and college director in their history, and allowed me an opportunity to find my voice and to find my space.”

Major winners included Ryan Coogler, who earned Outstanding Writing and Directing for “Sinners,” while Taraji P. Henson won Outstanding Actress in a Limited Series for “Straw.” The hit ABC comedy Abbott Elementary took Outstanding Comedy Series, with supporting acting wins for Janelle James and William Stanford Davis.

Additional winners included Don Lemon for his talk show and Cedric the Entertainer for his role in “The Neighborhood.”

The “57th NAACP Image Awards” will air live February 28 from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on BET and CBS.