Fifty-five years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act, the power to direct our own destiny is growing more palpable in music, literature, film and television. Nominees for the 50th NAACP Image Awards were announced on Feb. 13 as media representatives descended on Pasadena for the kickoff to the annual homecoming of awards season.
To be eligible for nomination, a project had to be released between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2018.
Among the nominees for “Best Actress in a Drama Series” is Alfre Woodard for her role of the calculated politician in “Marvel’s Luke Cage” who follows the letter of the law as often as she breaks it.
The Caribbean delegation was well represented by Winston Duke, who is a native of Trinidad and Tobago and was announced among the nominees for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture (“Black Panther”) following in the footsteps of last year’s winner Mahershala Ali.
The Caribbean is also represented in the “Outstanding Song – Contemporary” category with the Puerto Rican Bruno Mars and the Dominican-Trinidadian Cardi B. collaboration on “Finesse.”Author Malcolm Hansen was nominated for “Outstanding Literary Work, Fiction” for his debut novel “They Come in All Colors.” Former First Lady Michelle Obama earned a nomination for the “Outstanding LiteraryWork – Biography/Autobiography” for her book “Becoming.” Also nominated in this category is Zora Neale Hurston for the posthumously published “Barracoon.:
“Nominees for “Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series” include Ayoka Chenzira, Deborah Chow, Dee Rees, Salli Richardson-Whitfield and Zetna Fuentes. Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-43) will receive the Chairman’saward for her service to the community with an emphasis on using her platform to shed light on social justice issues.
The Image Awards will air live March 30 from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on TV ONE. Online voting continues through March 13 at https://vote.naacpimageawards.net
