Barack Obama, Madison Potts, ‘The Last Stand’ earn NAACP Image Awards

Part one of the 52nd NAACP Image Awards began this week with a virtual, non-televised ceremony, honoring achievements in literary work, documentaries and activism.

President Barack Obama won the literary award for nonfiction for his memoir “A Promised Land,” while the late Elijah Cummings, former United States House of Representatives for Maryland, won the debut author award for “We’re Better Than This.”

John Lewis: Good Trouble, which the explores Georgia representative’s, 60-plus years of social activism and legislative action on civil rights, voting rights, gun control, health care reform, and immigration, won Outstanding Documentary (Film) and the The Last Dance, the multi-episode ESPN docuseries that charted the rise of the 1990’s Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan, won Outstanding Documentary (Television).

Madison Potts, a senior Political Science major and Sociology minor at Kennesaw State University, created a coalition of civically engaged student-led organizations at KSU to get out the vote through providing resources for tabling, campaigning, and virtual phone/text banking opportunities in Georgia, was named Youth Activist of the Year and Reverend Dr. Wendell Anthony was named as Activist of the Year.

The 52nd NAACP Image Awards, with nominations led by Beyoncé, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey and black-ish, will air live on BET on Saturday, March 27th, 2021 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT. The ceremony will be simulcast across ViacomCBS Networks including CBS, BET Her, VH1, MTV, MTV2, and LOGO.

The winners revealed during Monday’s ceremony include:

Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction
“The Awkward Black Man” – Walter Mosley

Outstanding Literary Work – Nonfiction
“A Promised Land” – Barack Obama

Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author
“We’re Better Than This” – Elijah Cummings

Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/Autobiography
“The Dead Are Arising” – Les Payne, Tamara Payne

Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional
“Vegetable Kingdom” – Bryant Terry

Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry
“The Age of Phillis” – Honorée Jeffers

Outstanding Literary Work – Children
“She Was the First!: The Trailblazing Life of Shirley Chisholm” – Katheryn Russell-Brown, Eric Velasquez

Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens
“Before the Ever After” – Jacqueline Woodson

Outstanding Directing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture)
Keith McQuirter – By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem

Outstanding Writing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture)
Melissa Haizlip – Mr. SOUL!

Outstanding Documentary (Film)
John Lewis: Good Trouble

Outstanding Documentary (Television – Series or Special)
The Last Dance

Special Award – Youth Activist of the Year
Madison Potts

Special Award – Activist of the Year
Reverend Dr. Wendell Anthony

Photo: Ralf Liebhold/Shutterstock