NAACP Image Awards Adds 10 New African Categories for 2027
The NAACP Image Awards have added 10 new categories to recognize the achievements of African artists.
Previously, there were no dedicated African categories.
The new categories are: Outstanding African album Outstanding African new artist Outstanding African song Outstanding African motion picture Outstanding actor in an African motion picture Outstanding actress in an African motion picture Outstanding directing in an African motion picture Outstanding African television series Outstanding actor in an African television series Outstanding actress in an African television series Related Here Are All the Winners at the 2026 NAACP Image Awards: Full Winners List Deon Cole Prays for Nicki Minaj, 50 Cent & More in Lively Monologue at 2026 NAACP Image Awards Salt-N-Pepa & DJ Spinderella Welcomed Into NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame: ‘What We Built Wasn’t Just Music.
It Was a Movement’ Here’s how the NAACP framed these new categories in a statement: “With ten new African categories, the NAACP Image Awards expands its historic mission of recognizing Black excellence, building a cultural bridge between Africa and the global Black diaspora while celebrating the continent’s growing influence across film, television and music—and establishing the Image Awards as a global standard-bearer for Black creative achievement.” Submissions for nomination consideration in 108 categories spanning motion picture, television + streaming, recording, literature and podcasts are now open on the NAACP Image Awards website .
The 58th NAACP Image Awards will also mark the return of four daytime drama categories: outstanding daytime drama series, outstanding actor in a daytime drama series, outstanding actress in a daytime drama series and outstanding supporting actor in a daytime drama series.
Nominees will be announced on Jan.
7, 2017.
That is also the date that public voting opens.
Public voting closes on Feb.
1.
The date of the awards ceremony will be announced later.
The 2026 show, hosted by Deon Cole , was held on Feb.
28 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, Calif.
A performance or project that occurs between Jan.
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