‘The Color Purple,’ Usher, New Edition hailed at NAACP Image Awards

The movie musical “The Color Purple,” entertainer Usher and former presidential inauguration poet Amanda Gorman were among the big winners at the 55th annual NAACP Image Awards ceremony—held Saturday at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles—where continuing to fight for Black representation and honoring underappreciated Black women were some of the themes in winners’ acceptance speeches. Queen Latifah hosted the show, which was televised in the U.S. on CBS, BET and other Paramount-owned networks.  This year, the NAACP Image Awards continued to give recognition to Black entertainment that is often snubbed by the Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, and Grammy Awards. According to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Image Award nominations are determined by committees made of representatives from the entertainment industry and the NAACP. NAACP members and the general public vote for the winners. Usher arrives at the 55th NAACP Image Awards on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Photo credit: Richard Shotwell/Invision/The Associated Press “The Color Purple” dominates in awards wins& The movie musical version of “The Color Purple” (which received only one Oscar nomination, for supporting actress Danielle Brooks) won 11 awards from its 16 nominations: Outstanding Motion...