BLACK-ISH STAR ANTHONY ANDERSON RETURNS AS HOST FOR THE 49TH NAACP IMAGE AWARDS

LOS ANGELES, CA (November 9, 2017) – The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and TV One, a television network dedicated to the best of black culture and entertainment, today announced that NAACP Image Awards winner, Emmy-award nominated actor and star of black-ish, Anthony Anderson will return as host for the 49th NAACP Image Awards.

As previously announced, the two-hour special will air live on TV One Monday, January 15, 2018, the federal holiday honoring the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  The telecast will also include a live pre-show from the star-studded red carpet.

In addition, voting is open for the 49th NAACP Image Awards – NAACP “Entertainer of the Year,” the winner will be revealed during the two-hour telecast. The six nominees are: Chadwick Boseman, Ava DuVernay, Bruno Mars, Issa Rae, Chance the Rapper, and Jay-Z. Voting is open to the general public by visiting the NAACP Image Awards website – NAACPImageAwards.net – the only place to vote for the 49th NAACP Image Awards – NAACP “Entertainer of the Year.” Voting closes on Friday, November 17.

The NAACP Image Awards is the most respected event of its kind and is well attended by many of the top names in the entertainment industry.  In recent years some of the biggest names in film, television and music appeared including Denzel Washington, Oprah, John Legend, Viola Davis, Anthony Anderson, Dwayne Johnson, Gabrielle Union, Kevin Hart, Stevie Wonder, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Gina Rodriguez, Chrissy Teigen, Kerry Washington, Nate Parker, Morris Chestnut, Ice Cube, LL Cool J, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tika Sumpter, Keegan-Michael Key, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Tracee Ellis Ross, Laurence Fishburne, Spike Lee, Loretta Devine, Shonda Rhimes, Omari Hardwick, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Don Cheadle, Sanaa Lathan, Keke Palmer, Michael Ealy, Ken Jeong, Sylvester Stallone, Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Jussie Smollett, Gabourey Sidibe, Lee Daniels, Danny Strong, Trevor Noah, and more.

The NAACP “President’s Award” and NAACP “Chairman’s Award” are bestowed in recognition of individuals who demonstrate exemplary public service and use their distinct platforms to create agents of change. Past honorees of the “President’s Award” include Lonnie G. Bunch, III, John Legend, Van Jones, Former President Bill Clinton, Soledad O’Brien, Muhammad Ali, the Founding Members of the Black Stuntmen’s Association, Kerry Washington, and Spike Lee.

Past honorees of the “Chairman’s Award” include Harvard Law Professor Charles J. Ogletree, Jr., Tyler Perry, Ruby Dee, The Neville Brothers, Bono, Danny Glover, Former Vice President Al Gore and Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai, Former President of the United States Barack Obama, Former Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, TV One Founder and Chairman Cathy Hughes, U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Michele Howard, Brittany “Bree” Newsome, Justice League NYC, University of Missouri Concerned Student 1950 Collective, University of Mississippi NAACP College Chapter, Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III, Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley, Rev. Dr. Jamal Harrison Bryant, and Jussie Smollett.