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NAACP Image Awards In Memoriam 2021: Chadwick Boseman to Naya Rivera and Pop Smoke honored in moving tributes

Viola Davis, Rege-Jean Page and Issa Rae were among the big winners of the night

The 52nd edition of NAACP Image Awards celebrated Black excellence and honored people of color across television, music, literature and film. Hosted by Anthony Anderson, the renowned award ceremony saw actor Eddie Murphy being inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame whereas, basketball player LeBron James was given the President’s Award.

Viola Davis, Rege-Jean Page and Issa Rae were among the big winners of the night. Jazmine Sullivan gave a powerful performance with the Grammy Award-winning singer Maxwell. Like every year, NAACP Image Awards 2021 also planned a special tribute to public figures we lost in 2020 in their special segment called ‘In Memoriam’. From Chadwick Boseman to Pop Smoke, Naya Rivera and Breonna Taylor among others, it left people speechless and emotional. Here’s a complete list of people who were remembered during the award ceremony.
 
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 Chadwick Boseman 

The late ‘Black Panther’ star Chadwick Boseman won the Outstanding Actor In A Motion Picture for ‘Ma Rainey's Black Bottom’ at 52nd NAACP Image Awards. The Hollywood icon had also bagged Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama category at the recent Golden Globe awards. Boseman died at the age of 43 in August 2020 after suffering from colon cancer. A moving tribute was paid to him at NAACP Image Awards 2021 which left the social media users very emotional. 

Naya Rivera 

The ‘Glee’ star was another actor who got a special tribute in the ‘In Memoriam’ segment. The much-loved actress lost her life in a very unfortunate incident in July 2020. She drowned at Lake Piru, near Santa Clarita, California, while boating with her four-year-old son Josey. Her son was later found alone on their rented boat.

Breonna Taylor 

Breonna Taylor, who worked for the University of Louisville Health as a full-time ER technician, was fatally shot on March 13, 2020, in her Louisville, Kentucky, apartment. Cops namely Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrove of the Louisville Metro Police Department were dressed in casuals when they forced their entry into the apartment to apparently execute the shooting. Her family said that officers barged into her apartment in the middle of the night and opened fire during a "botched" drug raid looking for a suspect who was already in custody by then.

Pop Smoke 

Rapper, singer and, songwriter Pop Smoke got a moving tribute at the 52nd edition of NAACP Image Awards. The late hip-hop artist was shot and killed after four people broke into his house in February 2020 where one of them carrying a gun, shot in his chest twice. Pop Smoke rose to fame with the release of his breakout single ‘Welcome to the Party’ in 2019.

Herman Cain 

Herman Cain was a well-known businessman and activist for the Tea Party movement within the Republican Party. The Tennessee native was appointed as the chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Omaha Branch from 1989 to 1991. He also served as president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. He passed in July 2020 at the age of 74 after succumbing to Covid-19 symptoms.  He was diagnosed positive with the virus just ten days after he had attended a rally for Donald Trump in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

John Lewis 

John Lewis was one of the prolific politicians, statesmen, and civil rights activists. He served United States House of Representatives for Georgia's 5th congressional district from 1987 until his death in 2020. Taking responsibilities for several key roles, he was one of the "Big Six" leaders of groups who organized the 1963 March on Washington. He died at the age of 80 in July 2020.  

Cicely Tyson 

Cicely Tyson was another artist who got a teary-eyed tribute at NAACP Image Awards. With a career spanning more than seven decades, the actress and model won three Primetime Emmy Awards, four Black Reel Awards, one Screen Actors Guild Award, one Tony Award, an honorary Academy Award, and a Peabody Award in her lifetime. She passed away at the age of 96 in January 2021.

Hank Aaron 

Henry Louis Aaron was considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time. Nicknamed as “Hammer” or “Hammerin’ Hank”, Aaron was inducted into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988. He died at the age of 86 in January 2021 of natural causes.

Natalie Desselle 

Another great artist which we lost in 2020 was Natalie Desselle. The much-acclaimed actor was seen in several movies but her notable works came from films namely ‘BAPS’, Def Jam's ‘How to Be a Player', ‘Set It Off’ and ‘Cinderella’. She also made her name with TV shows such as ‘Built to Last’, ‘For Your Love’, and ‘Eve’. She died at the age of 53 in December 2020 after suffering from deadly colon cancer.

 
‘Our community really lost some of the greatest to ever do it this past year’

Fans who tuned-in Live to watch NAACP Image Awards got emotional after watching the ‘In Memoriam’ segment. A lot of fans took to Twitter with an intention to share a few good words about the ceremony’s special segment. One user stated, “Looking forward to the day I can see  Chadwick and hear his voice in an IN MEMORIAM and not go into a full on ugly cry... I still cant watch his final performance.” One added, “I’m going back and forth to #NAACPImageAwards . That In Memoriam segment was so well done.”

The next one posted, “The “In Memoriam” really got to me this year. Our community really lost some of the greatest to ever do it this past year.”One person asserted, “Chiiile the “in memoriam” segment tore me UP. and I KNOW they didn’t get everyone.” One added, “The In Memoriam segment was so well done. Well done @NAACP.” Another user said, “I got chills watching the clip of Chadwick Boseman deliver that prayer at the end of the In Memoriam tribute. RIP to our icons.” One concluded, “All other awards shows need to learn from the #NAACPImageAwards on how to run a tight 2 hour awards show that includes awards, In Memoriam, musical performances and special recognitions. It's possible.” 

The award ceremony aired on March 27, 2021, on BET and CBS.