Rihanna Implores Everyone To ‘Pull Up’ To Support Black People On Issues Of Race — WATCH

Michael Prieve 16 Min Read
BET Presents The 51st NAACP Image Awards - Show

Last night (February 22, 2020), Rihanna accepted the NAACP President’s Award for her work on behalf of the Clara Lionel Foundation, an organization that funds education and emergency preparedness around the world, that she founded back in 2012.

In her speech accepting the award, Rihanna noted that when it comes to issues of discrimination based on race, it’s up to all people to stand together in support — not just people of color or Black people. “We can only fix this world together, we can’t do it divided,” Rihanna said.

BET Presents The 51st NAACP Image Awards - Show
Rihanna accepts the President's Award onstage during the 51st NAACP Image Awards, Presented by BET, at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on February 22, 2020 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)

“If it’s your problem, then it’s not mine: ‘it’s a woman’s problem, it’s a Black people problem, it’s a poor people problem.' I mean, how many of us in this room have colleagues and partners and friends from other races, sexes, religions, show of hands? Well, they want to break bread with you, right? They like you? Well, then this is their problem, too.”

BET Presents The 51st NAACP Image Awards - Show
Rihanna accepts the President's Award onstage during the 51st NAACP Image Awards, Presented by BET, at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on February 22, 2020 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)

She went on to name-check Michael Brown Jr. and Atatiana Jefferson, two young Black Americans who were wrongfully shot by the police, and urged friends of all backgrounds to get involved in speaking up about subjects like targeted police violence against people of color.

BET Presents The 51st NAACP Image Awards - Show
Rihanna attends the 51st NAACP Image Awards, Presented by BET, at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on February 22, 2020 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET)

“When we’re marching, and protesting, and posting about the Michael Brown Jr.s and the Atatiana Jeffersons of the world, tell your friends to pull up,” she said to much applause.

Watch Rihana's NAACP speech below.

YouTube video

See the full list of winners, in bold, below.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Angela Basset
Billy Porter
Lizzo WINNER
Regina King
Tyler Perry

Motion Picture

OUTSTANDING MOTION PICTURE

Dolemite is My Name
Harriet
Just Mercy
 — WINNER
Queen & Slim
Us

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE

Chadwick Boseman, 21 Bridges
Daniel Kaluuya, Queen & Slim
Eddie Murphy, Dolemite is My Name
Michael B. Jordan, Just Mercy — WINNER
Winston Duke, Us

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE

Alfre Woodard, Clemency
Cynthia Erivo, Harriet
Jodie Turner-Smith, Queen & Slim
Lupita Nyong'o, Us — WINNER
Naomie Harris, Black and Blue

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE

Jamie Foxx, Just Mercy — WINNER
Leslie Odom, Jr., Harriet
Sterling K. Brown, Waves
Tituss Burgess, Dolemite Is My Name
Wesley Snipes, Dolemite Is My Name

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE

Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Dolemite is My Name
Janelle Monáe, Harriet
Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers
Marsai Martin, Little — WINNER
Octavia Spencer, Luce

OUTSTANDING BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE IN MOTION PICTURE

Cynthia Erivo, Harriet
Jodie Turner-Smith, Queen & Slim
Marsai Martin, Little — WINNER
Rob Morgan, Just Mercy
Shahadi Wright Joseph, Us

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE

Dolemite is My Name
Harriet
Just Mercy
 — WINNER
Queen & Slim
Us

OUTSTANDING INDEPENDENT MOTION PICTURE

Clemency
Dolemite is My Name
 — WINNER
Luce
Queen & Slim
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

OUTSTANDING CHARACTER VOICE-OVER PERFORMANCE (TELEVISION OR FILM)

Alfre Woodard, The Lion King
Donald Glover, The Lion King
James Earl Jones, The Lion King — WINNER
Lupita Nyong'o, Serengeti
Sterling K. Brown, Frozen II

Television

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES

Ballers
Black-ish
 — WINNER
Dear White People
Grown-ish
The Neighborhood

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Anthony Anderson, Black-ish — WINNER
Cedric The Entertainer, The Neighborhood
Don Cheadle, Black Monday
Dwayne Johnson, Ballers
Tracy Morgan, The Last O.G.

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Logan Browning, Dear White People
Jill Scott, First Wives Club
Tiffany Haddish, The Last O.G.
Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish — WINNER
Yara Shahidi, Grown-ish

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Deon Cole, Black-ish — WINNER
Laurence Fishburne, Black-ish
Terry Crews, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Halle Bailey, Grown-ish
Loretta Devine, Family Reunion
Marsai Martin, Black-ish — WINNER
Regina Hall, Black Monday
Tichina Arnold, The Neighborhood

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES

Godfather of Harlem
Greenleaf
 — WINNER
Queen Sugar
The Chi
Watchmen

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Billy Porter, Pose
Forest Whitaker, Godfather of Harlem
Kofi Siriboe, Queen Sugar
Omari Hardwick, Power — WINNER 
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Angela Bassett, 9-1-1 — WINNER
Regina King, Watchmen
Rutina Wesley, Queen Sugar
Simone Missick, All Rise
Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Delroy Lindo, The Good Fight
Giancarlo Esposito, Godfather of Harlem
Harold Perrineau, Claws — WINNER 
Nigél Thatch, Godfather of Harlem
Wendell Pierce, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

CCH Pounder, NCIS: New Orleans
Lynn Whitfield, Greenleaf — WINNER 
Lyric Ross, This Is Us
Susan Kelechi Watson, This Is Us
Tina Lifford, Queen Sugar

OUTSTANDING GUEST PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES

Blair Underwood, Dear White People
David Alan Grier, Queen Sugar
Kelly Rowland, American Soul — WINNER 
MAJOR., STAR
Sanaa Lathan, The Affair

OUTSTANDING TELEVISION MOVIE, LIMITED-SERIES OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL

American Son
Being Mary Jane
Native Son
True Detective
When They See Us — WINNER

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE, LIMITED-SERIES OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL

Caleel Harris, When They See Us
Ethan Henru Herisse, When They See Us
Idris Elba, Luther
Jharrel Jerome, When They See Us — WINNER
Mahershala Ali, True Detective

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION MOVIE, LIMITED-SERIES OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL

Aunjanue Ellis, When They See Us
Gabrielle Union, Being Mary Jane
Kerry Washington, American Son
Niecy Nash, When They See Us — WINNER
Octavia Spencer, Truth Be Told

OUTSTANDING NEWS/INFORMATION (SERIES OR SPECIAL)

PUSHOUT: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools
Surviving R. Kelly
The Breakfast Club
The Story of God with Morgan Freeman
Unsung — WINNER

OUTSTANDING TALK SERIES

Red Table Talk — WINNER 
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
The Real
The Shop: Uninterrupted
The Tamron Hall Show

OUTSTANDING REALITY PROGRAM/REALITY COMPETITION SERIES/GAME SHOW

Iyanla: Fix My Life
Lip Sync Battle
Rhythm + Flow — WINNER
Sunday Best
The Voice

OUTSTANDING VARIETY (SERIES OR SPECIAL)

2019 Black Girls Rock!
Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones
Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé — WINNER
Saturday Night Live
Wanda Sykes: Not Normal

OUTSTANDING CHILDREN'S PROGRAM

Doc McStuffins
Family Reunion — WINNER 
Kevin Hart’s Guide to Black History
Marvel’s Avengers: Black Panther’s Quest
Motown Magic

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A YOUTH (SERIES, SPECIAL, TELEVISION MOVIE OR LIMITED-SERIES)

Caleel Harris, When They See Us
Lonnie Chavis, This Is Us
Lyric Ross, This Is Us
Marsai Martin, Black-ish — WINNER 
Miles Brown, Black-ish

OUTSTANDING HOST IN A TALK OR NEWS/INFORMATION (SERIES OR SPECIAL) – INDIVIDUAL OR ENSEMBLE

Angela Rye, Young Gifted and Broke: A BET Town Hall
Jada Pinkett Smith, Red Table Talk — WINNER
Lester Holt, NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt
Trevor Noah, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, Meghan McCain, Abby Huntsman, Ana Navarro, The View

OUTSTANDING HOST IN A REALITY/REALITY COMPETITION, GAME SHOW OR VARIETY (SERIES OR SPECIAL) – INDIVIDUAL OR ENSEMBLE

Iyanla Vanzant, Iyanla: Fix My Life
LL Cool J, Lip Sync Battle
Regina Hall, 2019 BET Awards
Steve Harvey, Celebrity Family Feud — WINNER 
Wayne Brady, Let's Make A Deal

Documentary

OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY (FILM)

Miles Davis: Birth Of The Cool
The Black Godfather
The Apollo
Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am — WINNER 
True Justice: Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality

OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY (TELEVISION – SERIES OR SPECIAL)

Free Meek
Hitsville: The Making of Motown — WINNER 
Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé
Martin: The Legacy of A King
ReMastered: The Two Killings of Sam Cooke

Writing

OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A MOTION PICTURE (FILM)

Chinonye Chukwu, Clemency
Destin Daniel Cretton & Andrew Lanham, Just Mercy
Doug Atchison, Brian Banks
Jordan Peele, Us — WINNER
Kasi Lemmons & Gregory Allen Howard, Harriet

OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A COMEDY SERIES

Cord Jefferson, The Good Place (“Tinker, Tailor, Demon, Spy”) — WINNER
Gloria Calderon Kellett & Mike Royce, One Day at a Time (“Ghosts”)
Jason Kim, Barry (“Past=Present x Future Over Yesterday”)
Karen Gist & Peter Saji, Mixed-ish (“Let Your Hair Down”)
Trevor Noah, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (“Trevor Noah: Racism Detective”)

OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A DRAMA SERIES

Ava DuVernay & Michael Starrbury, When They See Us (“Part Four”)
Damon Lindelof & Cord Jefferson, Watchmen (“The Extraordinary Being”)
Nichelle Tramble Spellman, Truth Be Told (“Monster”) — WINNER 
Nkechi Okoro Carroll, All American (“Hussle & Motivate”)
Pat Charles, Black Lightning (“The Book of Secrets: Chapter One: Prodigal Son”)

OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A MOTION PICTURE (TELEVISION)

Cas Sigers-Beedles, Twas the Chaos Before Christmas
Melissa Bustamante, A Christmas Winter Song
Patrik-Ian Polk, Being Mary Jane
Suzan-Lori Parks, Native Son — WINNER
Yvette Nicole Brown, Always a Bridesmaid

Directing

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN A MOTION PICTURE (FILM)

Chiwetel Ejiofor, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind — WINNER
Jordan Peele, Us
Kasi Lemmons, Harriet
Mati Diop, Atlantics
Reginald Hudlin, The Black Godfather

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN A COMEDY SERIES

Anya Adams, GLOW (“Outward Bound”) — WINNER
Justin Tipping, Black Monday (“7042”)
Ken Whittingham, Atypical (“Road Rage Paige”)
Randall Winston, Grace and Frankie (“The Pharmacy”)
Shaka King, Shrill (“Pool”)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN A DRAMA SERIES

Ava DuVernay, When They See Us (“Part Four”)
Carl H. Seaton, Jr., Snowfall (“Hedgehogs”)
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Power (“Forgot About Dre”) — WINNER
Debbie Allen, Grey's Anatomy (“Silent All These Years”)
Jet Wilkinson, The Chi (“The Scorpion and the Frog”)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN A MOTION PICTURE (TELEVISION)

Codie Elaine Oliver, Black Love
Janice Cooke, I Am Sombody's Child: The Regina Louise Story
Kenny Leon, American Son
Rashid Johnson, Native Son — WINNER
Russ Parr, The Bobby Debarge Story

Recording

OUTSTANDING ALBUM

Cuz I Love You, Lizzo
Homecoming: The Live Album, Beyoncé — WINNER
I Used To Know H.E.R., H.E.R.
Sketchbook, Fantasia
Worthy, India.Arie

OUTSTANDING New Artist

Ari Lennox
Lil Nas X — WINNER
Lucky Daye
Mahalia
Mykal Kilgore

OUTSTANDING MALE ARTIST

Bruno Mars — WINNER
Khalid
Lil Nas X
MAJOR.
PJ Morton

OUTSTANDING FEMALE ARTIST

Beyoncé — WINNER
Fantasia
H.E.R.
India.Arie
Lizzo

OUTSTANDING SONG – TRADITIONAL

“Enough” – Fantasia
“Jerome” – Lizzo
“SPIRIT” – Beyoncé — WINNER
“Stand Up” – Cynthia Erivo
“Steady Love” – India.Arie

OUTSTANDING SONG – CONTEMPORARY

“Before I Let Go” – Beyoncé — WINNER
“Hard Place” – H.E.R. 
“Juice” – Lizzo
“Talk” – Khalid
“Motivation” – Normani

OUTSTANDING DUO, GROUP OR COLLABORATION

“Brown Skin Girl” – Blue Ivy, SAINt JHN, Beyoncé & WizKiD — WINNER
“No Guidance” – Chris Brown feat. Drake
“Say So” – PJ Morton feat. JoJo
“Shea Butter Baby” – Ari Lennox feat. J. Cole
“Show Me Love” – Alicia Keys feat. Miguel

OUTSTANDING JAZZ ALBUM

“Carib” – David Sanchez
“Center of The Heart” – Najee
“Love & Liberation” – Jazzmeia Horn — WINNER
“SoulMate” – Nathan Mitchell
“The Dream Is You: Vanessa Rubin Sings Tadd Dameron” – Vanessa Rubin

OUTSTANDING GOSPEL/CHRISTIAN SONG (TRADITIONAL OR CONTEMPORARY)

“I Made It Out” – John P. Kee feat. Zacardi Cortez
“Laughter” – Bebe Winans feat. Korean Soul
“Love Theory” – Kirk Franklin — WINNER
“Not Yet” – Donnie McClurkin
“Victory” – The Clark Sisters

OUTSTANDING MUSIC VIDEO/VISUAL ALBUM

“Hard Place” – H.E.R.
“Juice” – Lizzo — WINNER
“No Guidance” – Chris Brown feat. Drake
“Steady Love” – India.Arie
“Talk” – Khalid

OUTSTANDING SOUNDTRACK/COMPILATION ALBUM

Harriet (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Queen & Slim The Soundtrack
The Lion King: The Gift — WINNER
The Lion King Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Us (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Literature

OUTSTANDING LITERARY WORK – FICTION

New Daughters of Africa – Margaret Busby
Out of Darkness, Shining Light – Petina Gappah
Red at the Bone – Jacqueline Woodson
The Revisioners – Margaret Wilkerson Sexton — WINNER
The Water Dancer – Ta-Nehisi Coates

OUTSTANDING LITERARY WORK – NONFICTION

Breathe: A Letter to My Sons – Dr. Imani Perry
STONY THE ROAD: Reconstruction, White Supremacy, and the Rise of Jim Crow – Henry Louis Gates, Jr. 
The Source of Self-Regard: Selected Essays, Speeches, and Meditations – Toni Morrison — WINNER
The Yellow House – Sarah M. Broom
What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker: A Memoir in Essays – Damon Young

OUTSTANDING LITERARY WORK – DEBUT AUTHOR

American Spy – Lauren Wilkinson
I Am Dance: Words and Images of the Black Dancer – Hal Banfield (Author), Javier Vasquez (Illustrator) — WINNER
More Than Pretty: Doing The Soul Work To Uncover Your True Beauty – Erica Campbell
Such A Fun Age – Kiley Reid
The Farm – Joanne Ramos

OUTSTANDING LITERARY WORK – BIOGRAPHY/AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Free Cyntoia: My Search for Redemption in the American Prison System – Cyntoia Brown-Long
Finding My Voice: My Journey to the West Wing and the Path Forward – Valerie Jarrett
More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are (No Matter What They Say) – Elaine Welteroth — WINNER
My Name Is Prince – Randee St. Nicholas
The Beautiful Ones – Prince (Author), Dan Piepenbring (Edited by)

OUTSTANDING LITERARY WORK – INSTRUCTIONAL

Inspire Your Home: Easy, Affordable Ideas to Make Every Room Glamorous – Farah Merhi
Letters to the Finishers (who struggle to finish) – Candace E. Wilkins
More Than Pretty: Doing the Soul Work that Uncovers Your True Beauty – Erica Campbell
Vegetables Unleashed – José Andres
Your Next Level Life: 7 Rules of Power, Confidence, And Opportunity For Black Women In America – Karen Arrington (Author), Joanna Price (Illustrator), Sheryl Taylor (Forward) — WINNER

OUTSTANDING LITERARY WORK – POETRY

A Bound Woman Is a Dangerous Thing: The Incarceration of African American Women from Harriet Tubman to Sandra Bland – DaMaris B. Hill
Felon: Poems – Reginald Dwayne Betts — WINNER
Honeyfish – Lauren K. Alleyne
Mistress – Chet'la Sebree
The Tradition – Jericho Brown

OUTSTANDING LITERARY WORK – CHILDREN

A Place to Land: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Speech That Inspired a Nation – Barry Wittenstein (Author), Jerry Pinkney (Illustrator)
Hair Love – Matthew A. Cherry (Author), Vashti Harrison (Illustrator) 
Parker Looks Up: An Extraordinary Moment – Parker Curry (Author), Jessica Curry (Author), Brittany Jackson (Illustrator)
Ruby Finds a Worry – Tom Percival
Sulwe – Lupita Nyong'o (Author), Vashti Harrison (Illustrator) — WINNER

OUTSTANDING LITERARY WORK – YOUTH/TEENS

Around Harvard Square – C.J. Farley — WINNER
Her Own Two Feet: A Rwandan Girl’s Brave Fight to Walk – Meredith Davis (Author), Rebeka Uwitonze (Author) 
Hot Comb – Ebony Flowers (Author), Ebony Flowers (Illustrator) 
I'm Not Dying with You Tonight – Gilly Segal (Author), Kimberly Jones (Author)
The Forgotten Girl – India Hill Brown

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