This is a list of past accolades and nominations for animated works at the NAACP Image Awards. The Image Awards have nominated animated works and/or voice-over actors as far back as 1996, when Denzel Washington won an Image Award for Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children’s Series or Special in the animated anthology series Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child. Dora the Explorer was the first animated to receive an award in its own right.
The first animated film to receive a nomination for an Image Award was The Princess and the Frog, with Anika Noni Rose being the first voice-over actor to receive a nomination for work in a film.
Dora the Explorer received the most nominations for Outstanding Children’s Program, while Doc McStuffins received the most wins in this category. Notably, Disney’s The Proud Family franchise received nominations for in five consecutive years and never won.
Starting in 2015, a category was created for outstanding voice-over performances, with Idris Elba becoming the first to win in this category (and the first to win an award for an animated film). Starting in 2021, however, a larger number of categories were created for animation, with Disney’s Soul becoming the first animated film to win an Image Award (namely the inaugural award for Outstanding Animated Motion Picture), and Disney’s Doc McStuffins winning the inaugural Outstanding Animated Series award.
To note, this does not mean that all of the works being nominated have any African-American characters. Some may have Black voice-overs, or even production crew members.
28th NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children’s Series or Special
- Denzel Washington – Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (For episode \”Rumpelstiltskin\”)
- Whoopi Goldberg – Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (For episode \”Rapunzel\”)
- James Earl Jones – Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (For episode \”The Valiant Little Tailor\”)
- Sinbad – Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (For episode \”The Frog Prince\”)
- Danny Glover – Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (For episode \”The Frog Prince\”)
29th NAACP Image Awards
No animated work nominated.
30th NAACP Image Awards
- Denzel Washington – Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (For episode “Mother Goose”)
- Avery Brooks – Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (For episode “The Golden Goose”)
- Chris Rock – Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (For episode “Pinocchio”)
- LeVar Burton – Reading Rainbow
- Ronald Daise – Gullah Gullah Island
- Natalie Daise – Gullah Gullah Island
31st NAACP Image Awards
No animated work nominated.
32nd NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Children’s Program
- Bill Cosby – Little Bill
- Ruby Dee – Little Bill
- LeVar Burton – Reading Rainbow
- Ossie Davis – Finding Buck McHenry
- Alfre Woodard – The Wishing Tree
33rd NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Children’s Program
- Teen Summit
- Little Bill
- The Proud Family
- Reading Rainbow
- Sesame Street
34th NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children’s Series or Special
- LeVar Burton – Reading Rainbow
- Tommy Davidson – The Proud Family
- Jo Marie Payton – The Proud Family
- Kyla Pratt – The Proud Family
- Keshia Knight Pulliam – What About Your Friends: Weekend Getaway
35th NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children’s Series or Special
- Raven-Symoné – That’s So Raven
- Cree Summer – All Grown Up!
- Tommy Davidson – The Proud Family
- Kyla Pratt – The Proud Family
- Lynn Whitfield – The Cheetah Girls
36th NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children’s Series or Special
- Raven-Symoné – That’s So Raven
- Tommy Davidson – The Proud Family
- Jo Marie Payton – The Proud Family
- Kyla Pratt – The Proud Family
- LeVar Burton – Reading Rainbow
Outstanding Children’s Program
- That’s So Raven
- The Proud Family
- Reading Rainbow
37th NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children’s Series or Special
- Raven-Symoné – That’s So Raven
- Kevin Clash – Sesame Street
- Kyla Pratt – The Proud Family Movie
- Tommy Davidson – The Proud Family Movie
- Jo Marie Payton – The Proud Family Movie
38th NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Children’s Program
- That’s So Raven
- The Backyardigans
- Dora the Explorer
- Romeo!
- High School Musical
Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children’s Series or Special
- Raven-Symoné – That’s So Raven
- Corbin Bleu – High School Musical
- Kathleen Herles – Dora the Explorer
- Kyle Massey – That’s So Raven
- Lil Romeo – Romeo!
39th NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Children’s Program
- That’s So Raven
- Cory in the House
- Dora the Explorer
- Go, Diego, Go!
- High School Musical 2
Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children’s Series or Special
- Raven-Symoné – That’s So Raven
- André 3000 – Class of 3000
- Kathleen Herles – Dora the Explorer
- Kyle Massey – Cory in the House
- Lil’ JJ – Just Jordan
40th NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Children’s Program
- Dora the Explorer
- Cory in the House
- Go, Diego, Go!
- True Jackson, VP
- The Cheetah Girls: One World
Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children’s Series or Special
- Keke Palmer – True Jackson, VP
- Kyle Massey – Cory in the House
- Charly Tyner – Dora the Explorer
- Lil’ JJ – Just Jordan
- Selena Gomez – Wizards of Waverly Place
41st NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Motion Picture
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Outstanding Children’s Program
Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children’s Program – (Series or Special)
42nd NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Children’s Program
- True Jackson, VP
- Brave New Voices 2010
- The Backyardigans
- Dora the Explorer
- Wizards of Waverly Place
43rd NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Children’s Program
- HBO Documentary Film Series: “I Can Be President: A Kids Eye View”
- A.N.T. Farm
- Dora the Explorer
- Go, Diego, Go!
- My Family Tree
44th NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children’s Series or Special
- Loretta Devine – Doc McStuffins
- Nick Cannon – 2012 TeenNick Halo Awards
- China Anne McClain – A.N.T. Farm
- Keke Palmer – Winx Club: Enchantix
- Tyler James Williams – Let It Shine
Outstanding Children’s Program
- Kasha and the Zulu King (BET)
- Degrassi: The Next Generation (TeenNick)
- Avatar: Legend of Korra (Nickelodeon)
- TeenNick HALO Awards (Nick@Nite. For the TeenNick HALO Awards 2012 episode)
- The Weight Of The Nation For Kids (HBO)
45th NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Children’s Program
- Wynton Marsalis: A YoungArts MasterClass (Masterclass)
- Postcards: Mandela (The Africa Channel)
- Dora the Explorer (Nickelodeon
- 2013 HALO Awards (Nickelodeon)
- A.N.T. Farm (Disney Channel)
Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children’s Series or Special
- China Anne McClain – A.N.T. Farm
- Zendaya – Shake It Up
- Fátima Ptacek – Dora the Explorer
- Eric I. Keyes III – Live Life and Win!
- Karan Brar – Jessie
46th NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Children’s Program
- “Doc McStuffins” (Disney Junior)
- “Anna Deavere Smith: A Youngarts Masterclass” (HBO)
- “Dora and Friends: Into The City!” (Nickelodeon)
- “HALO Awards” (Nickelodeon)
- “Kid President: Declaration of Awesome” (HUB)
Outstanding Performance by a Youth in a Youth/ Children’s Program – (Series or Special)
- Fatima Ptacek – “Dora and Friends: Into The City!” (Nickelodeon)
- Amber Montana – “Haunted Hathaways” (Nickelodeon)
- China Anne McClain – “How to Build a Better Boy” (Disney Channel)
- Curtis Harris – “Haunted Hathaways” (Nickelodeon)
- Taliyah Whitaker – “Wallykazam!” (Nickelodeon)
47th NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Television or Film
- Loretta Devine – Doc McStuffins
- Aisha Tyler – Archer
- Audra McDonald – Doc McStuffins
- Jeffrey Wright – The Good Dinosaur
- Wanda Sykes – Penn Zero
Outstanding Children’s Program
- Doc McStuffins
- Dora and Friends
- K.C. Undercover
- Little Ballers
- Project Mc2
48th NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – (Television or Film)
Outstanding Children’s Program
49th NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – (Television or Film)
Outstanding Children’s Program
50th NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television or Film)
- Samuel L. Jackson – Incredibles 2 (Disney and Pixar Animation Studios)
- Issa Rae – Bojack Horseman (Netflix)
- Laya Deleon Hayes – Doc McStuffins (Disney Junior)
- Mahershala Ali – Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Columbia Pictures/Sony
- Pictures Animation in association with Marvel)
- Shameik Moore – Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Animation in association with Marvel)
Outstanding Children’s Program
- Doc McStuffins
- Top Chef Junior
- Sesame Street
- Marvel’s Avengers: Black Panther’s Quest
- Motown Magic
Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation
- Kendrick Lamar, SZA feat. Various artists – Black Panther: The Album Music From and Inspired By
- Various artists – Greenleaf, Season 3 (Music From the Original TV series)
- Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad – Marvel’s Luke Cage Season Two
- Various artists – Insecure Music From the HBO Original Series, Season 3
- Various artists – Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Soundtrack From & Inspired By the Motion Picture)
51st NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television or Film)
- James Earl Jones – “The Lion King” (Walt Disney Studios)
- Alfre Woodard – “The Lion King” (Walt Disney Studios)
- Donald Glover – “The Lion King” (Walt Disney Studios)
- Lupita Nyong’o – “Serengeti” (Discovery Channel)
- Sterling K. Brown – “Frozen II” (Walt Disney Studios)
Outstanding Children’s Program
- Family Reunion
- Doc McStuffins
- Kevin Hart’s Guide to Black History
- Marvel’s Avengers: Black Panther’s Quest
- Motown Magic
52nd NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
Outstanding Character Voice Performance – Motion Picture
- Jamie Foxx – Soul
- Ahmir Khalib Thompson – Soul
- Angela Bassett – Soul
- Chris Rock – The Witches
- Phylicia Rashad – Soul
Outstanding Short Form (Animated)
- Canvas
- Cops and Robbers
- Loop
- The Power of Hope
- Windup
Outstanding Animated Series
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)
- Laya DeLeon Hayes – Doc McStuffins
- Aisha Tyler – Archer
- Courtney B. Vance – Hollywood’s Architect: The Paul R. Williams Story
- Dawnn Lewis – Star Trek: Lower Decks
- Deon Cole – Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts
Outstanding Children’s Program
- Family Reunion
- Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices
- Craig of the Creek
- Raven’s Home
- We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical
Outstanding Short-Form Series (Drama or Comedy)
- #FreeRayshawn
- CripTales
- Lazor Wulf
- Mapleworth Murders
- Sincerely, Camille
Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture
- Radha Blank – The Forty-Year-Old Version
- David E. Talbert – Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
- Kemp Powers – One Night in Miami…
- Lee Isaac Chung – Minari
- Pete Docter, Kemp Powers, Mike Jones – Soul
Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture
Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album
- Soul Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste and Tom McDougall
- Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Music from the Netflix Film) – Branford Marsalis
- Insecure: Music from the HBO Original Series – Various Artists
- Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey– Various Artists
- The First Ladies of Gospel: The Clark Sisters Biopic Soundtrack – Donald Lawrence
Outstanding Jazz Album – Instrumental
- Music From and Inspired By Soul– Jon Batiste
- Be Water– Christian Sands
- Omega – Immanuel Wilkins
- Reciprocity – George Burton
- The Iconoclast– Barry Stephenson
53rd NAACP Image Awards
Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
- Encanto (Walt Disney Animation Studios)
- Luca (Pixar Animation Studios/Disney)
- Raya and the Last Dragon (Disney)
- Sing 2 (Illumination Ent./Universal)
- Vivo (Sony Pictures Animation/Netflix)
Outstanding International Motion Picture
- Flee (Neon/Participant)
- 7 Prisoners (Netflix)
- African America (Netflix)
- This Is My Desire (Janus Films)
- The Gravedigger’s Wife (Orange Studio)
Outstanding Animated Series
- Big Mouth (Netflix)
- Peanut Headz: Black HIstory Toonz (Kweli TV)
- Super Sema (YouTube Originals)
- We the People (Netflix)
- Yasuke (Netflix)
Outstanding Short-Form (Animated)
- Blush (Apple TV+/Skydance Animation)
- Robin Robin (Netflix/Aardman)
- She Dreams at Sunrise (Tribeca Studios, Procter & Gamble)
- Twenty Something (Pixar/Disney+)
- Us Again (Disney)
Outstanding Children’s Program
- Ada Twist, Scientist (Netflix)
- Family Reunion (Netflix)
- Karma’s World (Netflix)
- Raven’s Home (Disney Channel)
- Waffles + Mochi (Netflix)
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Motion Picture)
- Andre Braugher (Al Granger, Spirit Untamed, DreamWorks/Universal)
- Awkwafina (Sisu, Raya and the Last Dragon)
- Brian Tyree Henry (Dancarino, Vivo)
- Eric André (Darius, Sing 2)
- Letitia Wright (Nooshy, Sing 2)
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)
- Angela Bassett (Narrator, Malika: The Lion Queen, FOX)
- Billy Porter (Hiroki Hassan, Fairfax, Amazon Studios)
- Chris “Ludacris” Bridges (Conrad Grant, Karma’s World, Netflix)
- Cree Summer (Susie Carmicheal, Rugrats, Paramount+)
- Keke Palmer (Rochelle, Big Mouth, Netflix)
Animated Films Which Should Have Been Nominated
Prior to 2021, a slew of animated works could have been nominated for an Outstanding Animated Motion Picture or Outstanding Animated Series Image Award if either existed. My picks:
- 27th
- Outstanding Animated Series
- Gargoyles
- Outstanding Animated Series
- 28th
- Outstanding Animated Series
- Gargoyles
- Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
- Outstanding Animated Series
- 29th
- Outstanding Animated Series
- Gargoyles
- C-Bear and Jamal
- Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
- Outstanding Animated Series
- 30th
- Outstanding Animated Series
- Gargoyles
- Todd McFarlane’s Spawn
- Outstanding Animated Series
- 31st
- Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
- Kirikou and the Sorceress
- Outstanding Animated Series
- Todd McFarlane’s Spawn
- Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
- 32nd
- Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
- Our Friend, Martin
- Outstanding Animated Series
- Little Bill
- The PJs
- Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
- 33rd
- Outstanding Animated Series
- Little Bill
- The PJs
- Outstanding Animated Series
- 34th
- Outstanding Animated Series
- Fillmore!
- Static Shock
- The Proud Family
- Little Bill
- Outstanding Animated Series
- 35th
- Outstanding Animated Series
- Fillmore!
- Static Shock
- The Proud Family
- Little Bill
- Hey Monie!
- Outstanding Animated Series
- 36th
- Outstanding Animated Series
- Fillmore!
- Static Shock
- The Proud Family
- Little Bill
- Fatherhood
- Outstanding Animated Series
- 37th
- Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
- The Proud Family Movie
- The Golden Blaze
- Outstanding Animated Series
- The Boondocks
- Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
- 38th
- Outstanding Animated Series
- The Boondocks
- Outstanding Animated Series
- 39th
- Outstanding Animated Series
- Class of 3000
- The Boondocks
- Outstanding Animated Series
- 40th
- Outstanding Animated Series
- Afro Samurai
- The Boondocks
- Outstanding Animated Series
- 41st
- Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
- The Princess and the Frog
- Outstanding Animated Series
- The Boondocks
- The Cleveland Show
- Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
- 42nd
- Outstanding Animated Series
- The Boondocks
- The Cleveland Show
- Black Panther
- Outstanding Animated Series
- 43rd
- Outstanding Animated Series
- The Boondocks
- The Cleveland Show
- Outstanding Animated Series
- 44th
- Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
- Kasha and the Zulu King
- Outstanding Animated Series
- Doc McStuffins
- Black Dynamite
- The Boondocks
- The Cleveland Show
- Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
- 45th
- Outstanding Animated Series
- Doc McStuffins
- The Boondocks
- The Cleveland Show
- Outstanding Animated Series
- 46th
- Outstanding Animated Series
- Doc McStuffins
- The Boondocks
- Outstanding Animated Series
- 47th
- Outstanding Animated Series
- Doc McStuffins
- Outstanding Animated Series
- 48th
- Outstanding Animated Series
- Doc McStuffins
- Outstanding Animated Series
- 49th
- Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
- Home
- Outstanding Animated Series
- Doc McStuffins
- Kulipari
- Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
- 50th
- Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
- Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse
- Incredibles 2
- Outstanding Animated Series
- Doc McStuffins
- Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh
- Neo Yokio
- Kulipari
- Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
- 51st
- Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
- The Lion King
- Spies in Disguise
- Outstanding Animated Series
- Doc McStuffins
- Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh
- Kulipari
- Outstanding Short Form (Animated)
- Hair Love
- Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
Recent Comments