Photo credit:  LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 16: (L-R) Fantasia Barrino, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, Halle Bailey, Danielle Brooks, Taraji P. Henson, Rebecca Walker and Aba Arthur accept the Outstanding Motion Picture award for “The Color Purple” onstage during the 55th NAACP Image Awards at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on March 16, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET)

The film adaptation of the Broadway musical “The Color Purple” received well-deserved recognition at the NAACP Image Awards, winning multiple awards including Outstanding Motion Picture, Outstanding Ensemble Cast, and Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album.  Director Blitz Bazawule also won for Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture). Newcomer Phylicia Pearl Mpasi won for Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture.  Colman Domingo and Taraji P. Henson won acting awards for their roles in the film, with Fantasia winning for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture.  Despite high expectations, the film did not receive many nominations at other major awards shows, like the Academy Awards. Other NAACP winners included Usher for the Entertainer of the Year and the President’s Awards.

Usher won Entertainer Of The Year, and thanked the women in his life. “They say behind or beside or with every strong man is a stronger woman, and for that I thank my mother and my beautiful wife Jennifer for holding me down,” he said. “My kids, I love you guys so, so much.”

New Edition was inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame.