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57th NAACP Image Awards: ‘Sinners’ Dominates With 18 Noms, ‘Bel-Air’ Leads Television Category
The 2026 NAACP Image Awards have unveiled their nominations, celebrating standout achievements across film, television, music, and culture. This year’s contenders for Entertainer of the Year include Cynthia Erivo, Doechii, Kendrick Lamar, Michael B. Jordan, and Teyana Taylor, reflecting a diverse mix of artistic excellence and cultural impact. Select category winners will be announced during […]
Published
2 months agoon
By
Oakland Post
The 2026 NAACP Image Awards have unveiled their nominations, celebrating standout achievements across film, television, music, and culture. This year’s contenders for Entertainer of the Year include Cynthia Erivo, Doechii, Kendrick Lamar, Michael B. Jordan, and Teyana Taylor, reflecting a diverse mix of artistic excellence and cultural impact.
Select category winners will be announced during a two-hour live broadcast on Saturday, February 28, 2026, airing from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. The ceremony begins at 8 PM ET / 8 PM PT and will be shown on BET, with a simultaneous broadcast on CBS. The theme for this year’s celebration, “We See You,” highlights recognition, visibility, and empowerment within the Black community.
In the film categories, Sinners emerges as the clear frontrunner, earning an impressive 18 nominations, while Highest 2 Lowest follows with nine. On the television side, Bel-Air leads the pack with seven nominations. Close behind are Abbott Elementary, Reasonable Doubt, and Ruth & Boaz, each securing six nods, while Forever earns five. Among networks and streamers, Netflix stands out with a commanding total of 47 nominations, underscoring its strong presence this awards season.
Entertainer of the Year
- Cynthia Erivo
- Doechii
- Kendrick Lamar
- Michael B. Jordan
- Teyana Taylor
Outstanding Comedy Series
- Abbott Elementary (ABC)
- Harlem (Prime Video)
- Survival of the Thickest (Netflix)
- The Residence (Netflix)
- The Upshaws (Netflix)
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
- Cedric The Entertainer – “The Neighborhood” (CBS)
- David Alan Grier – “St. Denis Medical” (NBC)
- David Oyelowo – “Government Cheese” (Apple TV)
- Mike Epps – “The Upshaws” (Netflix)
- Vince Staples – “The Vince Staples Show” (Netflix)
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
- Ayo Edebiri – “The Bear” (FX/Hulu)
- Maya Rudolph – “Loot” (Apple TV)
- Michelle Buteau – “Survival of the Thickest” (Netflix)
- Quinta Brunson – “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
- Uzo Aduba – “The Residence” (Netflix)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
- Colman Domingo – “The Four Seasons” (Netflix)
- Giancarlo Esposito – “The Residence” (Netflix)
- Josh Johnson – “The Daily Show” (Comedy Central)
- Wendell Pierce – “Elsbeth” (CBS)
- William Stanford Davis – “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
- Edwina Finley – “The Residence” (Netflix)
- Ego Nwodim – “Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
- Janelle James – “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
- Jerrie Johnson – “Harlem” (Prime Video)
- Wanda Sykes – “The Upshaws” (Netflix)
Outstanding Drama Series
- Bel-Air (Peacock)
- Beyond The Gates (CBS)
- Forever (Netflix)
- Paradise (Hulu)
- Reasonable Doubt (Hulu)
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
- Forest Whitaker – “Godfather of Harlem” (MGM+)
- Jabari Banks – “Bel-Air” (Peacock)
- Michael Cooper Jr. – “Forever” (Netflix)
- Morris Chestnut – “Watson” (CBS)
- Sterling K. Brown – “Paradise” (ABC)
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
- Angela Bassett – “9-1-1” (ABC)
- Emayatzy Corinealdi – “Reasonable Doubt” (Hulu)
- Lovie Simone – “Forever” (Netflix)
- Patina Miller – “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” (STARZ)
- Queen Latifah – “The Equalizer” (CBS)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
- Adrian Holmes – “Bel-Air” (Peacock)
- Ato Essandoh – “The Diplomat” (Netflix)
- Caleb McLaughlin – “Stranger Things” (Netflix)
- Jacob Latimore – “The Chi” (Showtime)
- Wood Harris – “Forever” (Netflix)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
- Aisha Hinds – “9-1-1” (ABC)
- Audra McDonald – “The Gilded Age” (HBO Max)
- Karen Pittman – “Forever” (Netflix)
- Karen Pittman – “The Morning Show” (Apple TV)
- Nicole Beharie – “The Morning Show” (Apple TV)
Outstanding Limited Television (Series, Special, or Movie)
- G20 (Prime Video)
- Ironheart (Disney+)
- Ruth & Boaz (Netflix)
- Straw (Netflix)
- Washington Black (Hulu)
Outstanding Actor in a Limited Television (Series, Special, or Movie)
- Brian Tyree Henry – “Dope Thief” (Apple TV)
- Giancarlo Esposito – “Please Don’t Feed The Children”( Tubi)
- Idris Elba – “Heads of State” (Prime Video)
- Taye Diggs – “Terry McMillan Presents: His, Hers & Ours” (Lifetime)
- Tyler Lepley – “Ruth & Boaz” (Netflix)
Outstanding Actress in a Limited Television (Series, Special, or Movie)
- Brandy Norwood – “Christmas Everyday” (Lifetime)
- Dominique Thorne – “Ironheart” (Disney+)
- Serayah – “Ruth & Boaz” (Netflix)
- Taraji P. Henson – “Straw” (Netflix)
- Viola Davis – “G20” (Prime Video)
Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)
- CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip (CNN)
- Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (PBS)
- Hurricane Katrina: 20 Years After the Storm With Robin Roberts (ABC)
- Michelle Obama: The Style, The Power, The Look: A Conversation with Robin Roberts (ABC)
- The Don Lemon Show (YouTube)
Outstanding Talk Series
- House Guest (YouTube TV)
- Sherri (Syndicated)
- Tamron Hall Show (ABC)
- The Jennifer Hudson Show (Syndicated)
- The View (ABC)
Outstanding Reality Program/Reality Competition Services/Game Show
- Celebrity Family Feud (ABC)
- Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
- Full Court Press (ESPN, ESPN+)
- Love & Marriage: Huntsville (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
- Ready to Love (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Outstanding Variety (Series or Special)
- Tiny Desk Concerts Celebrates Black Music Month 2025 (NPR)
- HBCU Honors (BET Networks)
- BET Awards 2025 (BET Networks)
- Wicked: One Wonderful Night (NBC)
- Ali Siddiq: My Two Sons (YouTube/Moment PPV)
Outstanding Children’s Program
- Eyes of Wakanda (Disney+)
- Gracie’s Corner (YouTube TV)
- Iyanu (Cartoon Network)
- Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Disney+)
- Reading Rainbow (KidZuko)
Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited–Series)
- Amanda Christine – IT: Welcome to Derry (HBO Max)
- Blake Cameron James – IT: Welcome to Derry (HBO Max)
- Jeremiah Felder – The Residence (Netflix)
- Leah Sava Jeffries – Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Disney+)
- Percy Daggs IV – Paradise (Hulu)
Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble
- Abby Phillip – CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip (CNN)
- Don Lemon – The Don Lemon Show (YouTube)
- Henry Louis Gates, Jr. – Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates. Jr. (PBS)
- Scott Evans – House Guest (YouTube TV)
- Sherri Shepherd – Sherri (Syndicated)
Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble
- Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough – Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
- Barbara Corcoran, Lorie Grenier, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, Daniel Lubetzky, Kevin O’Leary – Shark Tank (ABC)
- Bozoma St. John and Jimmy Fallon – On Brand with Jimmy Fallon (NBC)
- Kevin Hart – BET Awards 2025 (BET Networks)
- Steve Harvey – Celebrity Family Feud (ABC)
Outstanding Guest Performance
- Brandee Evans – Reasonable Doubt (Hulu)
- Dave Chappelle – Saturday Night Live (NBC)
- Janet Hubert – Bel-Air (Peacock)
- Malcolm-Jamal Warner – Murder in a Small Town (FOX)
- Morris Chestnut – Reasonable Doubt (Hulu)
Outstanding Animated Series
- Disney Jr.’s Ariel (Disney Jr.)
- Gracie’s Corner (YouTube TV)
- Iyanu (Cartoon Network)
- Lil Kev (BET+)
- Weather Hunters (PBS KIDS)
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)
- Anika Noni Rose – The Mighty Nein (Prime Video)
- Ayo Edebiri – Big Mouth (Netflix)
- Cedric the Entertainer – The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)
- Graceyn Hollingsworth – Gracie’s Corner (YouTube TV)
- Kyla Pratt – The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)
Outstanding Short Form Series or Special – Reality/Nonfiction/Documentary
- College Gameday: Michael Vick (ESPN)
- Glam Through The Ages (KeyTV Network)
- Noochie’s Live From The Front Porch (YouTube TV)
- The Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show starring Kendrick Lamar (FOX)
- The Daily Show: After The Cut (Comedy Central)
Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television)
- Chinaka Hodge – Ironheart (Disney+)
- Daniel Lawrence Taylor – Boarders (Tubi)
- Haolu Wang – Black Mirror (Netflix)
- Jas Summers – Stay (Hulu)
- Tearrance Averelle Chisolm – Demascus (Tubi)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Television (Series, Special, Movie)
- Glynn Turman – Straw (Netflix)
- Jay Ellis – All Her Fault (Peacock)
- Rockmond Dunbar – Straw (Netflix)
- Sterling K. Brown – Washington Black (Hulu)
- Ving Rhames – Dope Thief (Apple TV)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Television (Series, Special, or Movie)
- Angela Bassett – Zero Day (Netflix)
- Lyric Ross – Ironheart (Disney+)
- Marsai Martin – G20 (Prime Video)
- Sherri Shepherd – Straw (Netflix)
- Teyana Taylor – Straw (Netflix)
Outstanding New Artist
- Elmiene – Useless Without You (Def Jam Recordings)
- Lee Vasi – Love Me To Life (Capitol CMG/Leeda Music Group)
- Madison McFerrin – Scorpio (MadMcFerrin Music LLC)
- Monaleo – Who Did the Body? (Columbia Records)
- Ravyn Lenae – Bicycle Race (Atlantic Records)
Outstanding Male Artist
- Bryson Tiller – Solace & The Vices (RCA Records/TrapSoul)
- Chris Brown – It Depends feat. Byrson Tiller (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
- GIVĒON – Beloved (Epic Records)
- Kendrick Lamar – luther (pgLang under exclusive license to Interscope Records)
- Leon Thomas – MUTT Deluxe: Heel (EZMNY Records/Motown Records)
Outstanding Female Artist
- Alex Isley – Hands (Warner Records)
- Cardi B – Am I the Drama? (Atlantic Records)
- Doechii – Anxiety (Top Dawg Entertainment/Capitol Records)
- SZA – SOS Deluxe: LANA (RCA Records/Top Dawg Entertainment)
- Teyana Taylor – Escape Room (Def Jam Recordings)
Outstanding Jazz Album
- For Dinah – Ledisi (Candid Records)
- We Insist! 2025 – Terri Lyne Carrington & Christie Dashiell (Candid Records)
- Beneath the Skin – Nnenna Freelon (Origin Records)
- Live-Action – Nate Smith – Nate Smith (Naive)
- Griot Songs – Omar Thomas Large Ensemble (Omar Thomas Music)
Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album
- Jekalyn X The Legends – Jekalyn Carr (Waynorth Music)
- Live at Maverick City – Maverick City Music (Tribl Records, LLC)
- Only On The Road (Live) – Tye Tribbett (Freligious Music)
- Tasha – Tasha Cobbs Leonard (Motown Gospel)
- The Live Reunion: Washington D.C. – JJ Hairson and Youthful Praise (James Town Music)
Outstanding International Song
- In Our Sight – Skip Marley (Def Jam Recordings)
- Is It – Tyla (Epic Records)
- Love – Burna Boy (Spaceship/Bad Habit/Atlantic Records)
- With You – Davido feat. Omah Lay (RCA Records/Sony Music UK)
- You4Me – Tiwa Savage (Everything Savage/EMPIRE)
Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album
- Anxiety – Doechii (Top Dawg Entertainment/Capitol Records)
- Boots on the Ground – 803Fresh (Snake Eyez Music Group/APG)
- Escape Room – Teyana Taylor (Def Jam Recordings)
- Folded – Kehlani (Atlantic Records)
- luther – Kendrick Lamar & SZA (pgLang under exclusive license to Interscope Records)
Outstanding Album
- Am I The Drama? – Cardi B (Atlantic Records)
- Beloved – GIVĒON (Epic Records)
- Let God Sort Em Out – Clipse, Pusha T, Malice (Roc Nation Distribution)
- Mutt Deluxe: Heel – Leon Thomas (EZMNY Records/Motown Records)
- SOS Deluxe: LANA – SZA (RCA Records/Top Dawg Entertainment)
Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album
- Godfather of Harlem: Season 4 (Original Series Soundtrack) (Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment)
- Highest 2 Lowest (Original Soundtrack) (A24)
- Sinners (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Proximity Media LLC, under exclusive license to Masterworks, a label of Sony Music Entertainment)
- The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder: Season 3 (Music from the Series) (Walt Disney Records)
- Wicked: For Good (The Soundtrack) (Republic Records)
Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song
- Church – Tasha Cobbs Leonard feat John Legend (Motown Gospel)
- Constant – Live – Maverick City Music, Jordin Sparks, Chandler Moore, Anthony Gargiula (Tribl Records)
- Do it Again – Kirk Franklin (Fo Yo Soul Recordings/Tribl Records)
- Don’t Faint – Jekalyn Carr (Waynorth Music)
- Jesus I Do – Mariah Carey feat. The Clark Sisters (gamma.)
Outstanding Song – Soul/R&B
- Folded – Kehlani (Atlantic Records)
- Burning Blue – Mariah the Scientist (Epic Records)
- It Depends – Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
- Yes It Is – Leon Thomas (EZMNY Records/Motown Records)
- Bed of Roses – Teyana Taylor (Def Jam Recordings)
Outstanding Song – Hip-Hop/Rap Song
- Anxiety — Doechii (Top Dawg Entertainment/Capitol Records)
- Chains & Whips – Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell Williams, Pusha T, Malice (Roc Nation Distribution)
- ErrTime – Cardi B (Atlantic Records)
- Ride (Remix) – Chance the Rapper feat. Do or Die & Twista (CTR LLC)
- Typa – GloRilla (CMG/Interscope Records)
Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional)
- 803Fresh feat. Fantasia – Boots on the Ground Remix (Snake Eyez Music Group/Artist Partner Group)
- Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell Williams, Pusha T, Malice – Chains & Whips (Roc Nation Distribution)
- Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande – For Good (Republic Records)
- Mariah Carey, The Clark Sisters – Jesus I Do (gamma.)
- Travis Greene & Andra Day – Let Freedom Ring (Greenelight Music/TRIBL Records)
Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Contemporary)
- Cardi B, Kehlani – Safe (Atlantic Records)
- Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller & Usher – It Depends (Remix) (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
- kwn feat. Kehlani – Worst Behavior (RCA Records)
- FLO – The Mood (Remixes) (Uptown Records/Republic Records)
- Leon Thomas & Chris Brown – MUTT (Remix) (EZMNY Records/Motown Records)
Outstanding Original Score for Television/Film
- Boots (Madison Gate Records)
- Eyes of Wakanda Original Soundtrack (Hollywood Records)
- Marvel’s Ironheart: Vol. 1 (Original Soundtrack) (Hollywood Records)
- One of Them Days (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Madison Gate Records, TriStar Productions)
- Sinners (Original Motion Picture Score) (Proximity Media LLC, under exclusive license to Sony Classical, a label of Sony Music Entertainment)
Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction
- Can’t Get Enough – Kennedy Ryan (Forever/Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group)
- Chronicles of Ori: An African Epic – Harmonia Rosales (W. W. Norton & Company)
- Death of the Author – Nnedi Okorafor (William Morrow)
- Happy Land – Dolen Perkins-Valdez (Berkley, Penguin Random House)
- Harlem Rhapsody – Victoria Christopher Murray (Berkley, Penguin Random House)
Outstanding Literary Work – Non-Fiction
- A More Perfect Party: The Night Shirley Chisholm & Diahann Carroll Reshaped Politics – Juanita Tolliver (Legacy Lit/Hachette Book Group)
- Born in Flames – Bench Ansfield (W. W. Norton & Company)
- From These Roots – Tamara Lanier (Penguin Random House, Crown)
- Hidden Hospitality: Untold Stories of Black Hotel, Motel, and Resort Owners from the Pioneer Days to the Civil Rights Era – Calvin Stovall Jr. (Brown Books Publishing Group)
- I Am Nobody’s Slave – Lee Hawkins (HarperCollins Publishers)
Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author
- Anela Malik – American Soul: The Black History of Food in the United States (National Geographic Partners, LLC)
- Charles B. Fancher – Red Clay (Blackstone Publishing)
- Dr. Judith Joseph – High Functioning: Overcome Your Hidden Depression and Reclaim Your Joy (Little, Brown Spark)
- Lorna Lewis – A Sky Full of Love (Lake Union)
- Zoe B. Wallbrook – History Lessons (Soho Crime)
Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/ Autobiography
- 107 Days – Kamala Harris (Simon & Schuster)
- The Look – Michelle Obama (Crown)
- Toni at Random – Dana A. Williams (Amistad, HarperCollins)
- Truly – Lionel Richie (HarperOne)
- Uncommon Favor: Basketball, North Philly, My Mother, and the Life Lessons I Learned from All Three – Dawn Staley (Black Privilege Publishing (Atria Books, Simon & Schuster))
Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional
- American Soul: The Black History of Food in the United States – Anela Malik (National Geographic Partners, LLC)
- Braided Heritage: Recipes and Stories on the Origin of American Cuisine – Dr. Jessica Harris (Penguin Random House/Clarkson Potter)
- We the Pizza: Slangin’ Pies and Savin’ Lives – Muhammad Abdul-Hadi (Penguin Random House/Clarkson Potter)
- Who Better Than You? – Will Packer (Penguin Random House)
- Wine Pairing for the People – Cha McCoy (Harvest, an imprint of WilliamMorrow, HarperCollins)
Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry
- Death of the First Idea – Rickey Laurentiis (Alfred A. Knopf)
- Florida Water – Aja Monet (Haymarket Books)
- The Grace of Black Mothers – Martheaus Perkins (Trio House Press)
- The Intentions of Thunder: New and Selected Poems – Patricia Smith (Scribner)
- We Look Better Alive – Ali Black (Burnside Review Press)
Outstanding Literary Work – Children
- Black Boy, Rise – Brynne Barnes (Chronicle Books)
- Black Diamond Kings: Heroes of Negro League Baseball – Charles R. Smith Jr. (Candlewick Press)
- My Quiet Place – Monica Mikai (Chronicle Books )
- The History of We – Nikkolas Smith (Penguin Young Readers)
- Yvonne Clark and Her Engineering Spark – Allen R. Wells; Illustrated by DeAndra Hodge (Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers/Macmillan)
Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens
- (S)Kin – Ibi Zoboi (HarperCollins/Versify)
- Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Book of Anansi – Angie Thomas (HarperCollins/Clarion Books)
- The Scammer – Tiffany D. Jackson (HarperCollins – Quill Tree Books)
- The Story of My Anger – Jasminne Mendez (Penguin Young Readers)
- Through Our Teeth – Pamela N. Harris (HarperCollins/Quill Tree Books)
Outstanding Literary Work – Graphic Novel
- Creaky Acres: A Graphic Novel – Calista Bril (Penguin Young Readers)
- Defiant: The Story of Robert Smalls – Rob Edwards (Stranger Comics)
- One Crazy Summer: The Graphic Novel – Rita William-Garcia (HarperCollins/Quill Tree Books)
- Parable of the Talents A Graphic Novel Adaptation – Octavia E. Butler, adapted by Damien Duffy, Illustrated by John Jennings and David Brame (Abrams ComicArts)
- They Choose Violence – Sheldon Allen (AWA Studios)
Outstanding Literary Work – Journalism
- As Black New Yorkers Move Out, N.Y.C. Politics May Be Reshaped – Maya King (Newspaper)
- Audra McDonald Took The Stage and Rewrote The Rules – Adam Davenport (Online)
- Black joy and boots: How line dancing is fanning cultural connection – Lisa Respers France (News Service)
- HBCUs Reel as Trump Cuts Black-Focused Grants: ‘This Is Our Existence’ – Jasper Smith (Online)
- On Borrowed Time – Anissa Durham (Online)
Outstanding Motion Picture
- Highest 2 Lowest (A24)
- One of Them Days (Sony Pictures Releasing)
- Sarah’s Oil (Amazon MGM Studios)
- Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
- Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
- André Holland – Love, Brooklyn (Greenwich Entertainment)
- Denzel Washington – Highest 2 Lowest (A24)
- Michael B. Jordan – Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
- Nnamdi Asomugha – The Knife (Relatively Media)
- Tyriq Withers – HIM (Monkeypaw Productions)
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
- Cynthia Erivo – Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)
- Danielle Deadwyler – 40 Acres (Magnolia Pictures)
- Keke Palmer – One Of Them Days (Sony Pictures Releasing)
- Kerry Washington – Shadow Force (Lionsgate)
- Tessa Thompson – Hedda (Amazon MGM Studios)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
- A$AP Rocky – Highest 2 Lowest (A24)
- Damson Idris – F1 (Apple Original Films)
- Delroy Lindo – Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
- Jeffrey Wright – Highest 2 Lowest (A24)
- Miles Caton – Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
- Janelle James – One Of Them Days (Sony)
- Jayme Lawson – Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
- Regina Hall – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros. Pictures)
- Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros. Pictures)
- Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures )
Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
- 40 Acres (Magnolia Pictures)
- Love, Brooklyn (Greenwich Entertainment)
- Magazine Dreams (Briarcliff Entertainment)
- Opus (A24)
- Unexpected Christmas (3 Diamonds Entertainment)
Outstanding International Motion Picture
- 40 Acres (Magnolia Pictures)
- My Father’s Shadow (MUBI)
- Souleymane’s Story (Kino Lorber)
- The Fisherman (Luu Vision Media)
- The Secret Agent (NEON)
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture
- A$AP Rocky – Highest 2 Lowest (A24)
- Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros. Pictures)
- Miles Caton – Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
- Tabitha Brown – Unexpected Christmas (3 Diamonds Films)
- Tyriq Withers – HIM (Monkeypaw Productions)
Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture
- Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Miller, Buddy Guy, Delroy Lindo, Peter Dreimanis, Lola Kirke, Li Jun Li, Saul Williams, Yao – “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
- Keke Palmer, SZA, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Lil Rel Howery, Katt Williams – “One Of Them Days” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
- Jonathan Bailey, Marissa Bode, Coleman Domingo, Cynthia Erivo, Jeff Goldblum, Ariana Grande, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Michelle Yeoh – “Wicked: For Good” (Universal Pictures)
- Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, A$AP Rocky – “Highest 2 Lowest” (A24)
- Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts, Anthony Ramos, Moses Ingram, Jonah Hauer-King, Greta Lee, Jason Clarke – “A House of Dynamite” (Netflix)
Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
- Elio (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
- KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix)
- Sneaks (Briarcliff Entertainment)
- The Bad Guys 2 (DreamWorks Animation)
- Zootopia 2 (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Motion Picture
- Anthony Mackie – Sneaks (Briarcliff Entertainment)
- Craig Robinson – The Bad Guys 2 (DreamWorks Animation)
- Danielle Brooks – The Bad Guys 2 (DreamWorks Animation)
- Lil Rel Howery – Dog Man (DreamWorks Animation)
- Quinta Brunson – Zootopia 2 (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Outstanding Short Form (Live Action)
- ADO (Baylor University)
- Before You Let Go (Find Your People Program)
- Best Eyes (American Film Institute Conservatory)
- Ella (Netflix)
- Food for the Soul (P.A. Works)
Outstanding Short Form (Animated)
- ASALI: Power of The Pollinators (Upenndo! Productions)
- Black Man, Black Man (Chainwheel Productions)
- Captain Zero: Into the Abyss Part II (Cutting Edge Animation)
- Jazzy Bells (Deep C Digital)
- Wednesdays with Gramps (DreamWorks Animation)
Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture)
- Cassandra Mann – Unexpected Christmas (3 Diamonds Entertainment LLC)
- Contessa Gayles – Songs from the Hole (Netflix)
- Nnamdi Asomugha – The Knife (Relativity Media)
- R.T. Thorne – 40 Acres (Magnolia Pictures)
- Rachael Abigail Holder – Love, Brooklyn (Greenwich Entertainment)
Outstanding Performance by a Youth in a Motion Picture
- Amari Price – The Knife (Relativity Media)
- Estella K. Kahiha – The Woman in the Yard (Athena Studios)
- Jahleel Kamara – Shadow Force (Lionsgate)
- Naya Desir-Johnson – Sarah’s Oil (Amazon MGM Studios)
- Peyton Jackson – The Woman in the Yard (Universal Pictures)
Outstanding Cinematography in a Motion Picture
- Autumn Durald Arkapaw, ASC – Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
- Kira Kelly – HIM (Universal Pictures)
- Martim Vian – Love, Brooklyn (Greenwich)
- Sean Bobbitt – Hedda (Amazon MGM Studios)
- Shabier Kirchner – Materialists (A24)
Outstanding Documentary (Film)
- Being Eddie (Netflix)
- Fatherless No More (First Gen Films)
- Left Behind (Corso Films)
- The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix)
- Who in the Hell is Regina Jones? (Weigel Productions)
Outstanding Documentary (Television)
- A Star Without A Star: The Untold Juanita Moore Story (Apple TV)
- Eyes on the Prize III: We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest 1977-2015 (HBO Max)
- Great Migrations: A People on the Move (PBS)
- High Horse: The Black Cowboy (Peacock)
- Number One On the Call Sheet (Apple TV)
Outstanding Short Form Documentary (Film)
- Black Longevity (Apt. 5f)
- CIRILO, A Legacy Untold (JOCMedia & Entertainment)
- Freeman Vines (Switchboard)
- Masaka Kids, a Rhythm Within (Netflix)
- The Ebony Canal: A Story of Black Infant Health (Ya Momz House)
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
- Aisha Muharrar – Hacks – “Clickable Face” (HBO Max)
- Frida Perez – The Studio – “The War” (Apple TV)
- Lizzy Darrell – Abbott Elementary – “100th Day of School” (ABC)
- Monique D. Hall – Sesame Street – “Tamir’s Art Show” (MAX)
- Naomi Ekperigin – St. Denis Medical – “Buffalo Bruce and the Matty Kid” (NBC)
Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series
- Ajani Jackson – Law & Order – “Episode 10” (NBC)
- Bryce Ahart, Stephanie McFarlane – FBI – “Episode 12” (CBS)
- C.A. Johnson – The Beast in Me – “Thanatos” (Netflix)
- Cynthia Adarkwa – The Pitt -“12:00 P.M.” (HBO Max)
- Walter Mosley – The Lowdown – “Tulsa Turnaround” (FX/Hulu)
Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie, Documentary or Special
- Aireka Muse – “Friends & Lovers” (Lifetime Movie Network)
- Jas Summers – “Stay” (Hulu)
- Jerrod Carmichael – “Jerrod Carmichael: Don’t Be Gay” (HBO Max)
- Michael Elliot, Cory Tynan – “Ruth & Boaz” (Netflix)
- Roye Okupe and Brandon Easton – “Iyanu: The Age of Wonders” (Cartoon Network)
Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture
- Chloé Zhao – “Hamnet” (Focus Features)
- Nora Garrett – “After the Hunt” (Amazon MGM Studios)
- Ryan Coogler – “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
- Syreeta Singleton – “One of Them Days” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
- Walter Mosley, Nadia Latif – “The Man in My Basement” (Andscape)
Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
- Amy Aniobi – Survival of the Thickest – “It’s Not A MoMent, It’s A Movement, Bitch!” (Netflix)
- Colman Domingo – The Four Seasons – “Ultimate Frisbee” (Netflix)
- Paul Hunter – Government Cheese – “Father Facts, Figures, and Failures” (Apple TV)
- Theodore Witcher – Demascus – “The Thanksgiving Episode” (Tubi)
- Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary – “The Science Fair” (ABC)
Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series
- Angela Barnes – Ironheart – “The Past Is the Past” (Disney+)
- Anton Cropper – Reasonable Doubt – “Feelin’ It” (Hulu)
- Jet Wilkinson – The Copenhagen Test – “Copenhagen” (Peacock)
- Mario Van Peebles – Power Book III: Raising Kanan – “Allow Me to Re-Introduce Myself” (STARZ)
- Salli Richardson-Whitfield – The Gilded Age – “My Mind Is Made Up” (HBO Max)
Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie, Documentary or Special
- Alanna Brown – “Ruth & Boaz” (Netflix)
- Nicole G. Leier – “Trapped in the Spotlight” (Lifetime)
- Olatunde Osunsanmi – “Star Trek: Section 31” (Paramount+)
- Tailiah Breon – “Not My Family: The Monique Smith Story” (A&E)
- Troy A. Scott – “I’ll Never Let You Go” (Lifetime)
Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture
- Elijah Bynum – “Magazine Dreams” (Briarcliff Entertainment)
- Guillermo del Toro – “Frankenstein” (Netflix)
- Lawrence Lamont – “One of Them Days” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
- R.T. Thorne – “40 Acres” (Magnolia Pictures)
- Ryan Coogler – “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Outstanding Directing in a Documentary (Television or Film)
- Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson – “Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)” (Hulu)
- Andre Gaines – “Boo-Yah – A Portrait of Stuart Scott” (ESPN)
- Contessa Gayles – “Songs from the Hole” (Netflix)
- Reginald Hudlin, Shola Lynch – “Number One on the Call Sheet” (Apple TV)
- Yemi Oyediran – “King of Them All: The Story of King Records” (PBS)
Outstanding Podcast – News and Information
- Accidentally Informed (ComebackTV Presents)
- Native Land Pod (iHeartMedia/Reasoned Choice Media)
- The Assignment with Audie Cornish (CNN)
- The Don Lemon Show (Lemon Media Network)
- The Joy Reid Show (Image Lab Media Group LLC)
Outstanding Podcast – Lifestyle/Self-Help
- Ageless, Fearless, & Unscripted (Williamson Media Group)
- Hot & Bothered with Melyssa Ford (Forged Path Productions)
- IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson (Higher Ground)
- Just Heal with Dr. Jay (Cue & Coda Films)
- Money And Wealth With John Hope Bryant (Black Effect-iHeartPodcasts)
Outstanding Podcast – Society and Culture
- Baby, This is Keke Palmer (Wondery)
- Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay (The Ringer)
- IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson (Higher Ground)
- The Don Lemon Show (Lemon Media Network)
- What Now? with Trevor Noah (Day Zero Productions)
Outstanding Podcast – Arts, Sports and Entertainment
- IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson (Higher Ground)
- Legacy Talk with Lena Waithe (Hillman Grad & Lemonada Media)
- ReLiving Single with Erika Alexander & Kim Coles (Hartbeat)
- Shawn Stockman’s On That Note (CTG Media)
- SPOLITICS with Jemele Hill (Unbothered Inc)
Outstanding Podcast – Scripted/Limited Series/Short Form
- Exonerated: The Cost of Wrongful Conviction (WURD Radio)
- Interesting Things with JC (Jim Connors LLC)
- Kingsland (SBH Productions and Audible)
- Squeezed with Yvette Nicole Brown (Lemonada Media)
- The Prophecy Season 2 (Audible, Simpson Street and Q Code Media)
Outstanding Costume Design (TV or Film)
- “Bel-Air” – Queensylvia Akuchie (Peacock)
- “Highest 2 Lowest” – Francine Jamison-Tanchuck (A24)
- “Love, Brooklyn” – Missy Mickens (Greenwich Entertainment)
- “Sinners” – Ruth E. Carter (Warner Bros. Pictures)
- “Wicked: For Good” – Paul Tazewell (Universal Pictures)
Outstanding Make-up (TV or Film)
- “All’s Fair” – Kate Biscoe (Hulu)
- “Bel-Air” – Alyssa Hudson (Peacock)
- “Chief of War” – Christian Tinsley (Apple TV)
- “Highest 2 Lowest” – Ngozi Olandu Young (A24)
- “Sinners” – Ken Diaz (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Outstanding Hair Styling (TV or Film)
- “All’s Fair” – Valerie Jackson (Hulu)
- “Bel-Air” – Terry Hunt (Peacock)
- “Beyond the Gates” – Wankala L. Hinkson (CBS)
- “Reasonable Doubt” – Deaundra Metzger (Hulu)
- “Sinners” – Shunika Terry (Warner Bros. Pictures )
Outstanding Editing in a Motion Picture or Television Series, Movie, or Special
- Deanna Nowell, ACE – “Ironheart” (Disney+)
- Maysie Hoy, ACE – “Ruth & Boaz” (Netflix)
- Michael P. Shawver – “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
- Ralph Jean-Pierre – “The Beast in Me” (Netflix)
- Shaheed Qaasim – “Poker Face” (Peacock)
Outstanding Stunt Ensemble (TV or Film)
- “Butterfly” – Yeonheon Jung (Prime Video)
- “F1” – Gary Powell (Apple TV)
- “ G20” – Grant Powell (Prime Video)
- “Shadow Force” – Dartenea Bryant (Starz)
- “Sinners” – Andy Gill (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Outstanding Digital Content Creator – Art/Comedy
- Darren Watkins Jr. – @IShowSpeed
- Jordan Howlett – @jordan_the_stallion8
- Joshua Neal – @joshuadneal
- Lou Young – @Louuuyoung
- Tee Sanders – @teesanderscomedy
Outstanding Digital Content Creator – Political/Culture
- Elizabeth Booker Houston – @bookersquared
- Garrison Hayes – @garrisonh
- George Lee Jr. – @theconsciouslee
- Joshua Doss – @doss.discourse
- Lynae Vanee – @lynaevanee
Outstanding Digital Content Creator – Fashion/Beauty
- Allyiah Gainer – @allyiahsface
- De’arra Taylor – @dearra
- Eni Popoola – @enigivensunday
- Jackie Asamoah – @jackieaina
- Wisdom Kaye – @wisdm
Outstanding Digital Content Creator – Gaming/Tech
- Berlin Edmonds – @Berleezy
- Cory Kenshin – @CoryxKenshin
- Gerard Williams – @Hiphopgamer
- Jay Ann Lopez – @blackgirlgamers
- Khleo Thomas – @khleothomas
Outstanding Digital Content Creator – Fitness/Wellness/Food
- Alex Hill – @justaddhotsauce
- Jeanette Jenkins – @msjeanettejenkins
- Keith Lee – @Keith_Lee125
- Kimberly Villalobos – @KimmysKreations.1
- Massy Arias – @Massy.arias
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COMMENTARY: Women of Color Shape Our Past and Future
MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — Every March, Women’s History Month invites us to pause and honor the women whose courage, intellect, and leadership have shaped our world. This year, that invitation feels especially urgent. We are living in a time when history is being rewritten, when DEI is being recast as a threat, and when the stories we choose to uplift matter more than ever. The stories of women of color must be centered, celebrated, and carried forward with intention.
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Women of Color Leadership Shapes the Legacy of Women’s History Month
By Dr. Sharon M. Holder | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder
Women’s History Month offers an opportunity to recognize the enduring impact of women of color leadership across history and in the present day. From Harriet Tubman and Shirley Chisholm to today’s leaders in science, politics and culture, women of color continue to shape movements, institutions and communities through courage, collaboration and vision.
Every March, Women’s History Month invites us to pause and honor the women whose courage, intellect, and leadership have shaped our world. This year, that invitation feels especially urgent. We are living in a time when history is being rewritten, when DEI is being recast as a threat, and when the stories we choose to uplift matter more than ever. The stories of women of color must be centered, celebrated, and carried forward with intention.
For centuries, women of color have been architects of progress, even when history tried to confine them to the margins. They have led movements, built institutions, transformed culture, and expanded the boundaries of justice, leadership, and community. Their contributions are not postscripts; they are landmarks. Yet too often, their brilliance has been acknowledged only in hindsight. Women’s History Month offers a chance to correct that imbalance, not only by remembering the past, but by recognizing their leadership unfolding before us.
This legacy lives in Harriet Tubman, whose courage and strategic brilliance transformed the Underground Railroad into one of the boldest freedom operations in American history. In Barbara Jordan, whose moral clarity reshaped the nation’s understanding of justice and constitutional responsibility. In Madam C. J. Walker, expanding both the beauty industry and the economic horizons of Black women. It dances in Josephine Baker, who challenged racism and resisted fascism. In Ida B. Wells and Dolores Huerta, who wielded truth and determination in pursuit of justice. In Chien-Shiung Wu, whose experiments altered science, and Shirley Chisholm, whose political courage expanded the very definition of leadership. These women did more than break barriers; they built new worlds.
A powerful throughline in the leadership of women of color is how they lead: collaboratively, creatively, relationally, and with deep responsibility to community. Their leadership is grounded not in hierarchy but in connection, in the belief that progress is something we build together.
We see this in Kamala Harris, whose presence expands the boundaries of possibility; in Ketanji Brown Jackson; in Oprah Winfrey; and in Toni Morrison, who insisted that the interior lives of Black women are essential to the human story. It resonates in Simone Biles and Serena Williams, redefining strength through excellence and self-belief.
Today, women of color continue to drive breakthroughs in medicine, technology, the arts, politics, and environmental justice. Their leadership appears not only in boardrooms or public office, but in mentorship, advocacy, and the daily navigation of systems never designed for them. The spirit shines in Mae Jemison and Ellen Ochoa; in Michelle Obama; and in the brilliance of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Christine Darden, whose work helped launch a nation into space.
Celebration is important, but it is not enough. Honoring women of color requires intentional action rooted in equity. It means creating environments where their voices are valued, challenging the biases that shape who is recognized, and ensuring progress is shared.
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, let us honor women of color not as symbols, but as leaders whose work continues to guide us. When we uplift women of color, we honor history and shape the future.
Dr. Sharon M. Holder lives in South Carolina. She holds a PhD/MPhil in Gerontology from the Center for Research on Aging at the University of Southampton, UK; a Master of Science in Gerontology from the Institute of Gerontology at King’s College London, UK; and a Master of Social Work from the Graduate College of Social Work at the University of Houston, Texas.
Dr. Holder discovered her love of poetry at the University of Houston–Downtown, where she published in The Bayou Review and the Anthology of Poetry. Today, she writes poetry as a practice of gratitude alongside her academic research.
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Woman’s Search for Family’s Roots Leads to Ancestor John T. Ward – A Successful Entrepreneur and Conductor on the Underground Railroad
THE AFRO — For years, she wanted to know more about her ancestor John T. Ward, she said, and her curiosity eventually became an obsession, leading her to become the genealogist for her family. And so, for more than a decade, she set out to trace her family’s roots and discovered a story that would change her life and the way she viewed American history.
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March 9, 2026By
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By D. Kevin McNeir | Special to The AFRO
Shanna Ward, the owner of a publishing company and insurance agency located in Columbus, Ohio, said the elders in her family often say she inherited her entrepreneurial spirit from one of their ancestors – a formerly enslaved child from Virginia whose freedom came through manumission in 1827.
For years, she wanted to know more about her ancestor John T. Ward, she said, and her curiosity eventually became an obsession, leading her to become the genealogist for her family. And so, for more than a decade, she set out to trace her family’s roots and discovered a story that would change her life and the way she viewed American history.
John T. Ward would help others secure their freedom and justice in his roles as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, an abolitionist, and political activist. But realizing that economic freedom was essential to his and his family’s survival, he and his son founded the Ward Transfer Line in 1881 (now E.E. Ward Moving) – one of America’s oldest Black-owned businesses. While it has transferred ownership, the business remains in operation today.
Shanna Ward recently published a book about her ancestor, “The Bequest of John T. Ward,” which she hopes can be added to other unheralded tales of Black resistance that occurred during America’s antebellum period.
“Originally, I just wanted to write a 100-page story when I first began digging and was encouraged after I found a copy of a will dated 1827 which included him and was a rare example of a mass manumission,” Shanna Ward said. “Three of the slaves, including John’s grandfather, were given about 294 acres of land in the will, but all the former slaves were supposed to remain on the plantation until their 21st birthday. Some refused to remain. That’s how our family got to Ohio.”
Ward said she learned that newly freed Blacks, including her ancestors in Ohio, had to fend for themselves and often did so with amazing results given the obstacles they faced.
“In those days there were no civil rights organizations, and in local communities, Blacks formed and supported Black-owned businesses, took their own census recordings, and became involved in local politics – all without White involvement,” she said.
BOOK COVER: The cover of the book “The Bequest of John T. Ward,” written by Shanna Ward about her ancestor who, as a child, was granted his freedom in 1827 and went on to become a successful business owner in Ohio, a political activist, and a conductor on the historic Underground Railroad.
“There is part of Ohio where, during the days of slavery, if you successfully crossed the river you were free,” she said. “That was where Black life began – across the river in freedom. When we understand ourselves as more than property and uncover tales of survival which are the foundation of our legacy, then we can better understand who we are and what our ancestors endured. We are stronger than we are often led to believe.”
Efforts among African Americans to learn their family roots have increased over the past several decades, particularly given the success of the PBS documentary, “Finding Your Roots,” hosted and narrated by Harvard University professor Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr.
On the show’s website, Gates said he developed the show in 2012 in efforts to continue his quest to “get into the DNA of American culture.”
In each episode, celebrities view ancestral histories and share their emotional experience with viewers. Gates attributes the success of the show to a significant surge in interest among Black Americans in tracing their family roots and a desire to reconnect with ancestral history that was severed by slavery.
JOHN T. WARD: John T. Ward, the historic patriarch in a family whose roots can be traced to the days of slavery in Virginia, is the subject of a new book written by a member of his proud family, Shanna Ward, called “The Bequest of John T. Ward.”
“Advancements in DNA testing have increased accessibility of records and led to a cultural push to reclaim identity beyond the ‘brick wall’ of 1870,” said Gates who noted that the 1870 U.S. Census represents the first time former slaves were listed by name and, unfortunately, serves as the point where records of their lives often stop and cannot be traced any earlier.
In a recent paper published in the journal “American Anthropologist,” University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign anthropology professor LaKisha David posits that by using genetic genealogy, African Americans now have the real possibility of restoring family narratives that were disrupted, severed and destroyed by institutional slavery.
“For African Americans who have grown up with a sense of ancestral loss and disconnection, this reclamation of family history is deeply humanizing and healing,” she writes. “It replaces the genealogical unknown with tangible knowledge of ancestral histories and kinship ties.
“Identifying African ancestors and living relatives is an act of restorative justice. It is ultimately about (re)claiming the humanity, dignity, and agency of enslaved Africans and their descendants, which is an essential component of repairing the harms of slavery.”
Ward said by uncovering her family’s truth, she has established a platform for education and empowerment for herself, her children, and today’s youth.
“I realized how important it is to pass down our own stories to the next generation,” Ward said. “There’s so much our children need to know about the Underground Railroad, the quilt codes created by Black women, and other examples of unrecorded heroics and bravery exhibited by Black men and women. Their collective efforts led to the end of Jim Crow laws and the securing of equal rights in the U.S. Constitution for African Americans. If you look hard enough, I believe everyone has someone like Harriet Tubman or Frederick Douglass in their family.”
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Advocates Raise Alarm Over ICE Operation, MOU and Detention Risks in Baltimore County
THE AFRO — “This is highly problematic given many of the charges that land people in county correctional facilities to begin with are for misdemeanors of which they may not even ultimately be proven guilty and convicted,” said Cathryn Ann Paul Jackson, public policy director for We Are CASA. “It results in a subversion of the local criminal justice system as a means to further racial profiling and do ICE’s dirty work.”
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March 9, 2026By
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By Megan Sayles | AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com
As U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) operations intensify nationwide, community organizations have become the eyes and ears of their neighborhoods—monitoring the agency’s presence and alerting residents to protect themselves and their neighbors.
In Baltimore County, nonprofits like We Are CASA have observed a spectrum of enforcement actions.
“We have seen a range of activity, including traffic stops and ICE showing up in neighborhoods or in seeming response to tips,” said Cathryn Ann Paul Jackson, public policy director for We Are CASA. “Beyond actual ICE activity in Baltimore County, we have seen many detentions of Baltimore County residents across the DMV, as community members tend to travel across counties and cities for work.”
We Are CASA, a national nonprofit headquartered in Maryland, is dedicated to empowering and improving the quality of life for working-class Black, Latino, Afro-descendent, Indigenous and immigrant communities. Jackson’s personal connection to this mission led her to the organization. A daughter of immigrants from Guyana and Trinidad, she said she grew up witnessing firsthand how immigration policy can define families’ safety, opportunity and sense of belonging.
She said the locations and times of ICE operations in Baltimore County have varied over time.
“We have consistently seen ICE arrest people at their check-in appointments, which were ironically created as an alternative to detention and are now being abused to trap people into custody,” said Jackson. “For a period of time, we were witnessing a significant amount of arrests along the Baltimore-Washington Parkway by U.S. Park Police, who were using a previously rarely enforced law against driving commercial vehicles on this road as a pretext to profile immigrant drivers, detain them and hand them over to ICE.”
Last fall, Baltimore County entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ICE, removing the locality from the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) sanctuary jurisdictions list and formalizing a policy for notifying ICE before the release of inmates with federal immigration detainers or judge-signed warrants.
The agreement codified an existing practice within the Baltimore County Department of Corrections. The MOU is not a 287(g) agreement, which is a partnership between local law enforcement and ICE to delegate immigration enforcement authority to police officers. Those agreements were banned by the state of Maryland on Feb. 17.
However, Jackson criticized the policy memorialized in the MOU, saying that although it is carefully drafted to avoid legal violations, it effectively allows detention centers to hold people past their court-ordered release so that ICE can take them into custody.
“This is highly problematic given many of the charges that land people in county correctional facilities to begin with are for misdemeanors of which they may not even ultimately be proven guilty and convicted,” said Jackson. “It results in a subversion of the local criminal justice system as a means to further racial profiling and do ICE’s dirty work.”
Baltimore County has said it entered into the MOU in an effort to preserve its access to federal funding. The locality explained its reasoning on a FAQ page about its removal from the DOJ’s sanctuary jurisdictions list.
“Inclusion on DOJ’s list could risk significant federal funding, on which the county and constituents depend,” the entry read. “Signing the MOU ensures that the county avoids risks to federal funding that is used to provide needed services.”
Baltimore County’s removal is not unique, as neither Maryland nor any of its counties appear on the DOJ’s list. Still, community members worry that the county’s MOU with ICE could lead to wrongful detentions and the misidentification of residents.
Immigration detainers are not always confirmation of a person’s immigration status—or lack thereof. They are requests by ICE that can be issued without a judicial determination and do not, on their own, establish a person’s legal status.
“We’re very concerned about errors occurring here in the county because of the amped up nature of this mass deportation push,” said Patterson. “This is a replacement theory-driven immigration policy. That means that at the same time we are importing White South African Afrikaaners—who at one time essentially colonized South Africa and oppressed Black South Africans—we are fast deporting people of color. All of us who are the minority can be mistaken for ‘unlawful immigrants.’”
The recent escalation in Minneapolis has heightened Patterson’s concern. He said the city has effectively been made a battleground.
Patterson said the Baltimore County NAACP wants the public to recognize that ICE operates as a militarized organization, unlike local police. He urged people to consider avoiding areas where ICE is active whenever possible and to exercise caution if they encounter agents. If approached, Patterson stressed that people verify warrants are properly signed and directed at them, assert their right to remain silent and contact an attorney before answering questions or consenting to searches.
He also encouraged residents to notify the Baltimore County NAACP of any encounters with ICE.
“We don’t want to wait for Minnesota in Maryland before speaking out about this,” said Patterson. “We want to equip our people to protect themselves behaviorally, consciously and conscientiously because these things are coming to pass. The imprint is among us and we need, therefore, to be aware.”
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