The 50th Annual NAACP Image Awards will air live on TV One March 30 at 9/8c p.m.

The star-studded event will be held at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, California to honor people of color in the film, television, music and literature and those who promote social justice through creative endeavors.

Anthony Anderson, (TV?s ?Black-ish?) will serve as host once again.

The NAACP Image Awards decided to stand apart this year and air their show after the traditional Awards Season, notably to celebrate its milestone 50th Anniversary.

Among the many highlights at this year?s show will be the presentation of the 2019 NAACP President?s Award to music mogul Jay-Z.

The President?s Award is given in recognition of a special achievement and distinguished public service. Past recipients have included: Danny Glover, Spike Lee, Lauryn Hill, Ella Fitzgerald and John Legend among many others.

NAACP President Derrick Johnson said Shawn Carter, aka Jay-Z was chosen to receive the President?s Award because of his ongoing commitment to shed light on the issues that plague the black community including systematic racism and unjust treatment under the law. Jay-Z has also utilized his global platform to create everlasting change. There is no better time than now, as we celebrate our 50th year, to honor him with this award.?

Congresswoman Maxine Waters will receive the NAACP Chairman?s Award. Veteran radio host Tom Joyner will be presented with the Vanguard Award.

Being recognized among such an illustrious and respected group people isn?t lost on Sacramento filmmaker Deon Taylor. Taylor?s 2018 movie ?Traffik? is nominated for ?Outstanding Independent Motion Picture.?

During a recent phone interview with N2Entertainment.net Taylor said he?s extremely proud that the NAACP recognized and is honoring the film. ?It was a surreal moment to get the news,? said Taylor. I was very humbled by it and cried some real tears. I?ve been hustling and doing this independent movie making thing for more than 14 years now and my production crew and I never looked for anyone to pat us on the back, but I?ll tell you it?s really special to get this honor from the NAACP Image Awards.?

Taylor has some stiff competition in the ?Outstanding Independent Motion Picture? category too. The other movies nominated are: ?BlacKkKlansman,? ?If Beale Street Could Talk,? ?Nappily Ever After? and ?Sorry to Bother You.?

?Listen, I feel we?ve already won,? said Taylor. ?It was a risk to do a movie about human trafficking. ?When the movie came out we were surprised by the support we received. The topic became even more of a hot button issue.

So, the movie really helped bring awareness to the issue from the local level particularly right in the Sacramento neighborhood where I live.

Not one to rest on his laurels, Taylor just finished production on his upcoming movie, ?The Intruder? which opens nationwide May 3. The film, which Taylor says is a psychological thriller? was shot in Napa and Sacramento, California as well as Canada. ?The Intruder? stars Meagan Good, Dennis Quaid and Michael Ealy.

N2Entertainment.net will feature another preview/review article on Taylor and ?The Intruder? prior to the film?s May 3 opening.

In the meantime, take a look at the list of nominees for the 50th Annual NAACP Image Awards. N2Entertainment.net was proud to be chosen again to serve as a Nominating Committee Member for the NAACP Image Awards. The nominees we voted for and would like to see win are in bold.

Editor?s Note: Be sure to tune in to The 50th Annual NAACP Image Awards March 30 at 9/8c on TV One.

TELEVISION CATEGORIES:

Outstanding Comedy Series:
?Atlanta?
?black-ish?
?Dear White People?
?grown-ish?
?Insecure?

Outstanding Actor In A Comedy:
Anthony Anderson, ?black-ish?
Cedric the Entertainer, ?The Neighborhood?
Donald Glover, ?Atlanta?
Dwayne Johnson, ?Ballers?
Tracy Morgan, ?The Last O.G.?

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy
Danielle Brooks, ?Orange Is the New Black?
Issa Rae, ?Insecure?
Logan Browning, ?Dear White People?
Tracee Ellis Ross, ?black-ish?
Yara Shahidi, ?grown-ish?

Outstanding Drama Series
?How to Get Away With Murder?
?Power?
?Queen Sugar?
?The Chi?
?This Is Us?

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy
Jason Mitchell, ?The Chi?
Keith David, ?Greenleaf?
Kofi Siriboe, ?Queen Sugar?
Omari Hardwick, ?Power?
Sterling K. Brown, ?This Is Us?

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy
Alfre Woodard, ?Marvel's Luke Cage?
Naturi Naughton, ?Power?
Rutina Wesley, ?Queen Sugar?
Taraji P. Henson, ?Empire?
Viola Davis, ?How to Get Away with Murder?

Outstanding TV Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special
?Behind the Movement?
?Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert?
?Seven Seconds?
?The Bobby Brown Story?
?The Simone Biles Story: Courage to Soar?

FILM CATEGORIES:

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Chadwick Boseman, ?Black Panther?
Michael B. Jordan, ?Creed 2?
Denzel Washington, ?The Equalizer 2?
John David Washington, ?BlacKkKlansman?
Stephan James, ?If Beale Street Could Talk?

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Amandla Stenberg, ?The Hate U Give?
Constance Wu, ?Crazy Rich Asians?
Kiki Layne, ?If Beale Street Could Talk?
Sanaa Lathan, ?Nappily Ever After?
Viola Davis, ?Widows?

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Brian Tyree Henry, ?If Beale Street Could Talk?
Mahershala Ali, ?Green Book?
Michael B. Jordan, ?Black Panther?
Russell Hornsby, ?The Hate U Give?
Winston Duke, ?Black Panther?

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Danai Gurira, ?Black Panther?
Letitia Wright, ?Black Panther?
Lupita Nyong'o, ?Black Panther?
Regina Hall, ?The Hate U Give?
Regina King, ?If Beale Street Could Talk?

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
?BlacKkKlansman?
?If Beale Street Could Talk?
?Nappily Ever After?
?Sorry to Bother You?
?Traffik?

RECORDING CATEGORIES:

Outstanding Male Artist
Bruno Mars
John Legend
Childish Gambino
Major
Raheem DeVaughn

Outstanding Female Artist
Andra Day
Ella Mai
H.E.R.
Janelle Monae
Janet Jackson

Outstanding New Artist
Ella Mai
Jade Novah
Koryn Hawthorne
Omar Wilson
Tory Lanez

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration
"A Good Night," John Legend feat. Bloodpop
"All the Stars," Kendrick Lamar and SZA
"Could've Been," H.E.R. and Bryson Tiller
"Finesse Remix," Bruno Mars, feat. Cardi B
"Everything Is Love," The Carters

Outstanding Album
?Dirty Computer,? Janelle Monae
?Ella Mai,? Ella Mai
?Even More,? Major
?Everything Is Love,? The Carters
?I Used To Know Her: The Prelude,? H.E.R.

Editor?s Note: Be sure to tune in to The 50th Annual NAACP Image Awards March 30 at 9/8c on TV One.
Some information used in this article obtained from TV One.