Viola Davis receives prestigious Chairman’s prize at NAACP Image Awards

viola davis accepted the Chairman’s Award at the 57th NAACP Image Awards on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in Pasadena, Calif., and used her remarks to center self-worth, resilience and collective progress. She told the audience that personal and national growth require confronting truth and hardship.

Viola Davis crowned on the Image Awards stage

Onstage in Pasadena, Viola Davis took the Chairman’s Award and delivered what was described as a powerful speech about facing difficult realities. The ceremony included a range of honorees; Michael B. Jordan accepted the award for Entertainer of the Year, Colman Domingo accepted the President’s Award, and the group Salt-N-Pepa received the Hall of Fame award.

Photos from the event show Davis accepting the Chairman’s Award during the 57th NAACP Image Awards. Her speech threaded themes of self-worth and resilience, and she framed those ideas as necessary to move both individuals and the nation forward by confronting truth and hardship. A separate headline from the event highlighted a line delivered during the evening: "Our Crown Has Already Been Bought, All We Have to Do Is Wear It. "

Wins, speeches and moments from Pasadena

The awards night also featured Samuel L. Jackson, who spoke about Rev. Jesse Jackson during the ceremony. Colman Domingo’s acceptance of the President’s Award and Salt-N-Pepa’s Hall of Fame tribute were among the evening’s other notable moments, underscoring a mix of career honors and spoken reflections.

viola davis’s remarks focused on confronting hardship as a precursor to growth; that through acknowledging difficult truths people can claim dignity and progress. The chairman’s prize recognized her contributions onstage that night and tied to the broader themes emphasized across multiple speeches at the event.