# NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series

This article lists the winners and nominees for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series. Not to be confused with the Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special. Currently, Della Reese holds the record for most wins in the category with seven.

## Winners and nominees

Winners are listed first and highlighted in bold.

### 1970s

| Year | Actress | Series | Ref |
| 1970 |
| 1970 | Judy Pace | The Young Lawyers | |
| 1971 | | | |
| 1971 | Elena Verdugo | Marcus Welby, M.D. | |
| 1972 – 79 | — | — | — |

### 1980s

| Year | Actress | Series | Ref |
| 1980 |
| 1980 | Joan Pringle | The White Shadow | |
| 1981 | — | — | — |
| 1982 |
| 1982 | Cicely Tyson | The Marva Collins Story | |
| 1983 | | | |
| 1983 | Madge Sinclair | Trapper John, M.D. | |
| 1984 – 87 | — | — | — |
| 1988 |
| 1988 | Cicely Tyson | Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story | |
| 1989 | | | |
| 1989 | Alfre Woodard | Unnatural Causes | |
| 1989 | Anne-Marie Johnson | In the Heat of the Night | |
| 1989 | Beah Richards | Frank's Place | |
| 1989 | Holly Robinson | 21 Jump Street | |
| 1989 | Lynn Whitfield | Heartbeat | |

### 1990s

| Year | Actress | Series | Ref |
| 1990 |
| 1990 | Alfre Woodard | Mandela | |
| 1991 | — | — | — |
| 1992 |
| 1992 | Alfre Woodard | A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story | |
| 1993 | | | |
| 1993 | Lynn Whitfield | The Josephine Baker Story | |
| 1994 | | | |
| 1994 | Regina Taylor | I'll Fly Away | |
| 1994 | Della Reese | Picket Fences | |
| 1994 | Denise Nicholas | In the Heat of the Night | |
| 1994 | Hattie Winston | Homefront | |
| 1994 | Victoria Dillard | TriBeCa | |
| 1995 | — | — | — |
| 1996 |
| 1996 | Della Reese | Touched by an Angel | |
| 1996 | Vanessa Bell Calloway | Under One Roof | |
| 1996 | Victoria Rowell | Diagnosis: Murder | |
| 1996 | Cree Summer | Sweet Justice | |
| 1996 | Cicely Tyson | Sweet Justice | |
| 1997 | | | |
| 1997 | Della Reese | Touched by an Angel | |
| 1997 | S. Epatha Merkerson | Law & Order | |
| 1997 | Gloria Reuben | ER | |
| 1997 | Lauren Velez | New York Undercover | |
| 1997 | Vanessa Estelle Williams | Chicago Hope | |
| 1998 | | | |
| 1998 | Della Reese | Touched by an Angel | |
| 1998 | Vanessa Bell Calloway | Orleans | |
| 1998 | Shari Headley | 413 Hope St. | |
| 1998 | S. Epatha Merkerson | Law & Order | |
| 1998 | Lauren Velez | New York Undercover | |
| 1999 | | | |
| 1999 | Della Reese | Touched by an Angel | |
| 1999 | Victoria Rowell | Diagnosis: Murder | |
| 1999 | Rita Moreno | Oz | |
| 1999 | Lorraine Toussaint | Any Day Now | |
| 1999 | S. Epatha Merkerson | Law & Order | |

### 2000s

| Year | Actress | Series |
| 2000 |
| 2000 | Della Reese | Touched by an Angel |
| 2000 | Michael Michele | Homicide: Life on the Street |
| 2000 | Rita Moreno | Oz |
| 2000 | Victoria Rowell | Diagnosis: Murder |
| 2000 | Lorraine Toussaint | Any Day Now |
| 2001 | | |
| 2001 | Lorraine Toussaint | Any Day Now |
| 2001 | Nicole Ari Parker | Soul Food |
| 2001 | S. Epatha Merkerson | Law & Order |
| 2001 | Della Reese | Touched by an Angel |
| 2001 | Vanessa Estelle Williams | Soul Food |
| 2002 | | |
| 2002 | Della Reese | Touched by an Angel |
| 2002 | Nicole Ari Parker | Soul Food |
| 2002 | Loretta Devine | Boston Public |
| 2002 | Tangi Miller | Felicity |
| 2002 | Lorraine Toussaint | Any Day Now |
| 2003 | | |
| 2003 | Vanessa Estelle Williams | Soul Food |
| 2003 | Nicole Ari Parker | Soul Food |
| 2003 | C. C. H. Pounder | The Shield |
| 2003 | Lorraine Toussaint | Any Day Now |
| 2003 | Malinda Williams | Soul Food |
| 2004 | | |
| 2004 | Nia Long | Third Watch |
| 2004 | Nicole Ari Parker | Soul Food |
| 2004 | C. C. H. Pounder | The Shield |
| 2004 | Malinda Williams | Soul Food |
| 2004 | Vanessa Estelle Williams | Soul Food |
| 2005 | | |
| 2005 | Nia Long | Third Watch |
| 2005 | Nicole Ari Parker | Soul Food |
| 2005 | Vivica A. Fox | 1-800-Missing |
| 2005 | Malinda Williams | Soul Food |
| 2005 | Vanessa Estelle Williams | Soul Food |
| 2006 | | |
| 2006 | Vivica A. Fox | 1-800-Missing |
| 2006 | Khandi Alexander | CSI: Miami |
| 2006 | Kimberly Elise | Close to Home |
| 2006 | Marianne Jean-Baptiste | Without a Trace |
| 2006 | C. C. H. Pounder | The Shield |
| 2007 | | |
| 2007 | Kimberly Elise | Close to Home |
| 2007 | Jennifer Beals | The L Word |
| 2007 | C. C. H. Pounder | The Shield |
| 2007 | Roselyn Sanchez | Without a Trace |
| 2007 | Regina Taylor | The Unit |
| 2008 | | |
| 2008 | Regina Taylor | The Unit |
| 2008 | Jennifer Beals | The L Word |
| 2008 | Wendy Davis | Army Wives |
| 2008 | Nicki Micheaux | Lincoln Heights |
| 2008 | C. C. H. Pounder | The Shield |
| 2009 | | |
| 2009 | Chandra Wilson | Grey's Anatomy |
| 2009 | Wendy Davis | Army Wives |
| 2009 | Loretta Devine | Eli Stone |
| 2009 | Nicki Micheaux | Lincoln Heights |
| 2009 | C. C. H. Pounder | The Shield |

### 2010s

| Year | Actress | Series |
| 2010 |
| 2010 | Jada Pinkett Smith | HawthoRNe |
| 2010 | Regina King | Southland |
| 2010 | Sandra Oh | Grey's Anatomy |
| 2010 | Jill Scott | The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency |
| 2010 | Chandra Wilson | Grey's Anatomy |
| 2011 | | |
| 2011 | Regina King | Southland |
| 2011 | Wendy Davis | Army Wives |
| 2011 | Gugu Mbatha-Raw | Undercovers |
| 2011 | Jada Pinkett Smith | HawthoRNe |
| 2011 | Chandra Wilson | Grey's Anatomy |
| 2012 | | |
| 2012 | Regina King | Southland |
| 2012 | Khandi Alexander | Treme |
| 2012 | Taraji P. Henson | Person of Interest |
| 2012 | Sandra Oh | Grey's Anatomy |
| 2012 | Chandra Wilson | Grey's Anatomy |
| 2013 | | |
| 2013 | Kerry Washington | Scandal |
| 2013 | Khandi Alexander | Treme |
| 2013 | Regina King | Southland |
| 2013 | Sandra Oh | Grey's Anatomy |
| 2013 | Chandra Wilson | Grey's Anatomy |
| 2014 | | |
| 2014 | Kerry Washington | Scandal |
| 2014 | Khandi Alexander | Treme |
| 2014 | Nicole Beharie | Sleepy Hollow |
| 2014 | Regina King | Southland |
| 2014 | Chandra Wilson | Grey's Anatomy |
| 2015 | | |
| 2015 | Viola Davis | How to Get Away with Murder |
| 2015 | Nicole Beharie | Sleepy Hollow |
| 2015 | Octavia Spencer | Red Band Society |
| 2015 | Gabrielle Union | Being Mary Jane |
| 2015 | Kerry Washington | Scandal |
| 2016 | | |
| 2016 | Taraji P. Henson | Empire |
| 2016 | Nicole Beharie | Sleepy Hollow |
| 2016 | Viola Davis | How to Get Away with Murder |
| 2016 | Gabrielle Union | Being Mary Jane |
| 2016 | Kerry Washington | Scandal |
| 2017 | | |
| 2017 | Taraji P. Henson | Empire |
| 2017 | Viola Davis | How to Get Away with Murder |
| 2017 | Jurnee Smollett-Bell | Underground |
| 2017 | Kerry Washington | Scandal |
| 2017 | Rutina Wesley | Queen Sugar |
| 2018 | | |
| 2018 | Taraji P. Henson | Empire |
| 2018 | Jurnee Smollett-Bell | Underground |
| 2018 | Kerry Washington | Scandal |
| 2018 | Rutina Wesley | Queen Sugar |
| 2018 | Viola Davis | How to Get Away with Murder |
| 2019 | | |
| 2019 | Taraji P. Henson | Empire |
| 2019 | Alfre Woodard | Luke Cage |
| 2019 | Naturi Naughton | Power |
| 2019 | Viola Davis | How to Get Away with Murder |
| 2019 | Rutina Wesley | Queen Sugar |

### 2020s

| Year | Actress | Series |
| 2020 |
| 2020 | Angela Bassett | 9-1-1 |
| 2020 | Viola Davis | How to Get Away with Murder |
| 2020 | Regina King | Watchmen |
| 2020 | Simone Missick | All Rise |
| 2020 | Rutina Wesley | Queen Sugar |
| 2021 | | |
| 2021 | Viola Davis | How to Get Away with Murder |
| 2021 | Angela Bassett | 9-1-1 |
| 2021 | Simone Missick | All Rise |
| 2021 | Jurnee Smollett | Lovecraft Country |
| 2021 | Brandee Evans | P-Valley |
| 2022 | | |
| 2022 | Angela Bassett | 9-1-1 |
| 2022 | Dawn-Lyen Gardner | Queen Sugar |
| 2022 | Octavia Spencer | Truth Be Told |
| 2022 | Queen Latifah | The Equalizer (2021 TV series) |
| 2022 | Rutina Wesley | Queen Sugar |
| 2023 | | |
| 2023 | Angela Bassett | 9-1-1 |
| 2023 | Brandee Evans | P-Valley |
| 2023 | Queen Latifah | The Equalizer (2021 TV series) |
| 2023 | Rutina Wesley | Queen Sugar |
| 2023 | Zendaya | Euphoria |
| 2024 | | |
| 2024 | India Amarteifio | Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story |
| 2024 | Angela Bassett | 9-1-1 |
| 2024 | Octavia Spencer | Truth Be Told |
| 2024 | Queen Latifah | The Equalizer |
| 2024 | Zoe Saldaña | Special Ops: Lioness |