# 39th NAACP Image Awards

The 39th NAACP Image Awards, presented by the NAACP, honored outstanding representations and achievements of people of color in motion pictures, television, music, and literature during the 2007 calendar year. The ceremony was hosted by comedian D. L. Hughley and aired on February 14, 2008, on Fox.

## Nominations

The nominations were announced on January 8, 2008, at The Beverly Hilton Hotel by Richard T. Jones, Kevin Frazier, Mara Brock Akil, Dennis Hayes and awards chair Clayola Brown. The Great Debaters received the most nominations in the Motion Picture categories with a total of eight.
All nominees are listed below, with the winners listed first in boldface.

## Special Awards

| Hall of Fame Inductee | Chairman's Award | Vanguard Award | President's Award |
| Stevie Wonder | Ruby Dee | Aretha Franklin | Donald Sterling |

## Motion Picture

| Outstanding Motion Picture | Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture |
| The Great Debaters American Gangster I Am Legend Talk To Me Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? | Kasi Lemmons – Talk To Me Denzel Washington – The Great Debaters Preston Whitmore – This Christmas Sunu Gonera – Pride Sylvain White – Stomp the Yard |
| Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture | Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture |
| Denzel Washington – The Great Debaters Columbus Short – Stomp The Yard Don Cheadle – Talk To Me Terrence Howard – Pride Will Smith – I Am Legend | Jurnee Smollett – The Great Debaters Angelina Jolie – A Mighty Heart Halle Berry – Things We Lost in the Fire Jill Scott – Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? Taraji P. Henson – Talk To Me |
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture |
| Denzel Whitaker – The Great Debaters Chiwetel Ejiofor – Talk To Me Forest Whitaker – The Great Debaters Nate Parker – The Great Debaters Tyler Perry – Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? | Janet Jackson – Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? Loretta Devine – This Christmas Meagan Good – Stomp The Yard Queen Latifah – Hairspray Ruby Dee – American Gangster |
| Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture | Outstanding Independent or Foreign Motion Picture |
| Michael Genet and Rick Famuyiwa – Talk To Me John Sayles – Honeydripper Richard LaGravenese – Freedom Writers Robert Eisele – The Great Debaters Steve Zaillian – American Gangster | Honeydripper A Mighty Heart Dirty Laundry My Brother Persepolis |

## Television series and streaming
### Drama

Outstanding Drama Series :
| Grey's Anatomy House K-Ville Lincoln Heights The Unit ||
| Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series | Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series |
| Hill Harper – CSI: NY Anthony Anderson – K-Ville Dennis Haysbert – The Unit Jesse L. Martin – Law & Order Jimmy Smits – Cane | Regina Taylor – The Unit CCH Pounder – The Shield Jennifer Beals – The L Word Nicki Micheaux – Lincoln Heights Wendy Davis – Army Wives |
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series |
| Omar Epps – House Blair Underwood – Dirty Sexy Money James Pickens Jr. – Grey's Anatomy Mekhi Phifer – ER Taye Diggs – Private Practice | Chandra Wilson – Grey's Anatomy Audra McDonald – Private Practice Marianne Jean-Baptiste – Without A Trace Pam Grier – The L Word S. Epatha Merkerson – Law & Order |
| Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series | Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series |
| Kristoff St. John – The Young And The Restless Bryton McClure – The Young And The Restless Kamar de los Reyes – One Life to Live Mykel Shannon Jenkins – The Bold and the Beautiful Tobias Truvillion – One Life to Live | Christel Khalil – The Young And The Restless Brook Kerr – Passions Nazanin Boniadi – General Hospital Tika Sumpter – One Life to Live Tracey Ross – Passions |
| Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series | Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series |
| Shonda Rhimes and Krista Vernoff – Grey's Anatomy: "A Change is Gonna Come" Janine Sherman Barrois – ER: "Breach of Trust" Kathleen McGhee-Anderson and Anthony Sparks – Lincoln Heights: "The Vision" Natalie Chaidez – Heroes: "The Fix" Shonda Rhimes – Private Practice: "In Which We Meet Addison, A Nice Girl From Somewhere Else" | Seith Mann – Friday Night Lights: "Are You Ready For Friday Night?" Darnell Martin – Law & Order: Criminal Intent: "Bombshell" Kevin Hooks – Lincoln Heights: "Pilot" Paris Barclay – CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: "Meet Market" Roxanne Dawson – Heroes: "Run" |

### Comedy

Outstanding Comedy Series :
| Tyler Perry's House of Payne 30 Rock Everybody Hates Chris Girlfriends Ugly Betty ||
| Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series |
| LaVan Davis – Tyler Perry's House of Payne Donald Faison – Scrubs Dulé Hill – Psych Reggie Hayes – Girlfriends Tyler James Williams – Everybody Hates Chris | America Ferrera – Ugly Betty Golden Brooks – Girlfriends Tia Mowry – The Game Tichina Arnold – Everybody Hates Chris Tracee Ellis Ross – Girlfriends |
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series |
| Lance Gross – Tyler Perry's House of Payne Blair Underwood – The New Adventures of Old Christine Romany Malco – Weeds Terry Crews – Everybody Hates Chris Tracy Morgan – 30 Rock | Vanessa L. Williams – Ugly Betty Keesha Sharp – Girlfriends Tonye Patano – Weeds Vivica A. Fox – Curb Your Enthusiasm Wendy Raquel Robinson – The Game |
| Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series | Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series |
| Ali LeRoi – Everybody Hates Chris: "Everybody Hates Guidance Counselor" Karen Gist – Girlfriends: "Spree To Be Free" Mindy Kaling – The Office: "Branch Wars" Sara Finney-Johnson – The Game: "The Big Chill" Silvio Horta – Ugly Betty: "A Nice Day for a Posh Wedding" | Ken Whittingham – The Office: "Phyllis' Wedding" Ali LeRoi – Everybody Hates Chris: "Everybody Hates Baseball" Millicent Shelton – Everybody Hates Chris: "Everybody Hates the Substitute" Salim Akil – Girlfriends: "To Be Determined" and "It’s Been Determined" Seith Mann – Entourage: "The Dream Team" |

### Television movie, limited-series or dramatic special

Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special :
| Life Support The Bronx is Burning Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee Five Days The List ||
| Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special | Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special |
| Wendell Pierce – Life Support Adam Beach – Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee Daniel Sunjata – The Bronx is Burning Evan Ross – Life Support Wayne Brady – The List | Queen Latifah – Life Support Anika Noni Rose – The Starter Wife Holly Robinson Peete – Matters of Life and Dating S. Epatha Merkerson – Girl, Positive Sydney Tamiia Poitier – The List |

### Other

| Outstanding News/Information – Series or Special | Outstanding Talk (Series) |
| In Conversation: The Senator Barack Obama Interview American Gangster American Morning: MLK Papers Dr. Sonja Gupta: Saving Your Life Good Morning America: Breast Cancer Mission | Tavis Smiley: 'Crisis in Darfur' Judge Mathis Our World with Black Enterprise Real Time with Bill Maher The Tyra Banks Show |
| Outstanding Reality Series | Outstanding Variety – Series or Special |
| Run's House 4 American Idol America's Next Top Model Dancing with the Stars Extreme Makeover: Home Edition | Celebration of Gospel '07 2007 VH1 Hip-Hop Honors An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Aretha Franklin BET Awards Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry |
| Outstanding Children's Program | Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-series) |
| That's So Raven Cory in the House Dora the Explorer Go, Diego, Go! High School Musical 2 | Raven-Symoné – That's So Raven Andre Benjamin – Class of 3000 Kathleen Herles – Dora the Explorer Kyle Massey – Cory in the House Lil' JJ – Just Jordan |
| Outstanding Documentary (Theatrical or Television) | |
| Darfur Now Bastards of the Party Desert Bayou Price of Sugar Sicko | |

## Recording

| Outstanding Album | Outstanding New Artist |
| Alicia Keys – As I Am Chris Brown – Exclusive Kanye West – Graduation Mary J. Blige – Growing Pains Seal – System | Jordin Sparks Chrisette Michele Corbin Bleu J. Holiday Sean Kingston |
| Outstanding Male Artist | Outstanding Female Artist |
| Chris Brown Common Kanye West Prince Seal | Alicia Keys Aretha Franklin Beyoncé Jill Scott Mary J. Blige |
| Outstanding Song | Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration |
| Like You’ll Never See Me Again – Alicia Keys Beautiful Flower – India Arie Just Fine – Mary J. Blige Stronger – Kanye West Umbrella – Rihanna feat. Jay-Z | Eddie Levert and Gerald Levert Aretha Franklin (feat. Fantasia) Bow Wow and Omarion Sounds of Blackness Stephen Marley and Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley |
| Outstanding Music Video | Outstanding World Music Album |
| Like You’ll Never See Me Again – Alicia Keys Beautiful Liar – Beyoncé Just Fine – Mary J. Blige Show Me – John Legend Stronger – Kanye West | Angelique Kidjo – Djin Djin Habib Koité – Afriki Various Artists – Putumayo Presents: World Hits Shiko Mawatu – Kimbanda Nzila Youssou N'Dour – Rokku Mi Rokka |
| Outstanding Gospel Artist (Traditional or Contemporary) | Outstanding Jazz Artist |
| Kirk Franklin Marvin Winans Mavis Staples Sounds of Blackness Yolanda Adams | Herbie Hancock Dee Dee Bridgewater Kirk Whalum Patti Austin Randy Crawford and Joe Sample |

## Literature

| Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction | Outstanding Literary Work – Nonfiction |
| Blonde Faith – Walter Mosley The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao – Junot Diaz Cion: A Novel – Zakes Mda Knots – Nuruddin Farah New England White: A Novel – Stephen L. Carter | Not on Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond – Don Cheadle and John Prendergast An Unbroken Agony – Randall Robinson Brother, I’m Dying – Edwidge Danticat Know What I Mean?: Reflections on Hip-Hop – Michael Eric Dyson Race and Racism in the Chinas: Chinese Racial Attitudes Toward Africans and African-Americans – M. Dujon Johnson |
| Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author | Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/Auto-Biography |
| The Women Who Raised Me: A Memoir – Victoria Rowell The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears – Dinaw Mengestu Grace Will Lead Me Home – Robin Givens Like Trees, Walking – Ravi Howard A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier – Ishmael Beah | Obama: From Promise to Power – David Mendell I Got Your Back: A Father and Son Keep it Real About Love, Fatherhood, Family, and Friendship – Eddie Levert Sr., Gerald Levert and Lyah Leflore My Grandfather's Son – Clarence Thomas Silent Gesture: The Autobiography of Tommie Smith – Tommie Smith and David Steele The Women Who Raised Me: A Memoir – Victoria Rowell |
| Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional | Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry |
| The Covenant in Action – Tavis Smiley Do You!: 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success – Russell Simmons Get Yours!: The Girlfriends’ Guide to Having Everything You Ever Dreamed of and More – Amy Dubois Barnett Reposition Yourself: Living Life Without Limits – T. D. Jakes This Year You Write Your Novel – Walter Mosley | Acolytes: Poems – Nikki Giovanni Duende – Tracy K. Smith Eloquence: Rhythm and Renaissance – Usi Ku Quiver of Arrows – Carl Phillips Selected Poems – Derek Walcott |
| Outstanding Literary Work – Children | Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens |
| Nothing but Trouble: The Story of Althea Gibson – Sue Stauffacher (Author); Greg Couch (Illustrator) A Friendship for Today – Patricia C. McKissack Elijah of Buxton – Christopher Paul Curtis Let it Shine: Three Favorite Spirituals – Ashley Bryan Young Pele: Soccer's First Star – Lesa Cline-Ransome (Author); James Ransome (Illustrator) | More Than Entertainers: An Inspirational Black Career Guide – Charles B. Schooler (Author); Gary Young (Illustrator) Body Drama – Nancy Redd Center for Cartoon Studies Presents: Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow – James Sturm (Author); Rich Tommaso (Illustrator) Divine Confidential – Jacquelin Thomas The Shadow Speaker – Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu |