# NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Variety – Series or Special

This article lists the winners and nominees for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Variety – Series or Special. Currently An Evening of Stars: Tribute to and Black Girls Rock! hold the record for most wins in this category with three each.

## Winners and nominees

Winners are listed first and highlighted in bold.

### 1980s

| Year | Series / Special |
| 1988 |
| 1988 | An All-Star Celebration Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. |
| 1989 | |
| 1989 | It's Showtime at the Apollo |
| 1989 | Ebony-Jet Showcase |
| 1989 | Robert Townsend and his Partners in Crime: Part 2 |
| 1989 | The Debbie Allen Special |

### 1990s

| Year | Series / Special | Ref |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1991 |
| 1991 | It's Showtime at the Apollo | |
| 1992 | | |
| 1992 | Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration | |
| 1993 |
| 1993 | The Arsenio Hall Show | |
| 1994 – 95 | — | — |
| 1996 |
| 1996 | The 1995 Essence Awards | |
| 1996 | Aretha Franklin: Going Home | |
| 1996 | Oprah Hangs at Q's Jook Joint | |
| 1996 | Showtime at the Apollo | |
| 1996 | Sinbad's Summer Jam | |
| 1997 | | |
| 1997 | Celebrate the Dream: 50 Years of Ebony Magazine | |
| 1997 | The 1996 Essence Awards | |
| 1997 | Centennial Olympic Games: Opening Ceremonies | |
| 1997 | Chris Rock: Bring the Pain | |
| 1997 | Sinbad's Summer Jam II: '70s Soul Music Festival | |
| 1998 |
| 1998 | Sinbad's Summer Jam III: '70s Soul Music Festival | |
| 1998 | The 1997 Essence Awards | |
| 1998 | The Chris Rock Show | |
| 1998 | MTV Unplugged | |
| 1998 | Showtime at the Apollo | |
| 1999 | | |
| 1999 | Sinbad's Summer Jam IV: '70s Soul Music Festival | |
| 1999 | The Chris Rock Show | |
| 1999 | Savion Glover – Stomp, Slide & Swing | |
| 1999 | Showtime at the Apollo | |
| 1999 | The Velvet Rope Tour – Live in Concert | |

### 2000s

| Year | Series / Special |
| 2000 |
| 2000 | The 1999 Essence Awards |
| 2000 | Chris Rock: Bigger & Blacker |
| 2000 | D. L. Hughley: Goin' Home |
| 2000 | Great Performances |
| 2000 | Soul Music Festival: Part 5 |
| 2001 | |
| 2001 | The 2000 Essence Awards |
| 2001 | BET's 6th Annual Walk of Fame: A Tribute to Luther Vandross |
| 2001 | BET 20th Anniversary Special |
| 2001 | The Chris Rock Show |
| 2001 | MADtv |
| 2002 | |
| 2002 | Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration |
| 2002 | The 2001 Essence Awards |
| 2002 | Access Granted |
| 2002 | BET Testimony |
| 2002 | VH1 Divas Live: The One and Only Aretha Franklin |
| 2003 | |
| 2003 | BET's 8th Annual Walk of Fame: A Tribute to Stevie Wonder |
| 2003 | The 2002 Essence Awards |
| 2003 | Behind the Music |
| 2003 | Cedric the Entertainer Presents |
| 2003 | Def Poetry Jam |
| 2004 | |
| 2004 | The 2003 Essence Awards |
| 2004 | BET Awards 2003 |
| 2004 | The 11th Annual Trumpet Awards |
| 2004 | Chappelle's Show |
| 2004 | Def Poetry Jam |
| 2005 | |
| 2005 | Genius: A Night for Ray Charles |
| 2005 | American Idol |
| 2005 | Chris Rock: Never Scared |
| 2005 | Dave Chappelle: For What It's Worth |
| 2005 | Def Poetry Jam |
| 2006 | |
| 2006 | BET Awards 2005 |
| 2006 | The 77th Annual Academy Awards |
| 2006 | The Black Movie Awards |
| 2006 | Def Poetry Jam |
| 2006 | Mo'Nique's Fat Chance |
| 2007 | |
| 2007 | An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Stevie Wonder |
| 2007 | The 2006 Black Movie Awards |
| 2007 | BET Awards 2006 |
| 2007 | Cedric the Entertainer: Taking You Higher |
| 2007 | Jamie Foxx: Unpredictable |
| 2008 | |
| 2008 | Celebration of Gospel '07 |
| 2008 | 4th Annual VH1 Hip-Hop Honors |
| 2008 | BET Awards 2007 |
| 2008 | An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Aretha Franklin |
| 2008 | Def Poetry Jam |
| 2009 | |
| 2009 | An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Smokey Robinson |
| 2009 | BET Awards 2008 |
| 2009 | American Idol |
| 2009 | Chris Rock: Kill the Messenger |
| 2009 | Def Poetry Jam |

### 2010s

| Year | Series / Special |
| 2010 |
| 2010 | Michael Jackson Memorial |
| 2010 | BET Awards 2009 |
| 2010 | The Mark Twain Prize: Bill Cosby |
| 2010 | Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me |
| 2010 | We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial |
| 2011 | |
| 2011 | An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Lionel Richie |
| 2011 | The BET Honors 2010 |
| 2011 | Beyoncé: I Am... World Tour |
| 2011 | Black Girls Rock! |
| 2011 | TV One Night Only: Live from the Essence Music Festival |
| 2012 | |
| 2012 | Oprah Presents: Master Class |
| 2012 | BET Awards 2011 |
| 2012 | An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Chaka Khan |
| 2012 | Black Girls Rock! |
| 2012 | Prince! Behind the Symbol |
| 2013 | |
| 2013 | Black Girls Rock! |
| 2013 | The First Graduating Class: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls |
| 2013 | Oprah's Master Class |
| 2013 | Oprah and the Legendary Cast of 'Roots' 35 Years Later |
| 2013 | Verses & Flow |
| 2014 | |
| 2014 | Black Girls Rock! |
| 2014 | 12 Years a Slave: A TV One Special with Cathy Hughes |
| 2014 | Key & Peele |
| 2014 | Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth |
| 2014 | Oprah's Master Class |
| 2015 | |
| 2015 | Oprah's Master Class |
| 2015 | BET Awards 2014 |
| 2015 | Family Feud |
| 2015 | On the Run Tour: Beyoncé and Jay Z |
| 2015 | UNCF An Evening of Stars |
| 2016 | |
| 2016 | Family Feud |
| 2016 | Black Girls Rock! |
| 2016 | The Daily Show with Trevor Noah |
| 2016 | The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore |
| 2016 | Oprah's Master Class |
| 2017 | |
| 2017 | Black Girls Rock! |
| 2017 | Celebrity Family Feud |
| 2017 | The Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards 2016 |
| 2017 | Beyoncé: Lemonade |
| 2017 | Lip Sync Battle |
| 2018 | |
| 2018 | Lip Sync Battle |
| 2018 | Black Girls Rock! |
| 2018 | Dave Chappelle: The Age of Spin & Deep in the Heart of Texas |
| 2018 | Def Comedy Jam 25 |
| 2018 | Saturday Night Live |
| 2019 | |
| 2019 | Black Girls Rock! |
| 2019 | 2 Dope Queens |
| 2019 | Bruno Mars: 24K Magic Live at the Apollo |
| 2019 | Saturday Night Live |
| 2019 | Trevor Noah: Son of Patricia |

### 2020s

| Year | Series / Special |
| 2020 |
| 2020 | Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé |
| 2020 | Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones |
| 2020 | Black Girls Rock! |
| 2020 | Saturday Night Live |
| 2020 | Wanda Sykes: Not Normal |
| 2021 | |
| 2021 | Verzuz |
| 2021 | 8:46 |
| 2021 | Black Is King |
| 2021 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion |
| 2021 | Yvonne Orji: Mommma I Made It! |