Keke Palmer took home the Entertainer of the Year award at the 56th NAACP Image Awards on Saturday, celebrating her standout year in entertainment.
Palmer starred in the 2025 tragicomedy film One of Them Days alongside R&B artist SZA and actor Katt Williams, a film that has earned critical acclaim with a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics have particularly praised Palmer’s performance as a highlight of the film.
“It’s so important that we come here together and celebrate one another,” Palmer said during her acceptance speech in Los Angeles. “Nobody has uplifted me more than you, all the people in this room.”
A Career Defined by Versatility
Palmer, an Emmy-winning actor, first gained national recognition for her role in the 2006 film Akeelah and the Bee. She later became a household name as the star of the Nickelodeon series True Jackson, VP (2008).
The NAACP Image Awards, organized by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, are considered the highest honors celebrating Black excellence in entertainment.
Kamala Harris Honored with Chairman’s Award
Former Vice President Kamala Harris also received a major accolade at the event, earning the Chairman’s Award, which is given to individuals who “excel in public service and use their platforms to drive meaningful change.”
Harris, who lost to President Donald Trump in the 2024 election, took the stage to a standing ovation.
“While we have no illusions about what we are up against in this chapter of our American story, this chapter will be written not simply by whoever occupies the Oval Office nor by the wealthiest among us,” Harris said, in a veiled reference to Trump and billionaire ally Elon Musk.
“The American story will be written by you, written by us—by we, the people.”
