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The first GLAAD Media Awards were held on April 29, 1990, at the Time & Life Building in New York City. Thirty-one years later, the award ceremony will look a bit different this April when the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation takes things virtual as they “recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community and the issues that affect their lives.”
GLAAD is partnering with Google to exclusively premiere the ceremony on the alliance’s YouTube channel on Thursday, April 8 at 8 pm ET. And for the first time ever, the virtual ceremony will also stream on Hulu immediately after at 10 pm ET. Among 198 nominees this year are The Old Guard starring Kiki Layne, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom starring the late Chadwick Boseman, and ESSENCE’s own cover story “Why Billy Porter is a National Treasure” written by Tre’vell Anderson.
As we eagerly await the news of the winners from the 32nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards, which will be hosted by Niecy Nash, we’re taking a look back at the Black honorees who have been recognized for the committment to inclusion over the years.
01
The Women of Brewster Place
This 1989 miniseries starring Robin Givens, Oprah Winfrey and Jackée Harry was awarded with Outstanding TV Movie or Mini-Series at the first annual GLAAD Media Awards in 1990.
02
Roc
‘Roc’ starring Charles S. Dutton was awarded with the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comedy Episode at the 3rd annual awards in 1992.
03
Denzel Washington
Washington was honored for the 1993 trial drama Philadelphia co-starring Tom Hanks as Andrew Beckett.
04
Oprah Winfrey
Her self-titled talk show was honored at the 9th annual GLAAD Media Awards four Outstanding Talk Show Episode in 1998. She was awarded the same honor at the 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th annual GLAAD Media Awards in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007.
05
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg was awarded with the GLAAD Vanguard Award at the 10th annual ceremony.
06
RuPaul
At the 10th annual GLAAD Media Awards, RuPaul was awarded with the Vito Russo Award, which is presented to an openly LGBT media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equality for the LGBT community.
07
Paris Barclay
At the 12th annual GLAAD Media Awards, Paris Barclay was awarded with the Stephen F. Kolzack Award, which was named in honor of the Los Angeles casting director who devoted the last part of his life to fighting homophobia and AIDS-phobia within the entertainment industry.
08
Leonard Pitts, Jr.
Commentator and journalist Leonard Pitts was honored at the 14th annual GLAAD Media Awards for Outstanding Newspaper Columnist.
09
Patti LaBelle
At the 18th annual GLAAD Media Awards in 2007, LaBelle was awarded with the ‘Excellence in Media’ honor.
10
Janet Jackson
The ‘Velvet Rope’ singer was awarded with the GLAAD Vanguard Award at the 19th annual ceremony.
11
The DL Chronicles
The DL Chronicles won a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Television Movie or Mini-Series in 2008.
12
Tyra Banks
‘The Tyra Banks Show’ host was awarded at the 20th annual GLAAD Media Awards for ‘Excellence in Media’
13
Sean “Diddy” Combs
The original Bad Boy won a GLAAD Award at the 20th annual show for his reality television series, ‘I Want to Work for Diddy’
14
Wig Out!
Wig Out!, written by Tarrell Alvin McCraney, was awarded with GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding New York Theater: Broadway and Off-Broadway
15
‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’
Not only was the VH1 show nominated for Outstanding RuPaul’s Drag Race, but RuPaul himself was nominated for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program. ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race Untucked’ also earned an Emmy nod for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program.
16
Wanda Sykes
Sykes received the Stephen F. Kolzak Award at the 21st annual ceremony.
17
Colman Domingo
Domingo won a GLAAD award for Outstanding New York Theater: Broadway & Off–Broadway for A Boy and His Soul
18
Lee Daniels
Daniels received the GLAAD Davidson/Valenti Award at the 21st annual GLAAD Media Awards.
19
Aisha Mills and Danielle Moodie
Written by ESSENCE’s own Bobbi Misick, Aisha Mills and Danielle Moodie were captured and awarded the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Digital Journalism – Multimedia in 2011.
20
Shonda Rhimes
The ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ creator was awarded with the Golden Gate Award at the 23rd GLAAD Media Awards in 2012. Her show ‘How To Get Away With Murder’ also won Outstanding Drama Series at the 26th annual GLAAD Media Awards in 2015.
21
Marc Lamont Hill
Hill was given recognition for his digital essay for EBONY Magazine, “Why Aren’t We Fighting for CeCe McDonald?,” and was given an Outstanding Digital Journalism Article Award.
22
Melissa Harris-Perry
Harris-Perry was honored in 2016 for her news segment “Pushing for Equality for Transgender People”
23
Frank Ocean
The ‘Pyramid’ singer’s Channel Orange album was given the Outstanding Music Artist award in 2013.
24
Brittney Griner
Griner, professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury, was given the Special Recognition Award in 2013.
25
Laverne Cox
Laverne Cox was awarded with the Stephen F. Kolzack Award at the 25th annual ceremony in 2014.
26
Big Freedia
‘Big Freedia: Queen of Bounce’ was awarded for Outstanding Reality Program at the 25th annual GLAAD Media Awards.
27
Kerry Washington
Kerry Washington received the Vanguard Award at the 26th annual GLAAD Media Award.
28
Queen Latifah
The ‘Bessie’ actress and her cast got an award at the 27th annual GLAAD Media Awards for their HBO TV movie around Bessie Smith. They received the 27th GLAAD Media Awards.
29
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey was awarded with the Ally Award at the 27th annual GLAAD Media Awards.
30
Gugu Mbatha-Raw
A ‘Black Mirror’ episode starring the “Beyond The Lights’ actress was awarded Outstanding Individual Episode.
31
‘Moonlight’
Screenplay by Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney, ‘Moonlight’ was awarded Outstanding Wide Release Film at the 28th annual GLAAD Media Awards.
32
Angelica Ross
Angelica Ross was honored for Outstanding Talk Show episode in 2017.
33
Billy Porter
Billy Porter was awarded with the Vito Russo Award at the 28th annual GLAAD Media Awards.
34
Angela Bassett
Angela Bassett’s “Thanksgiving” episode (Master of None: Season 2, Episode 8) was awarded Outstanding Individual Episode at the 29th GLAAD Media Awards.
35
Gloria Carter
Both Gloria Carter and her son Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter were honored at the 29th Annual GLAAD Media Awards with the Special Recognition Award.
36
Samira Wiley
Wiley was awarded with the Vito Russo Award in 2018.
37
Ava DuVernay
DuVernay was honored with the Excellence in Media award at the 29th GLAAD Media Awards.
38
Ta-Nehisi Coates
Coates was awarded for Black Panther: World of Wakanda along with Roxane Gay.
39
Monica Roberts
Monica Roberts, who was founding editor of TransGriot, a blog focusing on issues pertaining to Black trans women and trans women of color, was given an award for Outstanding Blog.
40
Beyonce And Jay-Z
The power couple known as The Carters were both awarded with the Vanguard Award during the 30th GLAAD Media Awards.
41
‘Pose’
FX’s ‘Pose’ was honored in 2019 with Outstanding Drama Series.
42
Janelle Monae
Janelle Monae’s ‘Dirty Computer’ album was recognized at the 30th GLAAD Media Awards with the Outstanding Music Artist award.
43
Lil Nas X
The “Old Town Road” rapper received the Outstanding Music Artist award last July at the 31st GLAAD Media Awards.
44
Janet Mock
Mock was awarded the Stephen F. Kolzack honor at the 31st GLAAD Media Awards
45
Raquel Willis
“The Trans Obituaries Project,” a short non-fiction written by Willis for Out.com, was awarded the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Magazine Article in 2020.
46
Wanuri Kahiu
Kahiu’s ‘Rafiki,’ which was released in 2018, was awarded the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film – Limited Release.
