On Sunday night, September 19, 2016, while many were home watching the Primetime Emmy Awards, Atlantans were sitting in the Tabernacle Concert Hall for taping of Reverend Al Sharpton and the National Action Network 2016 Triumph Awards. For the second year in a row, actress and philanthropist Tichina Arnold served as the show’s host.
The Triumph Awards recognizes distinguished individuals and corporations in civil rights, the arts, entertainment, education, business and sports. The show was taped in front of a live audience and will air Sunday, October 2, 2016 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET on TV One.
Performers included gospel artist Jekalyn Carr, V. Bozeman, Nick Cannon, BJ the Chicago Kid, the James Brown Academy of Music Pupils, Joe, Eric Benet, Juan and Deborah Joy Winans,and Fantasia. Tichina Arnold, JB Smoove, Carl Payne, Erica Ash and Teyonah Parris also joined forces to perform a “Spike Lee Joint Medley,” a hilarious musical tribute.
Additional appearances by Marc Lamont Hill, Dondre Whitfield, Kandi Burruss, Terri J. Vaughn, Pooch Hall, Denise Boutte, Ebony Steele, Angel McCoughtry; and Georgia State House Representative Erica Thomas. The Mothers of the Movement: tGwen Carr (mother of Eric Garner), Lesley McSpadden (mother of Mike Brown) and Sybrina Fulton (mother of Trayvon Martin) delivered a touching message. Spoiler Alert: McSpadden closed their set with a Mark Twain’s “two most important days” quote.
And the winners are:
Attorney Benjamin Crump was presented the “Chairman’s Award for Historic and Transformative Service” by Clifton Powell (Saints and Sinners)
The “Triumphant Man of the Year” award was presented to Jermaine Dupri by Larenz Tate (House of Lies).
The “Triumphant Woman of the Year” went to FedEx executive Gina F. Adams, who was introduced by legendary singer Dionne Warwick
Actor and recording artist Derek “Fonzworth Bentley” Watkins was on hand to announce the “President’s Award for Service and Humanitarian Efforts” to Sean “Diddy” Combs (who was not in attendance but accepted his award personally from Sharpton)
Tim Murphy of Mastercard accepted the honor of “Corporate Partner of the Year Award”
The “Activism in the Arts Award” presented to Spike Lee by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Vietta Johnson, President of Spelman College Dr. Mary Schmidt Campbell and actress Teyonah Parris.
For more information about The Triumph Awards visit the network’s companion website at www.tvone.tv. TV One viewers can also join the conversation by connecting via social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@tvonetv) using the hashtag #TriumphAwards and catch clips and promos on TV One’s YouTube Channel.
