Taraji P. Henson won a NAACP Image Award on Friday night and used her acceptance speech to sound a clarion call for the African-American acting community.
The Empire star was named Outstanding Actress in A Drama Series at the ceremony that recognizes ‘the accomplishment of people of colour in the fields of television, music, literature and film.’
Referencing the ‘Oscarssowhite’ controversy, the 45-year-old declared, “We don’t need to ask for ask for acceptance from anyone. We are enough.”
She seemed to be urging her peers not to let themselves and their community be defined by the controversy surrounding the lack of recognition of African-American performers at the upcoming 2016 Academy Awards.
Her co-star in the show Terrence Howard received a standing ovation, too, as he won Outstanding Actor in A Drama for his performance as patriarch Lucius Lyon.
The actor, 46, who found fame in the film Hustle & Flow, also had a message.
“We have a privilege as black human beings to do beautiful things in this world,” he told the audience. It was a big night for Empire which also picked up the Outstanding Drama Series.
