An Open Letter to the NAACP Image Awards – Memorial Segment Omissions

Editor’s Note: International gospel music veterans Delois Barrett Campbell and Jessy Dixon passed away in August and September 2011, respectively; however, both were excluded from the NAACP Image Awards memorial segment.  The following inquiry was initially sent as a private email to the Image Awards on Friday, February 17, 2012, immediately following its airing on NBC.  After waiting nearly one month for a response, I sent a second email Thursday, March 15, 2012.  To date, I still have not received any acknowledgment of my emails.
 
 

Dear NAACP Image Awards:

I am extremely disturbed that two giants in gospel music, Delois Barrett Campbell and Rev. Jessy Dixon, were omitted from the 2012 program’s memorial segment.  Certainly, gospel music has been the foundation of the African-American experience and should be revered as such.

President Barack Obama posits that “the potent words of gospel gave strength to a generation that rose above the din of hatred to move our country toward justice and equality for all.”  Delois Barrett Campbell was one such voice.  She is hailed as “The Royal Lady of Gospel” and recognized internationally for her pioneering contributions to the art form.  Media coverage of her passing was massive, and her three-day funeral services brought tributes from President Obama, Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson, Rev. Jesse Jackson and others.  The New York Times published a well-written article chronicling her seven-decade career.

Singer/songwriter/musician Rev. Jessy Dixon’s discography includes collaborations with Paul Simon, Diana Ross, Earth, Wind & Fire, Billy Preston, and James Cleveland–and this is the short list.  The Chicago Sun-Times published a piece detailing his impact on the music industry.  The 54th Grammy Awards mentioned him in its memorial segment; unfortunately, the NAACP Image Awards did not.

I submit this inquiry: If we do not esteem our own, who will?  If we do not honor our own in death as we have celebrated our own in life, who will?  If we fail to recognize those who blazed trails for Jennifer Hudson, Aretha Franklin, Richard Smallwood, Donald Lawrence, and Kirk Franklin, who will?

I am kindly requesting a reply and explanation of these omissions.  Thank you in advance for taking time to address my concern about these exclusions.  I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Libra N. Boyd, Founder & Editor
Gospel Music Fever™

Kirk Franklin, Sounds of Blackness, T.D. Jakes win NAACP Image Awards

Winners of the 2012 NAACP Image Awards aired tonight on NBC.  Gospel and inspirational nominees were represented across several categories.  Below are the categories that had at least one gospel or inspirational nominee, with the winner denoted in red.  Congratulations to all!

Outstanding New Artist

Committed
Epic

Diggy Simmons
Atlantic Records

Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr.
Columbia Records

Mindless Behavior
Streamline/Conjunction/Interscope Records

Wynter Gordon
Big Beat/Atlantic Records

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration

Boyz II Men
Benchmark Entertainment/MSM Music Group

Cee Lo Green feat. Melanie Fiona
Elektra Records

Mary J. Blige feat. Drake
Geffen

Sounds of Blackness
Malaco Music Group

The Roots
Island Def Jam Music Group

Outstanding Gospel Album (Traditional or Contemporary)

Becoming
Yolanda Adams
N House Music Group

Church on the Moon
Deitrick Haddon
Verity Gospel Music Group

Hello Fear
Kirk Franklin
Verity Gospel Music Group
Something Big
Mary Mary
Columbia Records

The Journey
Andraé Crouch
RiverPhlo Entertainment 

Outstanding World Music Album

Afrodiaspora
Susana Baca
Luaka Bop

Carnival Fever
Brother B
King Chero Records

Live at 2011 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
Boukman Eksperyans
MunckMix, Inc.

Sounds of Blackness
Sounds of Blackness
Malaco Music Group

The First Grader
Alex Heffes
Varese Sarabande

Outstanding Song

“Best Thing I Never Had”
Beyoncé
Columbia Records

“Fool for You” feat. Melanie Fiona
Cee Lo Green
Elektra Records

“I Smile”
Kirk Franklin
Verity Gospel Music Group

“So In Love” feat. Anthony Hamilton
Jill Scott
Warner Bros. Records

“Someone Like You”
Adele
Columbia Records

Outstanding Reality Series

All-American Muslim
TLC

American Idol
FOX

Dancing with the Stars

ABC

Sunday Best
BET

Tia & Tamera
Style Network 

Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional

A Year to Wellness and Other Weight Loss Secrets
Bertice Berry
Freeman House Publishing

Living My Dream: An Artistic Approach to Marketing
Synthia Saint James
Create Space

Our Difficult Sunlight: A Guide to Poetry, Literacy, & Social Justice in Classroom & Community

Quraysh Ali Lansana
Teachers & Writers Collaborative

The T.D. Jakes Relationship Bible: Life Lessons on Relationships from the Inspired Word of God
T.D. Jakes
Atria Books

Too Important to Fail: Saving America’s Boys
Tavis Smiley (Author), Juan Roberts (Illustrator)
SmileyBooks

Kirk Franklin, Sounds of Blackness, T.D. Jakes win NAACP Image Awards

Winners of the 2012 NAACP Image Awards aired tonight on NBC.  Gospel and inspirational nominees were represented across several categories.  Below are the categories that had at least one gospel or inspirational nominee, with the winner denoted in red.  Congratulations to all!

Outstanding New Artist

Committed
Epic

Diggy Simmons
Atlantic Records

Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr.
Columbia Records

Mindless Behavior
Streamline/Conjunction/Interscope Records

Wynter Gordon
Big Beat/Atlantic Records

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration

Boyz II Men
Benchmark Entertainment/MSM Music Group

Cee Lo Green feat. Melanie Fiona
Elektra Records

Mary J. Blige feat. Drake
Geffen

Sounds of Blackness
Malaco Music Group

The Roots
Island Def Jam Music Group

Outstanding Gospel Album (Traditional or Contemporary)

Becoming
Yolanda Adams
N House Music Group

Church on the Moon
Deitrick Haddon
Verity Gospel Music Group

Hello Fear
Kirk Franklin
Verity Gospel Music Group
Something Big
Mary Mary
Columbia Records

The Journey
Andraé Crouch
RiverPhlo Entertainment 

Outstanding World Music Album

Afrodiaspora
Susana Baca
Luaka Bop

Carnival Fever
Brother B
King Chero Records

Live at 2011 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
Boukman Eksperyans
MunckMix, Inc.

Sounds of Blackness
Sounds of Blackness
Malaco Music Group

The First Grader
Alex Heffes
Varese Sarabande

Outstanding Song

“Best Thing I Never Had”
Beyoncé
Columbia Records

“Fool for You” feat. Melanie Fiona
Cee Lo Green
Elektra Records

“I Smile”
Kirk Franklin
Verity Gospel Music Group

“So In Love” feat. Anthony Hamilton
Jill Scott
Warner Bros. Records

“Someone Like You”
Adele
Columbia Records

Outstanding Reality Series

All-American Muslim
TLC

American Idol
FOX

Dancing with the Stars

ABC

Sunday Best
BET

Tia & Tamera
Style Network 

Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional

A Year to Wellness and Other Weight Loss Secrets
Bertice Berry
Freeman House Publishing

Living My Dream: An Artistic Approach to Marketing
Synthia Saint James
Create Space

Our Difficult Sunlight: A Guide to Poetry, Literacy, & Social Justice in Classroom & Community

Quraysh Ali Lansana
Teachers & Writers Collaborative

The T.D. Jakes Relationship Bible: Life Lessons on Relationships from the Inspired Word of God
T.D. Jakes
Atria Books

Too Important to Fail: Saving America’s Boys
Tavis Smiley (Author), Juan Roberts (Illustrator)
SmileyBooks