Celebrity
Harry & Meghan Shouted Out Her Mom At The NAACP Image Awards
The Sussexes debuted a new honor, too.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may not be performing royal duties abroad anymore — but they’re very much engaged with causes like mental health and social justice in their own way, with the help of their Archewell Foundation. During the 53rd NAACP Image Awards on Saturday, Feb. 26, that work was honored with the NAACP President’s Award, which the Duke and Duchess of Sussex showed up in person to receive, joined by Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland.
“It’s inspiring to think about the legacy surrounding the Image Awards, which began shortly after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were passed into law,” Meghan said. “And today, we can continue that legacy by reestablishing federal voting protections in our country and fulfilling the work of civil rights giants like the late John Lewis.”
In addition to accepting the award (whose past recipients include Rihanna, LeBron James, and Muhammad Ali), Harry and Meghan debuted their own honor, too: the NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award, designated for “leaders creating transformational change at the intersection of social justice and technology.” Safiya Noble, who co-founded the UCLA Center for Critical Internet Inquiry and wrote Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism, received the inaugural award.
“This is the era of the digital justice movement,” Meghan said later in the speech. “We are proud to partner with NAACP and each of you to translate the vital efforts of those who came before us to the modern challenges that exist ahead of us.” She also gave a sweet shoutout to her Ragland just before wrapping up, saying, “My mom’s here with us tonight and we all feel really proud.”
The significance of Harry and Meghan’s appearance wasn’t just in what they said — but what they wore, too. As Harper’s Bazaar reports, both the duke and duchess wore outfits by Black designers: Harry in a tuxedo by Ozwald Boateng and Meghan in a vibrant, blue “goddess-style” gown by Christopher John Rogers. Here’s looking forward to more NAACP Image Awards appearances in the years to come.
