Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Will Receive Prestigious NAACP Award

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will accept the NAACP President’s Award during the 53rd annual NAACP Image Awards on Saturday, February 26. The recipient of the annual President's Award is selected by the NAACP president in "recognition of special achievement and distinguished public service." Previous winners include Rihanna, Muhammad Ali, Serena and Venus Williams, Lauryn Hill, and more.

"It’s a true honor to be recognized by President Derrick Johnson and the NAACP, whose efforts to propel racial justice and civil rights are as vital today as they were nearly 115 years ago," Prince Harry and Meghan Markle said in a statement.

NAACP President Derrick Johnson echoed their sentiments, saying in a statement, "We're thrilled to present this award to Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who together have heeded the call to social justice and have joined the struggle for equity both in the US and around the world."

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also teamed up with the NAACP on a new annual award, the NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award, which will recognize leaders at the intersection of social justice and technology, who are creating transformational change to advance civil and human rights. Each year, the newly created award will bestow a $100,000 stipend on the winner to advance their work. Johnson said the award will ensure "the support and recognition of generations of civil rights leaders to come."

The first NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award will be given to Dr. Safiya Noble, who studies how digital technology intersects with culture, race, and gender. Dr. Noble is an internet studies scholar and professor of gender studies and African American studies at UCLA, where she serves as the co-founder and faculty director of the UCLA Center for Critical Internet Inquiry (C2i2). C2i2 is a partner to Archewell Foundation.

"Digital civil rights and protections from harm on the internet are a crucial pathway to a more just world, and I am grateful for the support of the NAACP and Archewell Foundation for contributing to our efforts to create more compassionate and democratic societies where Black women and women of color can thrive, too," Dr. Noble said.

The Sussexes have worked with the NAACP since stepping back from royal life and moving to California. In summer 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan teamed up with the NAACP in the wake of George Floyd's death and NAACP president Johnson spoke with the royal couple about ways they could use their platform and be supportive.

"Like many people, they recognize the danger social media platforms have on society. They recognize it from a very personal space," Johnson said at the time. "They have been very helpful in terms of talking about how this impacts people, seeking solutions to this systemic problem, and very supportive thought partners in the process."

Prince Harry and Meghan have been vocal about their support for Black Lives Matter, with Meghan addressing George Floyd's death during her virtual graduation speech for the class of 2020 at her former high school, Immaculate Heart, saying, "I realized the only wrong thing to say is to say nothing."

The NAACP Image Awards will air on Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. ET on BET.

You Might Also Like

• 12 Weekend Getaway Spas For Every Type of Occasion

• What Your Favorite Champagne Brand Says About You

• Beauty Gurus Share Their Makeup Secrets for Older Women