The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People announced today that the one and only Robyn Rihanna Fenty will receive the President’s Award at the 51st annual NAACP Image Awards. This top honor is bestowed upon individuals “in recognition of special achievement and distinguished public service" and Rihanna definitely meets those criteria. She is a pioneer in every field she enters and, over the years, she has entered many. If you would like a summary of the 31-year-old's long list of accomplishments, you can consult Ari Lennox's recent rant.
“Rihanna has not only enjoyed a groundbreaking career as an artist and musician, but has also distinguished herself as a stellar public servant,” said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP. “From her business achievements through Fenty, to her tremendous record as an activist and philanthropist, Rihanna epitomizes the type of character, grace, and devotion to justice that we seek to highlight in our President’s Award.”
The President's Award was given to Jay-Z last year. Prior to that, the list of recipients includes Ms. Lauryn Hill, Spike Lee, Soledad O’Brien, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, Muhammad Ali and John Legend.
Johnson will present the award to Rihanna during the ceremony, which will be broadcast live on BET on Saturday, February 22 at 8 p.m. Eastern.