Queen Latifah paid tribute to Taraji P. Henson while hosting the NAACP Image Awards, speaking up about Black actresses experiencing pay inequality in Hollywood. Returning as host for the second consecutive year, Queen Latifah gave Henson her flowers at the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium Saturday night (March 16). She raised the subject while addressing the topic of inflation.
“You know what’s not feeling inflation?” she asked. “Equal pay for Black actresses,” Henson replied from her seat in the auditorium. “Thank you, Taraji, for standing up for all of us,” she began before asking all the Black actresses in the room to get to their feet.
“Thank you so much for working so hard and representing us,” she added, urging the women to remain standing as the audience cheered wildly.
“Everybody else in this whole room stand up for all of us Black actresses who have been representing for us. Support us. Join us,” she continued. “Because it’s you who stand next to us every day. We know this and we want to say thank you.”
Queen Latifah: “You know what’s not feeling inflation?”
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) March 17, 2024
Taraji P. Henson: “Equal pay for Black actresses”#NAACPImageAwards pic.twitter.com/qDqmcQMqA3
Henson later won Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Motion Picture for her role in The Color Purple. The movie scooped a whopping 11 NAACP Image Awards, including Outstanding Motion Picture.
USHER also won big on the night, snagging the Entertainer of the Year award. He also was honored with the President’s Award “in recognition of special achievement and distinguished public service.”
Meanwhile, New Edition was inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame.