NEW FILM FRANCHISE “BLACK + ICONIC,” NEW BET PRIMETIME NEWS PROGRAM “AMERICA IN BLACK” IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CBS NEWS, THE “54TH ANNUAL NAACP IMAGE AWARDS,” AND MORE!
PLUS: GET A BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROGRAMMING SNEAK PEEK AT BET DIGITAL
New York, NY – BET reveals its jam-packed slate of Black History month programming, including thought-provoking docuseries, returning hits, dynamic specials, and more. The network will kick off its celebration February 1 with 28 original interstitials featuring current HBCU students titled “BLACK ICONS – Past, Present, Future”. Additional highlights include new documentaries “Black + Iconic: Style Gods,” a new primetime newsmagazine “America in Black” and the “54th NAACP Image Awards.” The network’s signature social impact campaign, BET Thrive, looks forward to an exciting Black History Month, supporting a wide array of BET programming with impactful conversations and community givebacks.
For a complete content rollout see below:
“BLACK ICONS – Past, Present, Future” Premieres February 1 on BET
BET and Culture House will present 28 one-minute interstitials to air daily on BET called “BLACK ICONS – Past, Present, Future”. Each interstitial will feature a current HBCU student -- heirs to the freedoms and opportunities created by our Black icons -- paying tribute to one icon’s achievements. Intercut with footage of the student on location and supporting archival material of the featured icon, the interstitials underscore themes of legacy and lineage that connect generations. You can view the first interstitial featuring Missy ‘Misdemeanor’ Elliott here.
See below for the full list of icons that will be honored:
BLACK + ICONIC: VISIONARIES
Alvin Ailey – Dance
Arthur Ashe – Sports
Barack Obama – Politics
James Baldwin – Literature
Ketanji Brown Jackson – Law
Nina Simone – Music
Shirley Chisholm – Politics
BLACK + ICONIC: UNSUNG HEROES
Bayard Rustin – Activism
Beverly Lorraine Green – Architecture
Ida B Wells – Journalism
LaTosha Brown – Political Activism
Marsha P. Johnson - LGBTQ Activism
Pauli Murray – Law
Sister Rosetta Tharpe – Music
BLACK + ICONIC: THE NEW GENERATION
Bryan Stevenson – Law
Marsai Martin – Entertainment
Maxwell Frost – Politics
Megan Thee Stallion – Music
Nikole Hannah Jones – Journalism
Victor J. Glover – Aeronautics
Wes Moore – Politics
BLACK + ICONIC: HIP-HOP LEGENDS
2Pac
Grandmaster Flash
Jay-Z
Missy ‘Misdemeanor’ Elliott
Ms. Lauryn Hill
Outkast
Queen Latifah
“Black + Iconic: Style Gods” Premieres Saturday, February 18 at 8 PM ET/PT on BET, BET Her, BET+, and VH1
From Emmy Award©-winning Executive Producer Stanley Nelson and Firelight Films, comesthe groundbreaking BET original franchise, "Black + Iconic" celebrates Black cultural icons, pioneers, and activists and their impact, influence and legacies in fashion, music, film, and dance."Black + Iconic" examines of the momentous achievements of Black people across various fields while celebrating the power of Black cultural innovators. Executive producers Connie Orlando and Jason Samuels developed “Black + Iconic” for BET, along with senior supervising producer Steven Ramey.Directed by Lynne Robinson, the inaugural film in the series, “Black + Iconic: Style Gods,” has signed on Emmy®, Tony®, and Grammy® Award-winning and Golden Globe®-nominated actor, singer, director, producer and activist Billy Porter to narrate, host, and serve as executive producer for the doc.
“America In Black” Premieres Sunday, February 19 AT 10 PM ET/PT on BET, BET HER, and VH1, and available on BET+ and the CBS News Streaming Network.
BET and CBS News monthly prime-time newsmagazine, “America In Black,” features a mix of original long-form investigative reports, one-on-one newsmaker interviews, human interest stories, and exclusive in-depth celebrity profiles. Each original one-hour episode of “America In Black” will go beyond the headlines to illuminate and elevate the leading issues, stories, and people impacting Black America. From hip-hop on trial to the banning of Black history in schools across the nation to original celebrity profiles and interviews, each edition of “America In Black” will deliver original, high-quality storytelling and ambitious journalism with a unique and distinct POV. “America In Black” will be reported by an experienced lineup of award-winning correspondents including “CBS Mornings” co-hosts Gayle King; “CBS Mornings” national correspondent and CBS News Streaming Network anchor Vladimir Duthiers; BET News anchor and correspondent Marc Lamont Hill; host of “The NFL Today” and CBS News’ special correspondent James Brown; “CBS Saturday Morning” co-host Michelle Miller; “CBS Weekend News” anchors Jericka Duncan and Adriana Diaz; and CBS News streaming anchor and national correspondent Errol Barnett and CBS News correspondents Skyler Henry and Danya Bacchus, plus Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Wesley Lowery. Also, former BET News anchor Ed Gordon is returning to the Network after an 18-year hiatus and will be a featured correspondent.
The “54th NAACP Image Awards” LIVE Saturday, February 25 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on delay on BET
Globally recognized as one of the most distinguished multicultural award shows, the “54th NAACP Image Awards” will continue a tradition of excellence, and uplifting values that inspire equality, justice, and progressive change, while highlighting artists committed to that purpose. The public can now vote to determine the winners of the “54th NAACP Image Awards'' by visitingwww.naacpimageawards.net. Voting closes on February 10, 2023. Winners will be revealed during the “54th NAACP Image Awards'' telecast on February 25, 2023, on BET. NAACP will also recognize winners in non-televised Image Awards categories virtually February 20-23 onwww.naacpimageawards.net and at an Awards Dinner and Program on February 24. For all information and the latest news, please follow NAACP Image Awards on Instagram @NAACPImageAwards. The “54th NAACP Image Awards” is presented by Wells Fargo and sponsored by AT&T, Bank of America, Gushers, Airbnb, FedEx, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines.
BET SOCIAL “Staples” launches February 5
Trends don’t last, but staples are forever. We’re taking a look at Black Culture and all the gifts that have stood the test of time, from Black Beauty, and Lifestyle, to arts and culture. “Staples” launches on February 5 and will publish once a week on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Tik Tok.
“Dropping Gems” (A Lesson in African American Vernacular English) launches February 6 on the Official BET Tik Tok Account
Black people created a vernacular that resonates on many levels; it’s colorful and rich. BET is DROPPING GEMS and unpacking everything about AAVE. Dropping Gems publishes on February 6, on the BET Official Tik Tok account.
BET.COM EDITORIAL BHM: “Without Black People…
For Black History Month this year, BET.com will create a series of articles (listicles) that are inspired by the children’s book, What if Black People Didn’t Exist? By [author here] (Publisher and year here). The series will examine pivotal moments in Black history and where the world would be if their protagonists never existed. Four separate listicles will be published each week of the month on BET.com starting February 1.
BHM: “6 Degrees”
BET.com will put together a series of photo galleries called “6 Degrees” that will serve as a timeline honoring African American pioneers who have changed industries across time. This weekly execution will highlight several people in specific sports, areas of entertainment, and other disciplines by looking at how their contributions helped inspire countless others. It will publish once a week during all of Black History Month on BET.com starting February 7.
BHM: “Index”
Through INDEX, BET Digital will examine how Black people over (or under) index in any given space, and what that means for the culture now and in the future. BET Digital will tackle a diversity of topics ranging from voting, real estate, cannabis, entrepreneurship, and others. This engaging 3-episode video infographic kicks off February 8, and will be published to BET.com every week during Black History Month; then it will move to a monthly cadence from March onward.
“Blackity Black Guide”
The “Blackity Black Guide” is a guide to all the wonderfully Black things you can and should do/consume/read/watch during Black History Month. Every week in February, BET Digital will drop articles, newsletters, and Instagram stories with a guide to all things Blackity Black during BHM.
BHM & Hip-Hop At 50: Analytical Essays:
Kicking off during Black History Month, BET.com will feature high-profile writers who will pen essays weighing in on the thorny topics ranging from homophobia, misogyny/sexism, violence, religion, colorism/racism to gentrification, disparities in hip-hop media/culture, etc. These will be published on BET.com and across BET social platforms as a Black History month initiative and part of overall BET celebration of the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop.
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