Songstress Alicia Keys was the big winner at Thursday’s NAACP Image Awards, taking home four awards including Outstanding Album for the platinum-selling “As I Am” and Outstanding Female Artist.

She also won top music video and song for “Like You’ll Never See Me Again” at the ceremony held at L.A.’s Shrine Auditorium.

Chris Brown won for Outstanding Male Artist, while “American Idol” winner Jordin Sparks won for Outstanding New Artist.

“Great Debaters” leads Denzel Washington and Jurnee Smollett won the Best Actor and Actress prizes for film. The movie, which was produced by Oprah Winfrey, also won Best Picture.

The night’s honourees included Stevie Wonder, who received the Hall of Fame Award, and Aretha Franklin, who won the prestigious Vanguard Award.

According to NAACP Chairman Julian Bond, the Vanguard “is presented to a person whose groundbreaking work increases our understanding and awareness of racial and social issues.” Previous winners of the award are Prince, Stanley Kramer and Steven Spielberg.

The NAACP Image Awards honour achievements in film, television, music and literature. This year marked the 39th anniversary of the awards.






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