Rashida Jones, Tracee Ellis Ross, other Jews of color nominated for NAACP awards

Jussie Smollett, recent victim of hate crime, also up for prize, along with Ruth Bader Ginsburg documentary and Spike Lee’s ‘BlacKkKlansman’

By Emily Burack 15 February 2019, 11:20 am

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Rashida Jones attends the 10th Annual AAFCA Awards at the Taglyan Complex, Feb. 6, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Phil McCarten/Invision/AP)

JTA — The NAACP Image Awards are an annual celebration of the accomplishments of people of color in film, television, music and literature. First presented in 1968, the ceremony is celebrating 50th anniversary this year, on March 30.

Announced on Feb. 13th, here are the nominees who are also Jewish, or have a Jewish connection:

“BlacKkKlansman,” the Spike Lee film that deals with anti-Semitism in addition to anti-black racism, is up for seven awards, including for best film, ensemble cast, writing, and directing. Lee recently said that the Jewish character of Flip Zimmerman made “this a better story to tell.”
Jussie Smollett, the actor who recently was the victim of a violent hate crime, is nominated in the outstanding supporting actor in a drama series category for his role as Jamal Lyon on the Fox drama “Empire.”
Tracee Ellis Ross is nominated as outstanding actress in a comedy series for her role in the ABC sitcom “Black-ish.” She has won before in this category — for the last four years straight.

Tracee Ellis Ross arrives at the 61st annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center on Feb. 10, 2019, in Los Angeles (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Rashida Jones‘s film “Quincy” about her father, music icon Quincy Jones, received two nominations, including a nod for Rashida’s directing.
“RBG,” the documentary about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, is nominated for outstanding documentary.
“Saturday Night Live,” created and run by the Canadian-Jewish producer Lorne Michaels, was nominated for best variety show.

See the full list of nominees here.