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While R&B artist R. Kelly's musical genius is certainly worthy of accolades, the singer has been indicated on 21 counts of sexual misconduct involving minors in Chicago and is facing additional 12 charges related to child pornography in Florida. Is this the image the NAACP wants to put forth?

The NAACP Image Awards are given to those who strive for the portrayal of positive images and meaningful opportunities for African-Americans in film, television, literature and recording. For the 35th NAACP Image Awards (to be aired on Fox on March 11, 2004) Kelly has earned an Album of the Year nomination for "Chocolate Factory," which sold more than 2 million copies. This nomination has met with sharp criticism.

A coalition of civil rights organizations and leaders recently held a press conference at the Los Angeles NAACP Image Awards office to announce their opposition to singer R. Kelly receiving the NAACP Image award nomination. They are also threatening to boycott and protest the upcoming ceremony. The coalition includes civil rights leader Minister Bamani Obadele; The National Alliance for Positive Action; Project Islamic HOPE; Core and The National Action Network.

"R. Kelly has been charged by the federal government with 21 counts of sexual misconduct involving minors," said Chicago Minister Bamani in a written statement. "The purpose of the NAACP Image Awards is to honor African Americans who have a positive image. R. Kelly was videotaped having sex with a 13-year-old girl and then urinating in her face. Our coalition believes that R. Kelly does not have the positive image that the image award founders intended their nominees to have."

"[R. Kelly] has a propensity for having sex with teenage girls and there allegedly is a long history of this going on and for the NAACP to reward him with a nomination is offensive on its fac e," said Mychal Massie, a member of a conservative African American group called Project 21.

"This is about image,” he continued. “It's about positive images. It's about making meaningful opportunities for minorities. And I don't see how taking someone who has been allegedly involved in this type of lifestyle, we have videotapes that are now selling on corners across the nation for $10, for them to take this and honor this gentleman as something of substance for young people to look up to is just offensive. It shows how far fallen the NAACP is."

“One would like to think that the NAACP— which claims to represent the best interests of the black community— would insist on a more reputable individual,” he added.

NAACP Image Award nominations have sparked protests in the past.  Last year, civil rights icon Rosa Parks Civil rights legend Rosa Parks boycotted the awards because the NAACP endorsed the movie "Barbershop," which included jokes by the awards show host (Cedric The Entertainer) that offended Parks.  Ms. Parks is also involved in a lawsuit with hit rap duo Outkast, who is nominated for six awards.  The 90-year-old Parks initially filed suit against OutKast back in 1999 over their song entitled "Rosa Parks" claiming that using her name suggested the song was about her or that she was connected to the group.  Parks claimed use of her name without permission constituted false advertising and infringed on her right to publicity. She also claimed it defamed her character and interfered with a business relationship.

In response to concerns, NAACP President and CEO Kweisi Mfume has asked the organization’s national Board of Directors to place the Image Awards nominating process under the complete control of the association for the first time in the 35-year history of the awards program.

"It’s important from this point on that Image Award nominees be totally selected by the NAACP in order to insure that they reflect the standards for which the award was created,” Mfume said.  

The NAACP Board of Directors will vote on Mfume’s recommendation during its next meeting on February 21.

The 35th NAACP Image Awards will be presented March 11 on Fox.

Entertainment journalist Tanya Kersey-Henley is the editor-in-chief of Black Talent News, a contributing editor for EUR, Target Market News and several other media outlets.  Email: tanya@tanyakersey.com