Grio Awards
The Grio Awards are annual national awards bestowed in a number of categories by TheGrio, an American news website geared toward African Americans. The Grio is a division of the MSNBC cable channel. Begun in 2010, the Grio's list of 100 "History Makers in the Making" honors those who are shaping American's future today; its award winners are selected not only from the African American community, but from all sections of America.
The ten award categories are Business, Health, Education, Science & the Environment, Media, Pop Culture, Arts & Culture, Service & Activism, Politics and Sports, and ten people are selected from each category. To make the Grio 100 list, winners must display a large-scale impact on all of America, and their work must be ongoing. The editorial team at theGrio.com, after consulting contributors and experts, decides the outcome of the awards. The top 100 change every year.
Grio Awards 2023
Grio Awards 2022
Gotdon Keith, Humanitarian, Muser and local treasureDave Chapelle, comedian, Cultural Icon Award
Grio Awards 2021
Grio Awards 2020
Grio Awards 2019
Grio Awards 2018
Grio Awards 2017
Grio Awards 2016
Grio Awards 2015
Grio Awards 2014
Grio Awards 2013
- Charles E. Crutchfield III, M.D., dermatologist
- Amar'e Stoudemire, professional basketball player
- Terrie M. Williams, advocate for mental health awareness
- Carolyn McCaskill, sign language advocate
- Anthony McGill and Demarre McGill, classical musicians
- Terrence J., TV personality
- Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, comedy duo
- Drs. Vincent and Vance Moss, surgeons
- Peter Ramsey, film director
- Quvenzhané Wallis, actress
- Will Packer, film producer
- Franchesca Ramsey, designer, blogger, and comedian
- Rick Kittles, scientific director of African Ancestry, Inc.
- Ava DuVernay, film director
- Kerry Washington, actress
- Nick Cave, contemporary artist
- Claressa Shields, Olympic boxer
- Dr. Nadine Gracia, director of the Office of Minority Health
- Gabby Douglas, Olympic gymnast
- Ty Hunter, Beyoncé's stylist
- Arian Foster, NFL player
- Keija Minor, editor-in-chief of Condé Nast Magazine
- Dr. Robert J. Gore, doctor and violence prevention advocate
- Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist
- Ken Williams, general manager of the Chicago White Sox
- Tripoli Patterson, champion surfer
- Dr. Naeemah Ghafur, family medicine physician
- Judy Smith, inspiration behind the hit show Scandal
- Dr. Kafui Dzirasa, mental health research healer
- Solange Knowles, singer
- Rob Nabors, Director of Legislative Affairs at the White House
- Walter Kimbrough, president of Dillard University
- Dr. Marilyn Hughes Gaston and Dr. Gayle K. Porter, promoters of health among midlife women
- Kendrick Lamar, hip-hop artist
- Gary Clark Jr., blues artist
- Elle Varner, R&B artist
- Antron Brown, drag racer
- Wendy Williams, daytime TV personality
- Taylor Townsend, tennis player
- Benjamin Crump, Legal Hand for victims
- Madu Eneli, teen author
- Drs. James K. Aikins Jr. and Charletta A. Ayers, co-founders of International HealthCare Volunteers, Inc.
- Ken Strickland, NBC's Washington, D.C. bureau chief
- Jabari Parker, basketball player
- Nina Turner, Ohio state senator
- Brendon Ayanbadejo, Super Bowl-winning LGBT advocate
- Susan Rice, United States National Security Advisor
- Robert Griffin III, NFL player
- Lia Neal, Olympic swimmer
- RZA, Wu-Tang Clan member
- Wanda Butts, founder of the Josh Project
- Rodney Stearns, iPhone app developer
- Aprille Ericsson, engineer
- Shaun Evans, owner of OMBO Apps
- Ibranhim Abdul-Matin, author of 'Green Deen: What Islam Teaches About Protecting The Planet'
- Kat Calvin, founder of 'Black Girls Hack'
- Lee Saunders, president of the nation's largest labor union
- Laura Smalls, fashion designer
- William Barber, civil rights leader
- Svante Myrick, mayor of Ithaca, New York
- Kiante Young, entrepreneur
- Nzinga Knight, designer
- Anthony Foxx, mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina
- Amos Winbush III, musician and tech entrepreneur
- Dinaw Mengestu, novelist
- Randal Pinkett, Apprentice winner
- Dambisa Moyo, economist
- Vera Moore, soap opera star and makeup guru
- Salaam Coleman Smith, president of NBC Universal's Style network
- Mellody Hobson, leader of Ariel Investments
- Earl Phalen, CEO and founder of Phalen Leadership Academies and Summer Advantage USA
- Oscar L. Harris, businessman and architect
- Farrah Gray, book publisher
- Sabrina Lamb, author and media commentator
- Dylan C. Penningroth, history professor
- Susan E. Chapman, SVP of Global Real Estate and Workplace Enablement for American Express
- Dorian Warren, Columbia University Scholar-Activist
- Tommie Lindsey, teacher
- Tambay Obenson, film fanatic
- Brittney Exline, Ivy League prodigy
- Dean Baquet, managing editor of the Times
- Chadwick Boseman, actor
- Steven Horsford, Nevada Congressman
- Mario Armstrong, co-founder of Urban Videogame Academy
- Emi Kolawole, Washington Post blogger
- Michael Strahan, former NFL player
- Stefanie Brown, National African American Vote director
- Gregory Lowe, CEO of Lowekey Media
- Barbara R. Arwine, executive director of Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights under Law
- Jackie Lacey, Los Angeles County District Attorney
- Brittney Griner, basketball player
- Swizz Beatz, hip-hop producer
- Beverly Bond, founder of Black Girls Rock, Inc.
- Valeisha Butterfield Jones, chair of the Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network
- Nerfertiti Martin and Emily Carpenter, gender equality youth activists
- Isis King, transgender activist
- Robin Roberts, co-host, Good Morning America
- Kelvin Doe, teen innovator
- Karen Lewis, president, Chicago Teachers Union
- Suzanne Shank, president and CEO, Siebert Brandford and Shank
Grio Awards 2012
- C.J. Senter, child fitness instructor
- Jon 'Bones' Jones, youngest UFC Light Heavyweight Champion in history
- Ibtihaj Muhammad, fencer
- Justus Williams, youngest black chess master
- Chris Broussard, ESPN sports analyst
- Yvette Clarke, Representative for New York
- Kevin Clash, puppeteer and voice actor
- Ryan Speedo Green, opera singer
- Angela Benton, founder of Black Web 2.0
- Octavia Spencer, actress
- Valerie Montgomery Rice, dean of Morehouse School of Medicine
- Melissa Harris-Perry, author and political commentator
- Maya Rudolph, actress
- Elisabeth Omilami, actress and human rights activist
- Sonya Arrington, founder of Mothers Against Teen Violence
- Marcia Anderson, first black woman to hold major general rank in the U.S. Army
- Janet Mock, transgender rights advocate
- Frederica Wilson, Representative for Florida
- Radcliffe Bailey, artist
- Mara Brock Akil, creator of Girlfriends and The Game
- Chuck Baker, founder of FileBlaze
- Maimah Karmo, breast cancer awareness advocate
- George Andrews, founder and CEO of Capitol City Bank & Trust
- Alonzo Washington, comic book artist
- Andrew 'Bo' Young, III, civil rights leader
- Cheryl Mills, counselor and chief of staff, Department of State
- Nicole Lyons, car builder and drag racer
- Anthony Robles, NCAA wrestling champion
- Nigel Sylvester, professional BMX rider
- Deanna Sutton, founder of Clutch magazine
- Chandra Gill, motivator and educator
- Jason Taylor, NFL player
- Cam Newton, NFL player
- Bryan 'Birdman' Williams, rapper
- LaNiyah Bailey, author
- Felecia Hatcher, co-founder of gourmet ice cream truck line
- Katori Hall, playwright, journalist, and actress
- Kevin Olusola, cellist and beatboxer
- Alvin Brown, first black mayor of Jacksonville
- Jennifer Carroll, Lieutenant Governor of Florida
- Kevin Hart, actor and comedian
- Tyrone Curry, school custodian and coach
- Traci Lester, literacy advocate
- Tarell Alvin McCraney, playwright and actor
- Tiya Miles, historian and professor
- Toni Carey and Ashley Hicks, founders of Black Girls Run!
- Nitty Scott, MC
- Michael Roberts, businessman
- Sandra Tucker, nursing school dean
- Tia Norfleet, NASCAR driver hopeful
- Bryant Terry, chef
- T. J. Holmes, news anchor
- Tracee Ellis Ross, actress
- Van Jones, social entrepreneur
- Afam Onyema, hospital builder
- John Hunter, creator of World Peace Games
- Nicholas Cobb, philanthropist
- Willow Smith, actress and Musician
- Nnamdi Asomugha, NFL player
- Torrence Boone, Google managing director
- Aton Edwards, environmental and social activist
- Angella Reid, former White House Chief Usher
- DeVon Franklin, movie executive
- Chazz Darby, chef
- The Holistic Life Foundation Founders, yoga instructors
- Garth Fagan, dance choreographer
- Roblé Ali, chef
- Yvette Miley, vice president and executive editor of MSNBC
- Leanna Archer, hair and body care CEO
- Anthony Fraiser, start-up entrepreneur
- Kevin Lewis, White House Director of black media
- Daniell Washington, marine biologist and activist
- Corvida Raven, social media entrepreneur
- Chinedu Echeruo, founder of HopStop
- Patrick Gaspard, executive director of the Democratic National Committee
- Jeff Henderson, chef
- Jonathon Prince, runner and speaker
- Jermaine Griggs, music site founder
- Frank Ocean, hip hop artist
- Korto Momolu, designer
- MC Hammer, rapper
- Christopher 'Ludacris' Bridges, rapper
- Dhani Jones, former NFL player
- Jess Moore, fashionista
- Alie Kabba, Sierra Leonean immigrant activist
- Jana Johnson, tech analyst
- LeVar Burton, actor and Presenter
- Doyle Beneby, president and CEO of CPS Energy
- Andre 'Dr. Dre' Young, hip hop icon
- Ayanna Pressley, first black woman elected to Boston City Council
- Cheryl Pearson-McNeil, executive at The Nielsen Company
- Carol Jenkins, media leader
- Brenda Combs, founder of 'Finding My Shoes'