This article lists the winners and nominees for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Variety – Series or Special. Currently An Evening of Stars: Tribute to and Black Girls Rock! hold the record for most wins in this category with three each.
Winners are listed first and highlighted in bold.
| Year | Series / Special | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | ||
| An All-Star Celebration Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. | [1] | |
| 1989 | ||
| It's Showtime at the Apollo | [2] | |
| Ebony-Jet Showcase | ||
| Robert Townsend and his Partners in Crime: Part 2 | ||
| The Debbie Allen Special |
| Year | Series / Special | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | colspan="2" | |
| 1991 | ||
| It's Showtime at the Apollo | [3] | |
| 1992 | ||
| Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration | [4] | |
| 1993 | ||
| The Arsenio Hall Show | [5] | |
| 1994 – 95 | colspan="2" | |
| 1996 | ||
| The 1995 Essence Awards | [6] | |
| Aretha Franklin Going Home | ||
| Oprah Hangs at Q's Jook Joint | ||
| Showtime at the Apollo | ||
| Sinbad's Summer Jam | ||
| 1997 | ||
| Celebrate the Dream: 50 Years of Ebony Magazine | [7] | |
| The 1996 Essence Awards | ||
| Centennial Olympic Games: Opening Ceremonies | ||
| Sinbad's Summer Jam II: '70s Soul Music Festival | ||
| 1998 | ||
| Sinbad's Summer Jam III: '70s Soul Music Festival | [8] | |
| The 1997 Essence Awards | ||
| The Chris Rock Show | ||
| MTV Unplugged | ||
| Showtime at the Apollo | ||
| 1999 | ||
| Sinbad's Summer Jam IV: '70s Soul Music Festival | [9] | |
| The Chris Rock Show | ||
| Savion Glover – Stomp, Slide & Swing | ||
| Showtime at the Apollo | ||
| The Velvet Rope Tour – Live in Concert |
| Year | Series / Special | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | ||
| The 1999 Essence Awards | [10] | |
| Chris Rock: Bigger & Blacker | ||
| D. L. Hughley: Goin' Home | ||
| Great Performances | ||
| Soul Music Festival: Part 5 | ||
| 2001 | ||
| The 2000 Essence Awards | [11] | |
| BET's 6th Annual Walk of Fame: A Tribute to Luther Vandross | ||
| BET 20th Anniversary Special | ||
| The Chris Rock Show | ||
| MADtv | ||
| 2002 | ||
| [12] | ||
| The 2001 Essence Awards | ||
| Access Granted | ||
| BET Testimony | ||
| VH1 Divas Live: The One and Only Aretha Franklin | ||
| 2003 | ||
| BET's 8th Annual Walk of Fame: A Tribute to Stevie Wonder | [13] | |
| The 2002 Essence Awards | ||
| Behind the Music | ||
| Cedric the Entertainer Presents | ||
| Def Poetry Jam | ||
| 2004 | ||
| The 2003 Essence Awards | [14] | |
| BET Awards 2003 | ||
| The 11th Annual Trumpet Awards | ||
| Chappelle's Show | ||
| Def Poetry Jam | ||
| 2005 | ||
| Genius: A Night for Ray Charles | [15] | |
| American Idol | ||
| Chris Rock: Never Scared | ||
| Def Poetry Jam | ||
| 2006 | ||
| BET Awards 2005 | [16] | |
| The 77th Annual Academy Awards | ||
| The Black Movie Awards | ||
| Def Poetry Jam | ||
| Mo'Nique's Fat Chance | ||
| 2007 | ||
| An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Stevie Wonder | [17] | |
| The 2006 Black Movie Awards | ||
| BET Awards 2006 | ||
| Cedric the Entertainer: Taking You Higher | ||
| Jamie Foxx: Unpredictable | ||
| 2008 | ||
| Celebration of Gospel '07 | [18] | |
| 4th Annual VH1 Hip-Hop Honors | ||
| BET Awards 2007 | ||
| An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Aretha Franklin | ||
| Def Poetry Jam | ||
| 2009 | ||
| An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Smokey Robinson | [19] | |
| BET Awards 2008 | ||
| American Idol | ||
| Def Poetry Jam |
| Year | Series / Special | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | ||
| Michael Jackson Memorial | [20] | |
| BET Awards 2009 | ||
| The Mark Twain Prize: Bill Cosby | ||
| Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me | ||
| We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial | ||
| 2011 | ||
| An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Lionel Richie | [21] | |
| The BET Honors 2010 | ||
| Beyoncé: I Am... World Tour | ||
| Black Girls Rock! | ||
| TV One Night Only: Live from the Essence Music Festival | ||
| 2012 | ||
| [22] | ||
| BET Awards 2011 | ||
| An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Chaka Khan | ||
| Black Girls Rock! | ||
| Prince! Behind the Symbol | ||
| 2013 | ||
| Black Girls Rock! | [23] | |
| The First Graduating Class: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls | ||
| Oprah's Master Class | ||
| Oprah and the Legendary Cast of 'Roots' 35 Years Later | ||
| Verses & Flow | ||
| 2014 | ||
| Black Girls Rock! | [24] | |
| 12 Years a Slave: A TV One Special with Cathy Hughes | ||
| Key & Peele | ||
| Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth | ||
| Oprah's Master Class | ||
| 2015 | ||
| Oprah's Master Class | [25] | |
| BET Awards 2014 | ||
| Family Feud | ||
| On the Run Tour: Beyoncé and Jay Z | ||
| UNCF An Evening of Stars | ||
| 2016 | ||
| Family Feud | [26] | |
| Black Girls Rock! | ||
| The Daily Show with Trevor Noah | ||
| The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore | ||
| Oprah's Master Class | ||
| 2017 | ||
| Black Girls Rock! | [27] | |
| Celebrity Family Feud | ||
| The Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards 2016 | ||
| Beyoncé: Lemonade | ||
| Lip Sync Battle | ||
| 2018 | ||
| Lip Sync Battle | ||
| Black Girls Rock! | ||
| Def Comedy Jam 25 | ||
| Saturday Night Live | ||
| 2019 | ||
| Black Girls Rock! | ||
| 2 Dope Queens | ||
| Bruno Mars: 24K Magic Live at the Apollo | ||
| Saturday Night Live | ||
| Trevor Noah: Son of Patricia | ||
| Year | Series / Special | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ||
| Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé | ||
| Black Girls Rock! | ||
| Saturday Night Live | ||
| 2021 | ||
| Verzuz | [28] | |
| 8:46 | ||
| Black Is King | ||
| The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion | ||
| Yvonne Orji: Mommma I Made It! | ||
3 wins
2 wins
6 nominations
5 nominations
4 nominations
3 nominations
2 nominations