NAACP Image Awards: 'The Black Panthers' named best doc

Muhammad Ali: The People's Champ wins for television documentary

Stanley Nelson's The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution, a film that is both historical and timely, has added another honor to its list of awards. 

It was named Outstanding Documentary (Film) Friday night at the live presentation of the NAACP Image Awards. The Black Panthers airs on PBS stations as part of the Independent Lens series on February 16, following a successful theatrical release last year.

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The Black Panthers won over some stiff competition, including two Oscar-nominated films: Amy, directed by Asif Kapadia, and What Happened, Miss Simone?, directed by Liz Garbus, The other contenders were Dreamcatchers, directed by Kim Longinotto, and In My Father's House, directed by Annie Sandberg and Ricki Stern.

In the Outstanding Documentary (Television) category the NAACP Image Award went to the BET film Muhammad Ali: The People's Champ, directed by Clarence “Coodie” Simmons and Chike Ozah.

The other contenders in that category were August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand [PBS], Belief [OWN], Kareem: Minority of One [HBO], and Light Girls [OWN].

Congrats! @BETNews on your #NAACPImageAwards win for Outstanding Documentary -TV for "Muhammad Ali: The People’s Champ" #PeopleschampBET

— BET PR (@BET_PR) February 5, 2016

Get ready! @panthersdoc is coming to @IndependentLens 2/16: https://t.co/ovG2JT42DF #BlackPanthersPBS pic.twitter.com/cnIuGj7BED

— Trapped (@TrappedDoc) February 6, 2016