LOS ANGELES, Feb 2, (Agencies): Actress Kerry Washington was the big winner at the NAACP Image Awards on Friday, picking up awards for her roles in the slavery-era Western film “Django Unchained” and television drama “Scandal,” as well as a special honor for professional achievement and public service. But on a night that celebrated the successes of artists of color, actor and activist Harry Belafonte struck a somber note when he admonished the black community for failing to speak out in favor of gun control, saying “the group most devastated by America’s obsession with the gun is African-Americans.”
Washington received the best supporting actress in a movie award for her role as a slave in Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained” and best actress in a television drama for “Scandal,” in which she plays a crisis-management expert.
“This award does not belong to me. It belongs to our ancestors,” Washington said in accepting her award for “Django Unchained,” which has received a mixed reaction from the black community for its portrayal of slavery and its violence.
Both Washington and “Django” co-star Jamie Foxx, who received the entertainer of the year award, thanked Tarantino for making the film.

Courage
“‘Django’ was an absolute blessing of a movie,” Foxx said. “Thank you Quentin Tarantino for having the courage to do it.”
“Django” failed to pick up the image award for best movie, losing to “Red Tails,” a film about African-American wartime pilots.
The NAACP also honored Washington with a special award for both her political activism, including her work on President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign, and for being the first black woman in 40 years to star in a prime-time drama on network television.

List of winners of the 44th annual Image Awards

Film
* Motion picture: “Red Tails.”
* Actor in a motion picture: Denzel Washington, “Flight.”
* Actress in a motion picture: Viola Davis, “Won’t Back Down.”
* Supporting actor in a motion picture: Samuel L. Jackson, “Django Unchained.”
* Supporting actress in a motion picture: Kerry Washington, “Django Unchained.”
* Independent motion picture: (tie) “Beasts of the Southern Wild” and “Red Tails.”
* International motion picture: “The Intouchables.”
* Documentary: “On the Shoulders of Giants: The Story of the Greatest Team You’ve Never Heard Of.”
* Directing in a motion picture: Benh Zeitlin, “Beasts of the Southern Wild.”

Television
* Comedy series: BET’s “The Game.”
* Actor in a comedy series: Don Cheadle, Showtime’s “House Of Lies.”
* Actress in a comedy series: Cassi Davis, TBS’ “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne.”
* Supporting actor in a comedy series: Lance Gross, TBS’ “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne.”
* Actress in a comedy series: Vanessa Williams, ABC’s “Desperate Housewives.”
* Drama series: ABC’s “Scandal.”
* Actor in a drama series: LL Cool J, CBS’ “NCIS: Los Angeles.”
* Actress in a drama series: Kerry Washington, ABC’s “Scandal.”
* Supporting actor in a drama series: Omar Epps, Fox’s “House.”
* Supporting actress in a drama series: Loretta Devine, ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy.”
* Television movie, mini-series or dramatic special: Lifetime’s “Steel Magnolias.”
* Actor in a television movie, mini-series or dramatic special: Cuba Gooding J., ABC’s “Hallmark Hall of Fame’s Firelight.”
* Actress in a television movie, mini-series or dramatic special: Alfre Woodard, Lifetime’s “Steel Magnolias.”
* Actor in a daytime drama series: Kristoff St John, CBS’ “The Young and the Restless.”
* Actress in a daytime drama series: Tatyana Ali, CBS’ “The Young and the Restless.”
* News: TV One’s “Unsung.”
* Talk series: ABC’s “The View.”
* Reality series: OWN’s “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s.”
* Variety series or special: BET’s “Black Girls Rock.”
* Children’s program: BET’s “Kasha and the Zulu King.”
* Performance in a youth/children’s program: Loretta Devine, Disney Channel’s “Doc McStuffins.”
* Writing in a comedy series: Marc Wilmore, “The Simpsons.”
* Writing in a dramatic series: Cheo Hodari Coker, “SouthLAnd.”
* Writing in a motion picture: Elizabeth Hunter, Lifetime’s “Abducted: The Carlina White Story.”
* Directing in a comedy series: Ken Whittingham, NBC’s “Parks and Recreation.”
* Directing in a dramatic series: Paris Barclay, NBC’s “Smash.”

Music
* New artist: Elle Varner.
* Male artist: Usher.
* Female artist: Alicia Keys.
* Duo, group or collaboration: Mary Mary.
* Jazz album: “The Preservation Hall 50th Anniversary Collection,” The Preservation Hall Jazz Band.
* Gospel album: “Go Get It,” Mary Mary.
* World music album: “All of Me,” Estelle.
* Music video: “Girl On Fire,” Alicia Keys.
* Song: “I Look To You,” Whitney Houston and R. Kelly.
* Album: “I Will Always Love You: The Best Of Whitney Houston,” Whitney Houston.