The Root 100 Gala Heads Back Uptown To Honor The Breadth Of Black Excellence

The Root 100 Gala took place last night (Dec. 5) at Harlem’s World Famous Apollo Theater, an apt locale to honor the Black excellence we’ve seen over the course of 2024.

The uptown crowd included plenty of Harlemites who made a night out of the ticketed event, as well as the biggest names in entertainment, journalism and politics, including honorees like Sen. Jasmine Crockett, chef Marcus Samuelsson, and actor Wendell Pierce, who spoke hope into the crowd regarding the disappointment many felt this past election. Don Lemon also inspired the audience to shake off VP Kamala Harris’ loss and move forward with purpose, a theme that carried throughout the evening.

Entertainment for the night included selections from multiple honorees, including Ledisi and Andra Day, who performed a new song from her upcoming film, Exhibiting Forgiveness, as well as CASSANDRA (cherith) track “Probably.” Broadway star Kecia Lewis — who was introduced by her Crutch co-star Tracey Morgan — blessed the crowd with multiple selections, as well, including her signature song from Broadway musical, Hell’s Kitchen titled “Perfect Way to Die.”

Host Roy Wood Jr. kept the laughs coming throughout the night, proving exactly why he was asked back after previously hosting the dapper affair. Other honorees in attendance included Aldis Hodge and DeWanda Wise, with the full list available on The Root. Check out snaps from The Root 100 Gala below.