This article lists the winners and nominees for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series. Not to be confused with the Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special. Currently, Della Reese holds the record for most wins in the category with seven.

Winners and nominees

Winners are listed first and highlighted in bold.

1970s

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"

|- style="background:#bebebe;"

! style="width:11%;"| Year

! style="width:42%;"| Actress

! style="width:42%;"| Series

! style="width:5%;"| Ref

|-

| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1970

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Judy Pace

| The Young Lawyers

| rowspan="2" align="center"|

|-

| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1971

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Elena Verdugo

| Marcus Welby, M.D.

| align="center"|

|-

| align="center"| 1972 – 79

| colspan="3"

|}

1980s

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"

|- style="background:#bebebe;"

! style="width:11%;"| Year

! style="width:42%;"| Actress

! style="width:42%;"| Series

! style="width:5%;"| Ref

|-

| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1980

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Joan Pringle

| The White Shadow

| align="center"|

|-

| align="center"| 1981

| colspan="3"

|-

| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1982

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Cicely Tyson

| The Marva Collins Story

| rowspan="2" align="center"|

|-

| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1983

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Madge Sinclair

| Trapper John, M.D.

| align="center"|

|-

| align="center"| 1984 – 87

| colspan="3"

|-

| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1988

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Cicely Tyson

| Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story

| rowspan="2" align="center"|

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1989

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Alfre Woodard

| Unnatural Causes

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Anne-Marie Johnson

| In the Heat of the Night

|-

| Beah Richards

| Frank's Place

|-

| Holly Robinson

| 21 Jump Street

|-

| Lynn Whitfield

| Heartbeat

|}

1990s

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"

|- style="background:#bebebe;"

! style="width:11%;"| Year

! style="width:42%;"| Actress

! style="width:42%;"| Series

! style="width:5%;"| Ref

|-

| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1990

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Alfre Woodard

| Mandela

| align="center"|

|-

| align="center"| 1991

| colspan="3"

|-

| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1992

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Alfre Woodard

| A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story

| rowspan="2" align="center"|

|-

| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1993

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Lynn Whitfield

| The Josephine Baker Story

| rowspan="2" align="center"|

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1994

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Regina Taylor

| I'll Fly Away

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Della Reese

| Picket Fences

|-

| Denise Nicholas

| In the Heat of the Night

|-

| Hattie Winston

| Homefront

|-

| Victoria Dillard

| TriBeCa

|-

| align="center"| 1995

| colspan="3"

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1996

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Della Reese

| Touched by an Angel

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Vanessa Bell Calloway

| Under One Roof

|-

| Victoria Rowell

| Diagnosis: Murder

|-

| Cree Summer

| rowspan="2"| Sweet Justice

|-

| Cicely Tyson

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1997

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Della Reese

| Touched by an Angel

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| S. Epatha Merkerson

| Law & Order

|-

| Gloria Reuben

| ER

|-

| Lauren Velez

| New York Undercover

|-

| Vanessa Estelle Williams

| Chicago Hope

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1998

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Della Reese

| Touched by an Angel

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Vanessa Bell Calloway

| Orleans

|-

| Shari Headley

| 413 Hope St.

|-

| S. Epatha Merkerson

| Law & Order

|-

| Lauren Velez

| New York Undercover

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1999

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Della Reese

| Touched by an Angel

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Victoria Rowell

| Diagnosis: Murder

|-

| Rita Moreno

| Oz

|-

| Lorraine Toussaint

| Any Day Now

|-

| S. Epatha Merkerson

| Law & Order

|}

2000s

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"

|- style="background:#bebebe;"

! style="width:11%;"| Year

! style="width:42%;"| Actress

! style="width:42%;"| Series

! style="width:5%;"| Ref

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2000

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Della Reese

| Touched by an Angel

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Michael Michele

| Homicide: Life on the Street

|-

| Rita Moreno

| Oz

|-

| Victoria Rowell

| Diagnosis: Murder

|-

| Lorraine Toussaint

| Any Day Now

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2001

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Della Reese

| Touched by an Angel

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Lorraine Toussaint

| Any Day Now

|-

| Nicole Ari Parker

| Soul Food

|-

| S. Epatha Merkerson

| Law & Order

|-

|-

| Vanessa Estelle Williams

| Soul Food

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2002

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Della Reese

| Touched by an Angel

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Nicole Ari Parker

| Soul Food

|-

| Loretta Devine

| Boston Public

|-

| Tangi Miller

| Felicity

|-

| Lorraine Toussaint

| Any Day Now

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2003

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Vanessa Estelle Williams

| Soul Food

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Nicole Ari Parker

| Soul Food

|-

| C. C. H. Pounder

| The Shield

|-

| Lorraine Toussaint

| Any Day Now

|-

| Malinda Williams

| Soul Food

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2004

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Nia Long

| Third Watch

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Nicole Ari Parker

| Soul Food

|-

| C. C. H. Pounder

| The Shield

|-

| Malinda Williams

| rowspan="2"| Soul Food

|-

| Vanessa Estelle Williams

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2005

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Nia Long

| Third Watch

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Nicole Ari Parker

| Soul Food

|-

| Vivica A. Fox

| 1-800-Missing

|-

| Malinda Williams

| rowspan="2"| Soul Food

|-

| Vanessa Estelle Williams

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2006

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Vivica A. Fox

| 1-800-Missing

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Khandi Alexander

| CSI: Miami

|-

| Kimberly Elise

| Close to Home

|-

| Marianne Jean-Baptiste

| Without a Trace

|-

| C. C. H. Pounder

| The Shield

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2007

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Kimberly Elise

| Close to Home

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Jennifer Beals

| The L Word

|-

| C. C. H. Pounder

| The Shield

|-

| Roselyn Sanchez

| Without a Trace

|-

| Regina Taylor

| The Unit

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2008

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Regina Taylor

| The Unit

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Jennifer Beals

| The L Word

|-

| Wendy Davis

| Army Wives

|-

| Nicki Micheaux

| Lincoln Heights

|-

| C. C. H. Pounder

| The Shield

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2009

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Chandra Wilson

| Grey's Anatomy

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Wendy Davis

| Army Wives

|-

| Loretta Devine

| Eli Stone

|-

| Nicki Micheaux

| Lincoln Heights

|-

| C. C. H. Pounder

| The Shield

|}

2010s

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"

|- style="background:#bebebe;"

! style="width:11%;"| Year

! style="width:42%;"| Actress

! style="width:42%;"| Series

! style="width:5%;"| Ref

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2010

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Jada Pinkett Smith

| HawthoRNe

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Regina King

| Southland

|-

| Sandra Oh

| Grey's Anatomy

|-

| Jill Scott

| The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

|-

| Chandra Wilson

| Grey's Anatomy

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2011

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Regina King

| Southland

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Wendy Davis

| Army Wives

|-

| Gugu Mbatha-Raw

| Undercovers

|-

| Jada Pinkett Smith

| HawthoRNe

|-

| Chandra Wilson

| Grey's Anatomy

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2012

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Regina King

| Southland

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Khandi Alexander

| Treme

|-

| Taraji P. Henson

| Person of Interest

|-

| Sandra Oh

| rowspan="2"| Grey's Anatomy

|-

| Chandra Wilson

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2013

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Kerry Washington

| Scandal

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Khandi Alexander

| Treme

|-

| Regina King

| Southland

|-

| Sandra Oh

| rowspan="2"| Grey's Anatomy

|-

| Chandra Wilson

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2014

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Kerry Washington

| Scandal

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Khandi Alexander

| Treme

|-

| Nicole Beharie

| Sleepy Hollow

|-

| Regina King

| Southland

|-

| Chandra Wilson

| Grey's Anatomy

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2015

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Viola Davis

| How to Get Away with Murder

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Nicole Beharie

| Sleepy Hollow

|-

| Octavia Spencer

| Red Band Society

|-

| Gabrielle Union

| Being Mary Jane

|-

| Kerry Washington

| Scandal

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2016

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Taraji P. Henson

| Empire

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Nicole Beharie

| Sleepy Hollow

|-

| Viola Davis

| How to Get Away with Murder

|-

| Gabrielle Union

| Being Mary Jane

|-

| Kerry Washington

| Scandal

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2017

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Taraji P. Henson

| Empire

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Viola Davis

| How to Get Away with Murder

|-

| Jurnee Smollett-Bell

| Underground

|-

| Kerry Washington

| Scandal

|-

| Rutina Wesley

| Queen Sugar

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2018

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Taraji P. Henson

| Empire

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Jurnee Smollett-Bell

| Underground

|-

| Kerry Washington

| Scandal

|-

| Rutina Wesley

| Queen Sugar

|-

| Viola Davis

| How to Get Away with Murder

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2019

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Taraji P. Henson

| Empire

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Alfre Woodard

| Luke Cage

|-

| Naturi Naughton

| Power

|-

| Viola Davis

| How to Get Away with Murder

|-

| Rutina Wesley

| Queen Sugar

|}

2020s

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"

|- style="background:#bebebe;"

! style="width:11%;"| Year

! style="width:42%;"| Actress

! style="width:42%;"| Series

! style="width:5%;"| Ref

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2020

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Angela Bassett

| 9-1-1

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Viola Davis

| How to Get Away with Murder

|-

| Regina King

| Watchmen

|-

| Simone Missick

| All Rise

|-

| Rutina Wesley

| Queen Sugar

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2021

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Viola Davis

| How to Get Away with Murder

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Angela Bassett

| 9-1-1

|-

| Simone Missick

| All Rise

|-

| Jurnee Smollett

| Lovecraft Country

|-

| Brandee Evans

| P-Valley

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2022

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Angela Bassett

| 9-1-1

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Dawn-Lyen Gardner

| Queen Sugar

|-

| Octavia Spencer

| Truth Be Told

|-

| Queen Latifah

| The Equalizer (2021 TV series)

|-

| Rutina Wesley

| Queen Sugar

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

2023

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Angela Bassett

| 9-1-1

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

| Brandee Evans

| P-Valley

|-

| Queen Latifah

| The Equalizer (2021 TV series)

|-

| Rutina Wesley

| Queen Sugar

|-

| Zendaya

| Euphoria

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

2024

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| India Amarteifio

| Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

|Angela Bassett

|9-1-1

|-

|Octavia Spencer

|Truth Be Told

|-

|Queen Latifah

|The Equalizer

|-

|Zoe Saldaña

|Special Ops: Lioness

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

2025

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Queen Latifah

| The Equalizer

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

|Angela Bassett

|9-1-1

|-

|Emayatzy Corinealdi

|Reasonable Doubt

|-

|Shanola Hampton

|Found

|-

|Zoe Saldaña

|Lioness

|-

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

2026

|- style="background:#B0C4DE"

| Angela Bassett

| 9-1-1

| rowspan="6" align="center"|

|-

|Emayatzy Corinealdi

|Reasonable Doubt

|-

|Lovie Simone

|Forever

|-

|Patina Miller

|Power Book III: Raising Kanan

|-

|Queen Latifah

|The Equalizer

|}

Multiple wins and nominations

Wins

; 7 wins

  • Della Reese

; 4 wins

  • Taraji P. Henson

; 3 wins

  • Angela Bassett
  • Alfre Woodard

; 2 wins

  • Viola Davis
  • Regina King
  • Nia Long
  • Regina Taylor
  • Cicely Tyson
  • Kerry Washington
  • Lynn Whitfield

Nominations

; 7 nominations

  • Angela Bassett
  • Viola Davis
  • Della Reese

; 6 nominations

  • Regina King
  • C. C. H. Pounder
  • Chandra Wilson
  • Kerry Washington

; 5 nominations

  • Taraji P. Henson
  • Queen Latifah
  • Nicole Ari Parker
  • Lorraine Toussaint
  • Vanessa A. Williams
  • Rutina Wesley

; 4 nominations

  • Khandi Alexander
  • S. Epatha Merkerson

; 3 nominations

  • Nicole Beharie
  • Wendy Davis
  • Sandra Oh
  • Victoria Rowell
  • Jurnee Smollett
  • Regina Taylor
  • Malinda Williams
  • Cicely Tyson
  • Alfre Woodard
  • Angela Bassett

; 2 nominations

  • Jennifer Beals
  • Vanessa Bell Calloway
  • Emayatzy Corinealdi
  • Loretta Devine
  • Kimberly Elise
  • Vivica A. Fox
  • Nia Long
  • Simone Missick
  • Nicki Micheaux
  • Rita Moreno
  • Zoe Saldaña
  • Jada Pinkett Smith
  • Octavia Spencer
  • Gabrielle Union
  • Lynn Whitfield
  • Lauren Velez

References