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 and nominees
Winners are listed first and highlighted in bold.
1980s
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|- style="background:#bebebe;"
! style="width:11%;"| Year
! style="width:84%;"| Series / Special
! style="width:5%;"| Ref
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1988
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| An All-Star Celebration Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.
| rowspan="2" align="center"|
|-
| rowspan="5" align="center"| 1989
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| It's Showtime at the Apollo
| rowspan="4" align="center"|
|-
| Ebony-Jet Showcase
|-
| Robert Townsend and his Partners in Crime: Part 2
|-
| The Debbie Allen Special
|}
1990s
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|- style="background:#bebebe;"
! style="width:11%;"| Year
! style="width:84%;"| Series / Special
! style="width:5%;"| Ref
|-
| align="center"| 1990
| colspan="2"
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1991
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| It's Showtime at the Apollo
| rowspan="2" align="center"|
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1992
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration
| align="center"|
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1993
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| The Arsenio Hall Show
| align="center"|
|-
| align="center"| 1994 – 95
| colspan="2"
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1996
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| The 1995 Essence Awards
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Aretha Franklin: Going Home
|-
| Oprah Hangs at Q's Jook Joint
|-
| Showtime at the Apollo
|-
| Sinbad's Summer Jam
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1997
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Celebrate the Dream: 50 Years of Ebony Magazine
| rowspan="5" align="center"|
|-
| The 1996 Essence Awards
|-
| Centennial Olympic Games: Opening Ceremonies
|-
| Chris Rock: Bring the Pain
|-
| Sinbad's Summer Jam II: '70s Soul Music Festival
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1998
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Sinbad's Summer Jam III: '70s Soul Music Festival
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| The 1997 Essence Awards
|-
| The Chris Rock Show
|-
| MTV Unplugged
|-
| Showtime at the Apollo
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 1999
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Sinbad's Summer Jam IV: '70s Soul Music Festival
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| The Chris Rock Show
|-
| Savion Glover – Stomp, Slide & Swing
|-
| Showtime at the Apollo
|-
| The Velvet Rope Tour – Live in Concert
|}
2000s
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|- style="background:#bebebe;"
! style="width:11%;"| Year
! style="width:84%;"| Series / Special
! style="width:5%;"| Ref
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2000
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| The 1999 Essence Awards
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Chris Rock: Bigger & Blacker
|-
| D. L. Hughley: Goin' Home
|-
| Great Performances
|-
| Soul Music Festival: Part 5
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2001
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| The 2000 Essence Awards
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| BET's 6th Annual Walk of Fame: A Tribute to Luther Vandross
|-
| BET 20th Anniversary Special
|-
| The Chris Rock Show
|-
| MADtv
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2002
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| The 2001 Essence Awards
|-
| Access Granted
|-
| BET Testimony
|-
| VH1 Divas Live: The One and Only Aretha Franklin
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2003
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| BET's 8th Annual Walk of Fame: A Tribute to Stevie Wonder
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| The 2002 Essence Awards
|-
| Behind the Music
|-
| Cedric the Entertainer Presents
|-
| Def Poetry Jam
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2004
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| The 2003 Essence Awards
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| BET Awards 2003
|-
| The 11th Annual Trumpet Awards
|-
| Chappelle's Show
|-
| Def Poetry Jam
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2005
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Genius: A Night for Ray Charles
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| American Idol
|-
| Chris Rock: Never Scared
|-
| Dave Chappelle: For What It's Worth
|-
| Def Poetry Jam
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2006
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| BET Awards 2005
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| The 77th Annual Academy Awards
|-
| The Black Movie Awards
|-
| Def Poetry Jam
|-
| Mo'Nique's Fat Chance
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2007
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Stevie Wonder
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| The 2006 Black Movie Awards
|-
| BET Awards 2006
|-
| Cedric the Entertainer: Taking You Higher
|-
| Jamie Foxx: Unpredictable
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2008
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Celebration of Gospel '07
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| 4th Annual VH1 Hip-Hop Honors
|-
| BET Awards 2007
|-
| An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Aretha Franklin
|-
| Def Poetry Jam
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2009
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Smokey Robinson
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| BET Awards 2008
|-
| American Idol
|-
| Chris Rock: Kill the Messenger
|-
| Def Poetry Jam
|}
2010s
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|- style="background:#bebebe;"
! style="width:11%;"| Year
! style="width:84%;"| Series / Special
! style="width:5%;"| Ref
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2010
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Michael Jackson Memorial
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| 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
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2011
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Lionel Richie
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| The BET Honors 2010
|-
| Beyoncé: I Am... World Tour
|-
| Black Girls Rock!
|-
| TV One Night Only: Live from the Essence Music Festival
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2012
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Oprah Presents: Master Class
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| BET Awards 2011
|-
| An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Chaka Khan
|-
| Black Girls Rock!
|-
| Prince! Behind the Symbol
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2013
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Black Girls Rock!
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| 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
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2014
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Black Girls Rock!
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| 12 Years a Slave: A TV One Special with Cathy Hughes
|-
| Key & Peele
|-
| Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth
|-
| Oprah's Master Class
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2015
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Oprah's Master Class
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| BET Awards 2014
|-
| Family Feud
|-
| On the Run Tour: Beyoncé and Jay Z
|-
| UNCF An Evening of Stars
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2016
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Family Feud
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Black Girls Rock!
|-
| The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
|-
| The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore
|-
| Oprah's Master Class
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2017
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Black Girls Rock!
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Celebrity Family Feud
|-
| The Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards 2016
|-
| Beyoncé: Lemonade
|-
| Lip Sync Battle
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2018
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Lip Sync Battle
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Black Girls Rock!
|-
| Dave Chappelle: The Age of Spin & Deep in the Heart of Texas
|-
| Def Comedy Jam 25
|-
| Saturday Night Live
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2019
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Black Girls Rock!
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| 2 Dope Queens
|-
| Bruno Mars: 24K Magic Live at the Apollo
|-
| Saturday Night Live
|-
| Trevor Noah: Son of Patricia
|-
|}
2020s
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|- style="background:#bebebe;"
! style="width:11%;"| Year
! style="width:84%;"| Series / Special
! style="width:5%;"| Ref
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2020
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones
|-
| Black Girls Rock!
|-
| Saturday Night Live
|-
| Wanda Sykes: Not Normal
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center"| 2021
|- style="background:#B0C4DE"
| Verzuz
| rowspan="6" align="center"|
|-
| 8:46
|-
| Black Is King
|-
| The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion
|-
| Yvonne Orji: Mommma I Made It!
|-
|}
Multiple wins and nominations
Wins
3 wins
- An Evening of Stars: Tribute to
- Black Girls Rock!
2 wins
- It's Showtime at the Apollo
- Oprah's Master Class
Nominations
6 nominations
- Def Poetry Jam
5 nominations
- An Evening of Stars: Tribute to
- Black Girls Rock!
- Oprah's Master Class
- Showtime at the Apollo
4 nominations
- Sinbad's Summer Jam
3 nominations
- The Chris Rock Show
- Saturday Night Live
2 nominations
- American Idol
- BET's Annual Walk of Fame
- Family Feud