BET and CENTRIC Celebrate Black History Month With a Lineup of Exciting Programming Showcasing the Depth and Diversity of the African-American Experience

NEW YORK, Jan. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- This Black History Month BET and CENTRIC will pay tribute to the range and richness of the African American experience with a lineup of programming celebrating the cultural contributions of black America.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20070716/BETNETWORKSLOGO )

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100315/NE70582LOGO )

The carefully curated lineup of thought-provoking black films, BET News specials and compelling original programming include: the 4th Annual BET HONORS; the Network movie premiere of Tyler Perry's "Daddy's Little Girls," "Cadillac Records," "Mr. 3000" and "Sounder"; and, new 106 & PARK and BET NEWS joint project MODERN BLACK HISTORY HEROES.

On CENTRIC—BET's adult-focused channel—programming will include: a new series of interstitials LEGENDS OF BLACK MUSIC (featuring Quincy Jones); OBAMA IN GHANA, the remarkable documentary that chronicles President Obama's historic trip to the Republic of Ghana; THE COSBY SHOW: A LOOK BACK, a retrospective on the first family of black television; the esteemed mini-series SHAKA ZULU; and, Valentine's Day movie marathon celebrating "black love" and much more.  

Additionally, BET will premiere all-new episodes of hit series THE GAME and LET'S STAY TOGETHER while BET.COM pays homage to the remarkable accomplishments of African-American civil rights leaders with daily online video vignettes, BLACK IN TIME.

BET and CENTRIC Highlights

BET HONORS – Premieres Monday, February 21 at 9:00 p.m.* on BET. Hosted by actress Gabrielle Union, this year's show recognizes the accomplishments of outstanding African Americans by honoring legendary actress Cicely Tyson (Theatrical Arts), Academy Award-winning actor and comedian Jamie Foxx (Entertainer), supermodel/entrepreneur Iman (Service), publishing mogul Linda Johnson Rice (Media), world renowned musician/composer Herbie Hancock (Musical Arts) and accomplished historian/educator Lonnie G. Bunch (Education).

The show's star-studded lineup includes performances by Trey Songz, Ne-Yo, Lalah Hathaway, Yolanda Adams, Keyshia Cole, Guy, Tank, Angelique Kidjo, Naturally 7, Chick Corea Quartet and appearances by Tyler Perry, Cedric the Entertainer, Anika Noni Rose, Hill Harper, Nicole Ari Parker, Boris Kodjoe, Jimmy Jam and Noah Gray Cabey.

MODERN BLACK HISTORY HEROES – Premieres Tuesday, February 1 at 6:00 p.m.* on BET. BET NEWS, in partnership with 106 & PARK, brings us MODERN BLACK HISTORY HEROES, a conversation with four African-Americans leaders from various walks of life making black history today. Each week 106 & PARK will introduce viewers to one of our modern day heroes and invite the audience to submit their own modern black history hero and acknowledge African-Americans making a difference in local communities.

BET.COM PRESENTS BLACK IN TIME – Every day during the month of February, BET.COM will post video narratives of civil rights leaders. From Medgar Evers and the march on Washington to the legendary Tuskegee Airmen, BET will pay tribute to 28 moments that pushed the civil rights movement forward and redefined our nation.

OBAMA IN GHANA – Premieres Sunday, February 20 at 10:00 p.m.* on CENTRIC. This engaging documentary chronicles the first family's historic trip to the Republic of Ghana, Africa's first nation to gain independence from colonial rule.  Viewers see the first family's emotional visit to Ghana's slave dungeons on the cape coast, as well as a special pageant of traditional chiefs in honor of President Obama. 

TYLER PERRY'S "DADDY LITTLE GIRLS" – Premieres Monday, February 21 at 7:00 p.m.* on BET. Gabrielle Union co-stars as a successful attorney who falls in love with a financially challenged mechanic (Idris Elba) who is a single father of three children. The relationship is challenged when the mechanic's ex-wife comes back into his life and threatens to take away their kids.  The romantic drama also stars Tasha Smith, Tracee Ellis Ross and Tyler Perry.

"CADILLAC RECORDS" – Premieres Sunday, February 27 at 5:30 p.m.* on BET. The story chronicles the rise and fall of Chess Records, the great Chicago blues label of the 1950's and 1960's. With appearances by Beyonce Knowles as troubled singer Etta James, Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters , Columbus Short as Little Walter; Cedric the Entertainer as songwriter Willie Dixon and Mos Def as Chuck Berry.

SHAKA ZULU – Premieres Saturday, February 5 at 12:00 p.m.* on CENTRIC. This sweeping 1986 miniseries captures the rise and fall of an African emperor with brilliant detail. Prophecy is mixed with recorded fact regarding Shaka's birth, exile, innovations in warfare, assumption of the throne, building of the Zulu Empire, first contact with Europe and the events that led to his downfall. Powerful performances by Cele and Dudu Mikhize (as Shaka's iron-willed mother, Nandi) give this sprawling epic the drive and emotional scope of a Shakespearean drama. It was a pop culture phenomena when originally aired in 1986.

THE COSBY SHOW: A LOOK BACK – Premieres Saturday, February 26 at 8:00 p.m.* on CENTRIC. Honoring the first family of black television, the Cosbys, our retrospective of the phenomenally popular 1984-1992 family comedy, THE COSBY SHOW comes complete with memorable clips, bloopers and comments from series stars, producers and Bill Cosby himself.

For more information, please visit www.bet.com and www.centrictv.com.

*All times are ET/PT.

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

About CENTRIC

Centric is a 24-hour music and entertainment channel that reflects the lifestyle and sophistication of today's African-American and multicultural adult viewer.  With a finger on the pulse of an ever-changing beat, its compelling music content fuses Soul, R&B, Neo-Soul, Hip Hop, Reggae, Gospel, Jazz, Old School, New School and everything in between with today's hottest artists. It is a unique mix of music, culture and lifestyle programming that embodies the lives, tastes and aspirations of the CENTRIC viewer: All you. All day. All night.

SOURCE BET Networks