Essence.com to Feature Exclusive Photos From Its Third Annual ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon

LOS ANGELES, March 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Essence.com audiences will have the chance to experience what happens when the best and brightest of Black Women in Hollywood come together to celebrate the legendary achievements of some of the greatest American actresses of our times during Oscar Week. Featured exclusively on ESSENCE.com, the third annual ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood luncheon, being held at the Beverly Hills Hotel, will honor Hollywood royalty such as: Cicely Tyson (Legend Award); break-out star Gabourey Sidibe (Best Breakthrough Performance); versatile A-Lister Queen Latifah (Power Award); Tinseltown darling Zoe Saldana (Star to Watch Award); and Hip-Hop turned starlet, Mary J. Blige (Songstress of the Year). You will only find complete coverage of this star-studded event honoring the 40th Anniversary of ESSENCE magazine on http://www.essence.com. Today Essence.com will upload images live from the red carpet starting at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time / 12:30 p.m. Pacific Time -- with additional red carpet video tonight.

Essence.com will also feature exclusive glitterati shots from the red carpet of celebrity attendees including: Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, Steve Harvey and more. The audience can find live updates from the parties, after-parties and behind-the-scene peeks of the event on Twitter at Twitter.com/essenceonline. Viewers can also stay on the pulse with minute-to-minute coverage from the party at essence.com/entertainment.

**Here's the most updated, exclusive coverage--additional content will be emailed for your linking consideration through March 7th**:

www.Essence.com

In addition, you can embed this video to get the scoop on what Hollywood's most glamorous scene-stealers are saying about the event of the year:

www.Essence.com

**Please credit all links to Essence.com.

Sponsors for the ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon include presenting sponsor Lincoln, as well as partner sponsors COVERGIRL Queen Collection and MasterCard Worldwide. The ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon is also supported by Moet & Chandon.

About Essence Communications Inc.:

Essence Communications Inc. (ECI) is the number one media and communications company dedicated to African-American women.  With a multi-platform presence in publishing, live events, and online, the Essence brand is "Where Black Women Come First".  The company's flagship publication, ESSENCE magazine, is the preeminent lifestyle magazine for African-American women; generating brand extensions such as the Essence Music Festival, ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood, Window on Our Women (WOW I & II) and Smart Beauty I, II & III consumer insights, the Essence Book Club, Essence.com, and ventures in digital media (mobile, television and VOD). For 40 years, ESSENCE, which has a brand reach of over 8 million, has been the leading source of cutting-edge information relating to every area of African-American women's lives. Additional information about ECI and ESSENCE is available at Essence.com.

About Essence.com:

Essence.com is the daily online destination for African-American women that informs, entertains and connects.  The expansive web destination delivers daily fresh content, engaging blogs, robust photo galleries, a substantial online community and original video programming across four channels that include: News & Entertainment, Fashion & Beauty, Relationships and Lifestyle.  Essence.com is currently the largest and fastest growing African-American magazine website. The site's growth is unsurpassed and reaches more than a million monthly unique visitors. The new Essence.com launched in September 2008 as one of the first projects to come from the partnership between The Warner Bros. Television Group and Time Inc.'s Essence Communications Inc.

SOURCE ESSENCE magazine