EBONY magazine has announced a partnership with Emmy-winning production company Jesse Collins Entertainment to oversee the 2026 Power 100 celebration, signaling both continuity and transformation for the legendary publication's signature honors program.
For over eight decades, EBONY has served as a definitive archive of Black achievement and a cultural mirror. The Power 100 list has become a cultural touchstone—recognition that carries weight beyond prestige and validates honorees as part of the historical record of Black excellence.
This year's honorees will span entertainment, business, sports, media, music, science, technology, community leadership and the arts. Past recipients include filmmaker Ryan Coogler, four-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson, screenwriter and producer Mara Brock Akil, and media personality Scott Evans.
Jesse Collins Entertainment has produced major cultural events including the BET Awards, Soul Train Awards, Grammy Awards and Oscars, as well as specials featuring Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey. The company also produced Beyoncé's halftime show and "A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip Hop."
EBONY CEO Eden Bridgeman said in a statement that the Power 100 transcends the mechanics of a typical list. "It is a cultural record of the people moving us forward," she said.
Dionne Harmon, president of Jesse Collins Entertainment, said: "EBONY has been central to how Black culture is documented and celebrated, and we look forward to helping create an unforgettable experience worthy of this extraordinary group of honorees."
The 2026 ceremony will take place in Los Angeles. The partnership reflects EBONY's understanding of how to amplify celebrations of achievement through sophisticated production values and scale while maintaining its core mission of recognizing Black excellence across all fields of human endeavor.
