Clinton Wins Image Award

Monday, March 5th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. â€“ Former President Bill Clinton joined top black entertainers Saturday at the 32nd NAACP Image Awards, where he received a special honor from the nation's largest civil rights group.

Mr. Clinton entered the Universal Amphitheatre to a standing ovation from the wildly cheering crowd.

NAACP President Kweisi Mfume presented Mr. Clinton with the President's Award and credited him with improving the lives of blacks during his eight years in office.

"What really matters is our common humanity," Mr. Clinton told the crowd. "When we forget it, we suffer. When we remember it, we prosper."

Mr. Clinton's ties to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People remained strong throughout his often, troubled presidency. While in office, the former president spoke several times before the NAACP and garnered record-high opinion poll numbers with black voters.

The Image Awards honor entertainers and other public figures who present positive portrayals of blacks in American culture.

Comedian Chris Tucker hosted the show, which is scheduled for broadcast Friday on Fox. During one segment, he sat beside Mr. Clinton and joked that the former commander in chief is so popular among minorities that some consider him the first black president.