Starz' Kathryn Busby, Celeste Hughey, Sony's Lamar Chase and Felicia Pride also receive special awards

Emmy-nominated actor and comedian Tracy Morgan will receive the inaugural Flip Wilson Award at the 8th annual AAFCA TV Honors ceremony.

The new prize, a press release explains, recognizes individuals whose “comedic artistry and cultural impact” continue the legacy of the groundbreaking entertainer and television pioneer Flip Wilson, who became a household name in the 1970s through his landmark series, “The Flip Wilson Show,” and transformed the cultural landscape for Black entertainers. Morgan receives the honor for his continued contributions to comedy from “Saturday Night Live” and “30 Rock” to his latest starring role in the hit NBC comedy “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins.”

Morgan will receive the special honor at the awards ceremony, held on Saturday, August 8 at City Club LA in Downtown Los Angeles. Winners in 13 categories recognizing outstanding achievements in television and streaming will be honored during the show; those winners will be announced on July 1, with additional presenters revealed in the coming weeks.

Also receiving special awards at this year’s ceremony are Kathryn Busby, president of original programming at STARZ; writer-producer Celeste Hughey; Lamar Chase, senior VP of current programming at Sony Pictures Television; and writer-producer Felicia Pride.

Busby will receive the TV Vanguard Award in honor of her work shaping some of TV’s most ambitious and culturally relevant programming. Throughout her career — with roles at Sony Pictures Television, TriStar Television, Turner Broadcasting and now Starz — Busby has championed bold storytelling and creator-driven content that amplifies underrepresented voices and perspectives.

Hughey will get the Impact Award, saluting her work as creator and executive producer of Peacock’s “The ’Burbs.” In the new series, Hughey reimagined the cult classic through a modern lens, centering a Black female lead (Keke Palmer). She is also known for her writing on “Palm Royale,” “Dead to Me” and “High Fidelity.”

As part of a new generation of entertainment creatives helping redefine how diverse stories are developed and championed across television and digital platforms, Chase will receive the Horizon Award. The executive has built a knack for centering “culturally resonant storytelling and emerging talent,” the press release explains, and his work “consistently reflects an understanding of how contemporary audiences engage with authentic narratives rooted in community and identity.”

Pride will get the Salute to Excellence Award for her stellar career in film and TV, including her work on “Bel-Air”, “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Queen Sugar,” as well as the hit Netflix romance movie, “Really Love.” Pride is the showrunner and executive producer for the highly anticipated “A Different World” sequel series at Netflix. A hallmark of Pride’s work, the press release notes, is her “emotionally grounded storytelling that amplifies the voices and experiences of Black women and communities, often overlooked in mainstream entertainment. Her work reflects a deep commitment to authenticity, representation and creating pathways for emerging writers and creatives of color within the industry.”