Rihanna attends the TIME 100 Gala celebrating TIME’S 100 Most Influential People In The World at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 24, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Fernando Leon/Getty Images for TIME)
Tyra Banks attends the TIME 100 Gala celebrating TIME’S 100 Most Influential People In The World at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 24, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Fernando Leon/Getty Images for TIME)
Musician Raphael Saadiq attends the TIME 100 Gala, TIME’S 100 Most Influential People In The World, cocktail party at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 24, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for TIME)
NFL Player Victor Cruz attends the TIME 100 Gala celebrating TIME’S 100 Most Influential People In The World at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 24, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Fernando Leon/Getty Images for TIME)
Muslimah Habel and honoree Manal al-Sharif attend the TIME 100 Gala, TIME’S 100 Most Influential People In The World, cocktail party at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 24, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for TIME)
Designer B. Michael and Cisely Tyson attends the TIME 100 Gala, TIME’S 100 Most Influential People In The World, cocktail party at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 24, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for TIME)
Jamaica Prime minister Portia Simpson-Miller attends the TIME 100 Gala celebrating TIME’S 100 Most Influential People In The World at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 24, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Fernando Leon/Getty Images for TIME)
Honoree Freeman Hrabowski attends the TIME 100 Gala, TIME’S 100 Most Influential People In The World, cocktail party at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 24, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for TIME)
Mia Farrow and Isaiah Farrow attend the TIME 100 Gala celebrating TIME’S 100 Most Influential People In The World at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 24, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Fernando Leon/Getty Images for TIME)
The Time 100 Gala for 2012 was held last night in New York City, an annual event honoring the world’s top influencers as named by Time magazine. Black stars turned out among the throng of luminaries who attended including legendary actress Cicily Tyson.
Slideshow: TheGrio’s top black ‘Influential People’ from ‘Time 100’
Time 100 Gala guests were treated to performances by Raphael Saadiq and Rihanna, who were both honorees this year.
Rihanna was also named one of the best-dressed of the night by Philly.com, for what the outlet described as her “coquette, strapless, bright pink gown from Marchesa’s 2012 resort collection.”
The pop princess also wowed the audience during her performance with a daring shimmering pants ensemble featuring a strapless top with a gigantic bow.
The Time 100 2012 Gala was a big night for style overall, with Tyra Banks, Ariana Huffington and more chic attendees giving glam as they celebrated those being praised.
Other African-Americans feted by Time for their contributions this year included, “Viola Davis… University of Maryland educator Freeman Hrabowski, President Barack Obama, Nigeria’s president Goodluck Jonathan, Chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Fatou Bensouda, and Jamaica’s prime minister Portia Simpson Miller,” as reported in a previous Grio story.
Speaking of how his mother’s love of reading influenced his decision to become an educator, Hrabowski told assembled guests, “Education makes the difference. Education transforms lives.”
Follow Alexis Garrett Stodghill on Twitter at @lexisb
