Washington, DC--

Actor and comedian Cedric the Entertainer served as host of the taped event, scheduled for national broadcast on Feb. 22, just two days before the planned 80th annual Academy Awards telecast on ABC.

Alicia Keys and Tyra Banks were among those celebrated at the Inaugural BET Honors.

An invitation-only crowd packed the Warner Theatre on Saturday as theWashington-based network handed out awards across the spectrum of black achievement, with musical tributes from artists such as Wyclef Jean and Stevie Wonder.

Keys was honored in the entertainment category and Banks for media. Public service honors went to Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., and education honors went to Princeton professor Cornel West.

Former Time Warner chief executive Richard Parsons was honored for corporate citizenship. Janice Bryant Howroyd, who started the Act 1 employment services corporation, was honored for entrepreneurship.