This year, EBONY celebrates Black love by looking back at some of our favorite male stars as they uplift and praise the women they love. See what Denzel Washington, JAY-Z, Magic Johnson and others have had to say about the beautiful Black women in their lives below.

Denzel Washington on wife, Pauletta Washington:


Pauletta Washington and Denzel Washington at the Los Angeles Premiere of "Unstoppable" held at the Westwood Village Theater in Hollywood, California, United States on October 26, 2010

"You can buy a house, but that doesn’t make it a home—and not to say a man can’t make a home a home, but my wife has made our house a home, and raised these beautiful kids [John David, 33; Katia, 30; and twins Olivia and Malcolm, 27] and protected them and sacrificed for them, she did the heavy lifting.”

Ossie Davis on marriage to wife, Ruby Dee:

“Fifty years of being married, and what have I learned from it all? I say to my fellow husbands, whose eyeballs may be covered with lust, the way to possess all women is to love one woman well. Sex is an errand stroke of God’s most choice lightning. Love, on the other hand, is the maker and keeper of our humanity, to be trusted above all other instincts, nurtured, worked at, molded, shaped then remolded. A garden where we labor against rocks, which in time, become flowers, one held in common, rosebush thorns and all. For marriage is the place where love calls home.”

JAY-Z on wife, Beyonce:

Jay Z and Beyonce Knowles attend the Costume Institute benefit gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York.

“This is my soulmate, this is the person I love. Her strength? Man, she’s the strongest woman I know. Her and my mother, they battling for number one."

Ervin 'Magic' Johnson on wife, Cookie Johnson:


LOS ANGELES - JUL 14: Magic Johnson, Cookie Johnson at the 20th Annual DesignCare Gala on the Private Estate on July 14, 2018 in Malibu, CA

“I just love her so much…we’ve been together a long time, and she’s the perfect partner for me. I think when people throw around ‘soulmate’ and all that, for us, it’s for real. We are soulmates. This is my best friend, she’s an incredible mother, incredible wife, she just changed my whole life and shaped it.”

Will Smith's tribute to wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, on their 21st anniversary:


BURBANK, CA. October 22, 2016: Jada Pinkett Smith & Will Smith at the 26th Annual Environmental Media Awards at Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank

“Love is Like Gardening… I have learned to focus on HELPING you to BLOSSOM into what YOU want to be (into what you were born to be)… Rather than Demanding that you become what my Fragile Ego needs you to be. I’ve learned to take pleasure in Nourishing YOUR dreams… Rather than wrestling with you to Fulfill my Selfish Needs & Satiate My Insecurities. I have learned that Love is Listening. Love is Giving. Happy Anniversary, My Queen! I am forever Devoted to Nurturing your Deepest Truth.”

Swizz Beatz praises wife, Alicia Keys, while sharing relationship advice:

“Attention all MEN‼️ You shouldn’t be jealous or upset if you have a Queen that’s successful, smarter or better than you! What you should do is thank the most high or step your game up! I can’t stand when I see brothers jealous of the lady they’re with, that sh*t is very weak!!!!! #Realtalk Lady’s keep doing you. Every King need a Queen that’s better than him, FACTS!"

Russell Wilson on wife, Ciara:


LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 15, 2015: Ciara & Russell Wilson at the 2015 ESPY Awards at the Microsoft Theatre LA Live.

"Sweetest thing I've ever known. I'm so grateful for the loving, sweet, stand up woman you are. Love you #TrueLove."