Meet Cheryl W. Thompson
Investigative Journalist - Author - Educator
A highly respected, award-winning investigative journalist whose exceptional work has earned her national acclaim. A recipient of an Emmy Award and a contributor to three Pulitzer Prize-winning teams, she has built a distinguished career uncovering important stories that shape public understanding.
Cheryl is recognized as a versatile multimedia journalist and a dedicated professor who inspires future generations of journalists.
Her upcoming book, Forgotten Souls: The Search for the Lost Tuskegee Airmen,
explores a powerful and often overlooked chapter of history, reflecting her passion for storytelling and preserving legacies that matter.
Known for her tenacity and relentless commitment to truth and accountability, Cheryl has established herself as a leading voice in investigative journalism. Beyond the newsroom, she is a dynamic public speaker and sought-after host for major events, engaging audiences with insight, authenticity and an unparalleled depth of experience.
Through her work, Cheryl continues to inform, influence and inspire, leaving a lasting impact on journalism and society.
Before joining NPR in 2019, Cheryl spent 22 years at The Washington Post, where her fearless reporting exposed corruption and systemic abuse, which lead to various reforms and policy changes. She was part of two Pulitzer Prize-winning teams (2002 and 2016), and earned an Emmy and myriad awards, including from Investigative Reporters and Editors, National Headliner and the National Association of Black Journalists.
Since 2013, Cheryl has taught investigative reporting at George Washington University, where she founded a student NABJ chapter and was named that organization's Educator of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Cheryl was elected the first Black president of IRE, a 6,000-member organization dedicated to improving investigative journalism. She was re-elected twice and named board chairman in 2021. She currently serves on the National Press Foundation Board, The Center for Collaborative Investigative Journalism and Spotlight DC. She also is a member of the Fund for Investigative Journalism advisory board.
With Forgotten Souls, Thompson brings her investigative rigor and storytelling power to illuminate a long-ignored chapter of American history and preserve the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen who sacrificed everything for freedom.