Early in her career, NPR investigative correspondent Cheryl W. Thompson was asked to cover an event featuring the legendary Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American military aviators in the U.S. Air Force. Her father, William W. Whitlow, encouraged her to go. Whitlow himself was a Tuskegee Airman, and covering that assignment helped Thompson grasp the enormity of his contribution to American history.

But the full weight of that role didn’t hit until Thompson began writing her first book, “Forgotten Souls: The Search for the Lost Tuskegee Airmen.” In March, Thompson took time off from her book tour to speak with NPF Widening the Pipeline fellows about her remarkable career, which led her from Chicago to The Washington Post to the upper ranks of American investigative journalism.

Thompson’s list of accolades includes being the newest member of the NPF Board of Directors and recently being named a 2026 SPJ/DC Hall of Fame honoree. She detailed her experience becoming the first Black president of Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) and spoke candidly about her experiences as a Black woman in the newsroom, and using her identity to her advantage while emphasizing the importance of fair and comprehensive reporting.

You can watch Thompson’s session below, and access the full transcript here.