“The Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ) is proud to announce that Krissah Thompson, a managing editor at The Washington Post, will be honored with the inaugural Dorothy Butler Gilliam Trailblazer Award at the 2023 WABJ Special Honors & Scholarship Gala.
This award is presented by the WABJ Executive Board to a D.C. area newsroom manager or editor for their trailblazing careers and exemplary editorial leadership skills. It was established in honor of print journalism giant Dorothy Butler Gilliam, who in 1961 became the first Black woman reporter at the Post and later worked as an editor and columnist before retiring in 2003. The award-winning journalist is a former president of the National Association of Black Journalists and president of the now-defunct Unity: Journalists of Color (later renamed as Unity: Journalists for Diversity).
“The WABJ Executive Board saw it fitting to ensure her legacy remains part of this annual celebration while recognizing Krissah Thompson, whose editorial acumen and exceptional leadership embody the award namesake’s trailblazing legacy,” Atkinson said. “Thompson’s rise at the Post is inspiring to countless young journalists including myself. She’s the perfect inaugural recipient of this accolade.”
