Pierre Thomas

Pierre Thomas was born in 1962 in Lynchburg, Virginia, and grew up in Monroe, Virginia. The youngest of five children to Nathaniel Thomas and Bertha Helen Brown Thomas, he graduated from Amherst County High School in 1980. He pursued higher education at Virginia Tech, graduating in 1984 with a degree in communication studies. During his time as a student, he completed an internship at WVTF, the university’s radio station in Roanoke, Virginia. Thomas embarked on his journalism career at The Roanoke Times and World-News before moving to The Washington Post in 1987, where he spent ten years, benefiting from the mentorship of Ben Bradlee. His career then transitioned to television, joining CNN in 1997 as a justice correspondent. In 2000, Thomas became a part of ABC News, where he has covered significant national stories, solidifying his role as a prominent journalist in the field.

Throughout his tenure at ABC News, Thomas has covered critical events including the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the 2016 Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, and the death of George Floyd in 2020, along with subsequent protests. His reporting has also encompassed developments from the Justice Department, appointments of special counsels, mass shootings, terrorism, and espionage. He received Emmy, Peabody, and DuPont awards in 2001 for his contributions to ABC News’ coverage of September 11. In 2009, he earned another Emmy for the team’s coverage of President Obama’s inauguration. His accurate reporting on the shooting of U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords and his breaking stories related to the death of Osama bin Laden led the National Association of Black Journalists to name him “Journalist of the Year” in 2012. In 2015, the Radio Television Digital News Association honored him with the John F. Hogan Distinguished Service Award for his contributions to journalism and freedom of the press. In 2023, he received the Paul White Award, the Radio Television Digital News Association’s highest honor, recognizing his lifetime contributions to journalism.