Inducted 2019
City Beat Reporter & Mentor
WWJ Newsradio 950 City Beat reporter Vickie Thomas was raised in Highland Park and discovered her passion for journalism at Henry Ford High School in Detroit.
Thomas attended Michigan State University and graduated from Wayne State University, cum laude, with an honors degree in broadcast journalism. As an intern in the office of U.S. Rep. Louis Stokes, Thomas was instrumental in getting legislation passed honoring 1936 four-time Olympic gold medalist sprinter Jesse Owens, the highest ranked athlete in his sport. Thomas, who had run track at Barber Elementary, found that to be gratifying.
Since joining WWJ in 1991, Thomas has won recognition from the Detroit Press Club Foundation, the Michigan Association of Broadcasters, the Michigan Associated Press and the National Association of Black Journalists. She also received the national “Gabriel Award” in broadcasting from Unda-USA.
Thomas is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and, as president of NABJ’s Detroit chapter, led it to recognition as “Chapter of the Year.” As chapter vice president, she started a scholarship and internship program for college students interested in broadcast news.
In 2013, Thomas was elected as the organization’s Region II Director and served a 5-year term on the national board of directors. She helped produce regional conferences in Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago and Indianapolis. The conferences included training and development, student critiques and networking opportunities. She was the driving force behind bringing the NABJ’s annual convention and career fair to Detroit in 2018, returning after a 26-year absence.
Thomas received the NABJ President’s Award at the Detroit convention.
She gives back at local schools’ career days and has served on the board of the Midwest Aids Prevention Project and Casa Maria Family Services.