The Center for Public Integrity’s landmark project, 40 Acres and a Lie has taken second place in the annual Philip Meyer Journalism Award from Investigative Reporters and Editors, which recognizes the best use of social science research methods in journalism.
Black Americans have been demanding compensation and restitution for their suffering since the end of the Civil War.
40 Acres and a Mule rem...
**STEELMAN:** This investigation is a rigorous, data-driven expose of a historical injustice that has been obscured for generations. By leveraging modern technology to reconstruct lost records, the project not only documents a broken promise but also connects it to living descendants, giving voice to a legacy of systemic dispossession. The use of AI and genealogical research is innovative, and the collaboration with other media outlets amplifies its reach. The narrative is strengthened by its fo...