Renee Ferguson, the first African American woman to work as an investigative reporter in Chicago television and a long-time journalist for WMAQ, has died, her family told NBC Chicago. She passed away Friday at 75.

Ferguson is remembered as one of the most impactful journalists in the profession, a job she called a "privilege" and "a great responsibility." She began working at NBC Chicago in 1987.

"Renee Ferguson left an incredible echo in our newsroom that still rings through the DNA of our investigative journalism, and that legacy will continue," said Kevin Cross, president and general manager of NBCU Local Chicago.

Among her many honors, Ferguson was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University and won the prestigious duPont–Columbia Award from Columbia University. She also cofounded Chicago

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