In an evening that celebrated history, entrepreneurship, and the enduring influence of Black media, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser presented the Key to the City to Urban One visionary Cathy Hughes during a special ceremony at Sycamore & Oak in Southeast Washington. The event served not only as a civic honor but also as a tribute to one of the nation’s most influential figures in broadcasting, whose career began in the District more than four decades ago and transformed the American media landscape.
“Washington, D.C., is where I built my career, raised my family, and dared to dream bigger than anyone thought possible,” said Cathy Hughes in a Wednesday press release from the mayor’s office. “To receive the Key to the City from Mayor Bowser, in the community and at an event that means so much to me, is an extraordinary honor.”
Held during a special edition of Majic Wednesdays — a free summer concert series hosted by the D.C. Office of Cable, Television, Film, Music and Entertainment (OCTFME) and Radio One’s Majic 102.3/92.7 — the ceremony attracted city officials, media executives, community leaders, and longtime supporters. Special attendees included Urban One Chief Executive Officer Alfred C. Liggins, TV One President Michelle Rice, philanthropist and D.C. former first lady Cora Masters Barry, and District officials such as LaToya Foster, director of OCTFME.
Performances included the District Kings and the legendary Junkyard Band, underscoring Washington’s rich go-go heritage while honoring a woman whose influence extends far beyond the nation’s capital.
“Cathy Hughes is a Washington legend who didn’t just build a media empire — she built careers, created jobs, opened doors, and brought generations of people along with her,” read Bowser’s press release statement. “She bet on herself, she bet on Black voices, and she bet on Washington, D.C. And as we celebrate 50 years of go-go, it is only fitting that we honor Cathy at Majic Wednesdays, an event she helped make possible, surrounded by the music, culture, and community she has championed for decades.”
Hughes founded what would become Urban One after purchasing Washington radio station WOL-AM in 1980. Through determination and innovative programming, she expanded that single station into the nation’s largest Black-owned multimedia company, encompassing Radio One, TV One, digital platforms, and community outreach initiatives.
The media mogul – listed as the second-richest Black woman in the United States — also became the first Black woman to chair a publicly traded corporation in the nation, a milestone that secured her place in American business history.
“I have always believed in the power of our voices, our music, and our stories,” Hughes said, “and I am deeply grateful to the city that gave me the opportunity to turn that belief into a life’s work.”
