By Morgan Carpenter
AFRO Intern
mcarpenter@afro.com
Urban One founder and Washington legend Cathy Hughes received the district’s highest civic honor on July 15 as D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser presented her with the Key to the City during a special edition of Majic Wednesdays at Sycamore and Oak in Ward 8.
The award recognizes Hughes’ decades of contributions to Black media, business and culture. It includes her work creating opportunities for Black journalists, broadcasters, entrepreneurs and artists.
“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,” said Mayor Bowser, in a statement released on the occasion. “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 arrived in Washington over 50 years ago and helped reshape the landscape of Black radio and media while working at Howard University’s WHUR. It was there she created the influential Quiet Storm radio format.
In 1980, she purchased WOL-AM and later grew the station into Radio One, now Urban One, one of the nation’s largest Black-owned multimedia companies. In 1999, she became the first Black woman to chair a publicly traded corporation.
Beyond her historic business accomplishments, Hughes is proud to be recognized for mentoring generations of media professionals and providing platforms that center Black stories, history and voices.
“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 press release. “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. I have always believed in the power of our voices, our music and our stories, and I am deeply grateful to the city that gave me the opportunity to turn that belief into a life’s work.”
Hughes has also played a significant role in supporting Washington’s iconic Go-Go music scene. WOL helped bring the city’s signature sound to broader mainstream audiences. Along with influencing Go-Go, Hughes has been instrumental in bringing Majic Wednesdays to Sycamore and Oak over the past two years as a free summer celebration of music and community in the district’s Ward 8.
This recognition comes as the District is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Go-Go, Washington’s beloved music, with yearlong events honoring the artists and cultural institutions that have shaped the genre.
Hughes joins the ranks of past recipients of the key to the city including Pro Football Hall of Famer Darrell Green, comedian and D.C. native Dave Chappelle, philanthropist and businessman David Rubenstein and former Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper.
