D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser presented the Key to the City to media visionary Cathy Hughes during a special ceremony at Sycamore & Oak in Southeast Washington. The event served as a civic honor and 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.

Cathy Hughes’ Legacy

“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 statement. “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.”

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 ceremony attracted city officials, media executives, community leaders, and longtime supporters, including 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 the DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment.

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.

Original reporting: The Washington Informer — read the source article.