Mayor Bowser Presents Key to the City to Media Mogul Cathy Hughes

(Washington, DC) - Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser presented a Key to the City to pioneering media mogul and Urban One founder Cathy Hughes during a special edition of Majic Wednesdays at Sycamore & Oak in Ward 8. The Key to the City is the highest honor the District can bestow upon an individual and is rarely presented. Hughes received the honor in recognition of her groundbreaking career, extraordinary contributions to media and culture, and decades-long commitment to creating jobs, launching careers, opening doors, and amplifying Black voices.

"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. "She bet on herself, she bet on Black voices, and she bet on Washington, DC. 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 came to Washington more than 50 years ago and went on to transform the media landscape. At Howard University's WHUR, she created the groundbreaking Quiet Storm radio format, which became a cultural phenomenon and influenced radio across the country. In 1980, she purchased WOL-AM and built Radio One, now Urban One, into a multimedia powerhouse. In 1999, Hughes made history as the first Black woman to chair a publicly held corporation.

But Hughes' legacy extends far beyond her historic business achievements. Throughout her career, she has created countless jobs, launched and supported generations of broadcasters, journalists, executives, artists, and entrepreneurs, and provided platforms that have amplified Black voices and culture across the nation.

"Washington, DC is where I built my career, raised my family, and dared to dream bigger than anyone thought possible," said Cathy Hughes. "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."

Her connection to Washington's homegrown sound is also deeply rooted in WOL, which gave Go-Go music an important platform and helped bring the music of Washington, DC to broader audiences. That legacy continues through Majic Wednesdays, which Hughes has been instrumental in bringing to Sycamore & Oak for the past two years, creating a free summer celebration of music, culture, and community in the heart of Ward 8.

The July 15 celebration comes as the District marks the 50th anniversary of Go-Go, the official music of Washington, DC. Throughout 2026, Mayor Bowser and the District are celebrating the artists, bands, pioneers, and cultural institutions that have carried the homegrown sound of the nation's capital for five decades.

Past recipients of the Key to the City include Pro Football Hall of Famer Darrell Green, comedian and DC native Dave Chappelle, philanthropist and businessman David Rubenstein, and former Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper.

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