Radio One’s Hughes receives honor

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Radio OneNot only is Cathy Hughes the first African American woman to head a radio group, she is the first to head a publicly traded corporation of any kind. For her contributions and example, she was honored by the Black Women’s Agenda Inc.


The occasion was the 37th Annual Symposium: Workshop Awards Luncheon during Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference in Washington DC.

Hughes received the Economic and Business Award. Honorees as selected from the fields of health, education, the arts, community service and economic development.

“As the very first African-American female to chair a publicly-traded company Ms. Hughes is recognized as a trailblazing change agent renowned for making a difference when it comes to issues in the African American community,” said Vivian Rogers Pickard, BWA’s immediate past president, who presented Hughes the award. “She has managed the largest African-American-owned broadcast company in the world with subsidiaries and interests in radio, TV, online and more.”

“It’s so important for us to identify and reach back, mentor, tutor, help and, most importantly, look out for young women,” Hughes said. “That’s what C. Delores Tucker did for me. That’s what Dr. Dorothy Height did for me. And interestingly, a woman in this community by the name of Katharine Graham [former owner of the Washington Post], who once heard me make a speech, and I said in that speech that I wanted to do for the African-American community what Katharine Graham and the Washington Post did for the white community. After that, she embraced me and she said, ‘Let me help you.’”