Cathy Hughes facts for kids

Cathy Hughes (born Catherine Elizabeth Woods on April 22, 1947) is an amazing American businesswoman. She is a radio and TV star and a leader in the media world. She is known as one of the richest Black women in the United States, right after Oprah Winfrey.

Cathy Hughes started a big media company called Radio One, which is now known as Urban One. In 1999, her company became publicly traded. This meant she was the first African-American woman to lead a company listed on the stock market. In the 1970s, Cathy helped create a popular radio music style called "The Quiet Storm." She did this at Howard University's radio station WHUR-FM with a DJ named Melvin Lindsey.

Cathy Hughes' Early Life

Cathy Hughes was born to talented parents. Her mother, Helen Jones Woods, played the trombone in a famous band called the International Sweethearts of Rhythm. Her father, William Alfred Woods, was the first African-American to get an accounting degree from Creighton University. Cathy's grandfather, Laurence C. Jones, was a successful educator in Mississippi.

Cathy grew up in the Logan Fontenelle Housing Projects in Omaha. Her family did not have much money when she was young. She loved music from a very early age, listening to groups like the Everly Brothers and The Platters. To help her family, she got her first job at just 14 years old by saying she was older.

Education and First Steps

Cathy went to Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart in Omaha. She also took business classes at the University of Nebraska Omaha and Creighton University. Even though she did not finish her degree, her studies helped her get a job. She became a sales manager at Howard University's radio station, WHUR-FM.

Cathy Hughes' Career Journey

Before working in radio, Cathy Hughes worked for an African American newspaper called the Omaha Star in the mid-1960s. In 1969, she started her radio career at KOWH in Omaha. Soon after, she moved to Washington, D.C. She took a job as an assistant at Howard University's School of Communications.

Making Waves in Radio

In 1973, Cathy became the General Sales Manager at WHUR-FM, Howard University's radio station. In her first year, she helped the station's income grow from $250,000 to $3 million! By 1975, Cathy made history. She became the first woman vice president and general manager of a radio station in Washington, D.C. She also created the "Quiet Storm" radio format. This new style changed urban radio and was used by over 480 stations across the country.

Starting Radio One

In 1980, Cathy Hughes and her husband at the time, Dewey Hughes, decided to buy a radio station. They faced many challenges, being turned down by 32 banks. But they finally found someone to lend them money. They bought the AM radio station WOL 1450 in Washington, D.C.

After buying the station, Cathy faced tough times. The previous employees had damaged the building. She even lost her home and had to live at the radio station with her young son. But Cathy did not give up. She changed the station's music style to a 24-hour talk radio format. Its theme was "Information is Power." Cathy hosted the morning show for 11 years.

In 1982, the bank wanted her to play more music. Cathy decided to keep the talk format in the mornings and play music during the rest of the day. Today, WOL is still a very popular talk radio station in Washington, D.C.

Growing the Radio Empire

Cathy's company, Radio One (now Urban One), continued to grow. In 1987, she bought radio station WMMJ. In 1995, Radio One bought another station, WKYS. Radio One eventually owned 70 radio stations in nine major cities across the U.S.

In 1999, Radio One became a publicly traded company. This means its shares could be bought and sold on the NASDAQ stock exchange. Cathy Hughes became the first African-American woman to lead a company listed on a major stock exchange. As of 2007, Cathy's son, Alfred Liggins III, became the CEO and president of Radio One. Cathy serves as the chairperson. She also owns a small part of BET industries.

Venturing into Television

In January 2004, Radio One launched TV One. This is a national cable and satellite television network. It focuses on lifestyle and entertainment for African-American adults. Cathy Hughes hosts a show called TV One on One. On her show, she interviews famous people, often from the entertainment world.

Recognitions and Honors

Both Cathy Hughes and her son, Alfred Liggins, have been named Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young. Cathy is also a proud member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

In 2015, a local business group in Washington, D.C., unofficially named a street corner "Cathy Hughes Corner" in her honor. Her life story is also featured in a documentary series called Profiles of African-American Success. In 2016, Cathy Hughes was honored by being added to the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame. In 2020, she joined the Board of Trustees at Creighton University in Omaha.

Cathy Hughes' Personal Life

Cathy Hughes was married to Alfred Liggins Jr. from 1965 to 1967. They had one son together, Alfred Liggins III, who was born on January 30, 1965. Cathy became a mother at 17.

She later married Dewey Hughes in 1979, and they divorced in 1987. They did not have children together.

Cathy faced a lot of debt after her divorce. She even moved into the radio station with her son. When asked if it was hard, she said she was amazed by Washington D.C. and even saw the president having dinner nearby during her struggles.

Cathy Hughes is Catholic. As of 2018, she attended St Benedict the Moor Catholic Church, a Black parish, when she was in Omaha. She lives in Pasadena, Maryland.

Awards and Achievements

Cathy Hughes has received many awards for her work. In 1995, she was given an honorary doctorate degree from Sojourner Douglass College in Baltimore. This inspired her to go back to school two years later. In 1988, she was the first woman to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the twelfth annual ceremony.

Cathy is also a member of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce's Business Hall of Fame. In 2000, she received the First Annual Black History Hall of Fame Award. She was also given the National Action Network's "Keepers of the Dream" award. This award honors people who are role models and help keep Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy alive.

Radio One was listed as number nine on BET 100 in 2015, showing its great success.

See also

• Laurence C. Jones
• Piney Woods Country Life School (Cathy Hughes serves as a Board Member)