Hughes Joins Fellow Crown Jewel of Excellence Black Music Month Class of 2022 Inductees Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff, Robert Smith, RUN DMC, T.D. Jakes, The Clark Sisters, NAS, Angela Bassett, Patti LaBelle and Prince.
Memphis, Tennessee-June 20, 2022 — On Saturday, June 18, 2022, Urban One founder, Cathy Hughes, was inducted into The Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame (BMEWOF) during its Juneteenth celebration in Atlanta. Hughes is now an official member of the Crown Jewel of Excellence Black Music Month Class of 2022. The Walk of Fame is a joint initiative by the Black American Music Association (BAMAssoc) and Georgia Entertainment Caucus (GEC). The Black Music Month Induction recognized and honored pioneering artists, entertainers, and visionaries who have positively impacted both Black culture and the community at large. In May, BMEWOF founders Catherine Brewton (GEC), Demmette Guidry (BAMAssoc), Erica Thomas (GEC), and Michael T. Mauldin (BAMAssoc) announced the names and categories of this year’s Black Music Month Class of Inductees, which included the late Prince as a Legacy Inductee. As an ode to Prince, the closing ceremonies ended with a fireworks show, featuring one of Prince’s biggest hits, “Let’s Go Crazy.” The induction ceremony was a family affair for Hughes. She had the honor of being inducted by Alfred C. Liggins III, her son and CEO of Urban One, Inc. “I am very proud to be here today to induct my mother, the founder and chairperson of Urban One, into the Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame,” said Liggins before passing his microphone to his son and Hughes’ grandson, Charlie Liggins, for a shoutout to the city of Atlanta. “On behalf of my grandmother Cathy Hughes, I’d like to thank the Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame for honoring her with a star. Keep listening to Radio One. We love you Atlanta.” The elder Liggins finished the induction with gratitude before handing Hughes her award, “With this, I would like to present this plaque, which represents the star on the Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame, to my mother, Cathy Hughes. Thank you to the founders of this incredible organization and thank you city of Atlanta.” In a short, lively acceptance speech, Hughes paid tribute to the founders of BMEWOF, fellow inductees and Atlanta. “First and foremost, let’s give praise and thanks to God from whom all blessings flow. Let’s hear it Atlanta for God. We thank you dear God. We could have been anywhere else but we’re here today in unity and love celebrating not only the Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame but Juneteenth. Let’s hear it. You [Atlanta] are the Mecca of Black excellence.” Saturday’s induction comes less than a year after she was inducted into The Baltimore Sun's Business and Civic Hall of Fame and just two years after she was recognized by Congress for her lifelong, trailblazing work in media. The 75-year-old Hughes, began her media career over 50 years ago at the Omaha Star newspaper in Omaha, Nebraska. Shortly after she started a role in radio at KOWH, Nebraska’s first radio station, working there briefly before moving to take a job as an administrative assistant and lecturer for the School of Communications at Howard University in Washington, D.C. At Howard University, Hughes rose through the ranks to become the General Sales Manager of the university’s radio station, WHUR-FM. Hughes had a storied career at WHUR-FM, becoming the first woman vice president and general manager of a station in Washington, D.C. During her time at WHUR, she introduced the nation to the iconic “Quiet Storm”, which is still utilized today. After nearly a decade at WHUR, she purchased 1450 WOL-AM in 1980, hosting an urban talk format and laying the foundation for what would become Radio One. A couple of years later she acquired nine additional radio stations, totaling ten stations. In the 1990s, Hughes continued to soar, becoming the first Black woman to chair a publicly held corporation while expanding Radio One with the accumulation of 60 different gospel, urban and talk radio stations, with her son Alfred Liggins, III as her business partner. Radio One grew to include TV One, a linear cable network, in 2004. iOne Digital, formerly known as Interactive One, was launched in 2007. Now Radio One, is a subsidiary of Urban One, Inc., the parent company of iOne, One Solution, Radio One, Reach Media and TV One. BMEWOF’s official press release for the event stated, “With a national and international appeal, the BMEWOF will acknowledge, preserve, respect, and inspire the Black creative community for generations to come.” Previous Foundational inductees include Cicely Tyson, Quincy D. Jones, Berry Gordy, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, James Brown and Otis Redding. The Crown Jewel of Excellence emblems for the inductees of the BMEWOF are permanently installed on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, in front of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The complete list of this year’s BMEWOF Inductees includes: Cathy Hughes (Foundational) Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington (Foundational) Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff (Foundational) Robert Smith (Foundational) RUN DMC (Foundational) T.D. Jakes (Foundational) Charlie Wilson (Mainstream) Donnie McClurkin (Gospel) Tamela Mann (Gospel) The Clark Sisters (Gospel Group) NAS (Hip Hop) Angela Bassett (Actress) Steve Harvey (Mogul) Bob Marley (International) Patti LaBelle (Legacy) Prince (Legacy) About TV One Networks TV One Networks is the hub of black culture and entertainment with a broad offering of original programming and classic series, serving both diverse audiences for TV One and CLEO TV. Launched in January 2004, TV One currently serves 43 million households and CLEO TV, launched in January 2019, is the sister network with a 34.9 million household reach. Each network has a unique audience that serves viewers with fan favorites from TV One such as Unsung, Uncensored, Fatal Attraction, ATL Homicide, Life therapy, Don’t Waste Your Pretty and Urban One Honors. CLEO TV, a lifestyle and entertainment network targeting Millennial and Gen X women of color, delivers content that uplifts and inspires today’s modern-day woman. Viewers of CLEO TV can expect award-winning content in both original and acquired series including Culture Kitchen, Living by Design, New Soul Kitchen, Just Eats with Chef JJ, Tia Mowry's Quick Fix and All Things Adrienne House to Home. Both networks are solely owned by Urban One, Inc., formerly known as Radio One, Inc. [NASDAQ: UONE and UONEK, www.urban1.com], the largest African-American owned and operated multi-media company. About the Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame The Walk of Fame is a joint initiative by the Black American Music Association (BAMAssoc) and Georgia Entertainment Caucus (GEC). With both a national and international appeal, the BMEWOF will honor iconic individuals and organizations that have impacted Black culture and community alongside those who continue to lead us into the future. About the Black American Music Association Founded in 2017, the Black American Music Association (BAMAssoc) is a 501(c)(6) professional membership trade organization for music industry professionals, creators, scholars, music industry stakeholders and communities at large; interested in preserving, protecting, and promoting the legacy and the future of Authentic Black American Music as an indigenous art form. The BAMAssoc, along with its BAMFoundation 501(c)(3), collectively provides a unity of purpose, "transforming cultural relevance into community relevance" and has positioned itself to impact Black Culture nationally and internationally. About the Georgia Entertainment Caucus The Georgia Entertainment Caucus (GEC) is an Atlanta-based 501(c)3 organization founded by Georgia State Representative Erica Thomas and BMI Executive Catherine Brewton. GEC is focused on fostering systematic programs that bridge the gap between the Georgia Political Sector and the entertainment industry. The Georgia Entertainment Caucus is most widely noted as being a large supporter of Atlanta-area schools in the fields of art, entertainment, and Public Policy. The GEC has founded programs such as Star Student Live and the Criminal Justice Reform Summit, programs which promote community engagement, police reform, and students in the arts. 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G.H.06.20.2022
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