[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 28, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E263]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING CATHY HUGHES AS A DISTINGUISHED RECIPIENT OF THE 2012 NAACP 
                            CHAIRMAN'S AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 28, 2012

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and 
congratulate an outstanding human being and my dear friend, Ms. Cathy 
Hughes, on receiving this year's National Association for the 
Advancement of Colored People, NAACP, Chairman's Award, the highest 
honor the NAACP has to offer. Cathy is a true symbol of American 
entrepreneurship and success. From her humble beginnings growing up in 
an Omaha housing project to becoming a leader in the media industry, 
Cathy embodies the spirit of determination and hard work.
  Cathy's story is nothing short of remarkable. Born Catherine 
Elizabeth Woods in 1947, Cathy was the eldest of four children. By the 
age of 17, Cathy had dropped out of high school and become a single 
mother. Although she attended two universities in Nebraska, she did not 
have the opportunity to graduate. Despite these challenges, Cathy knew 
that she wanted a career in radio from a very young age and, in 1969 at 
the age of 22, began volunteering at KOWH, an African American owned 
radio station based out of Omaha, Nebraska. There, she excelled in the 
radio business and caught the attention of the Howard University School 
of Communications in Washington, D.C., where she was offered a position 
as a lecturer and assistant dean. By 1978, Cathy had become the vice-
president and general manager of WYCB AM and, a year later, along with 
her former husband, founded Radio One and purchased her first radio 
station in Washington D.C., WOL 1450.
  Times were not easy at WOL 1450. Because of the lack of funding, 
Cathy had to give up her apartment and live with her son at the 
station. She also filled several roles as owner, producer, radio 
personality, and DJ, since she could not afford to pay personnel. But 
her perseverance and determination to see her dream succeed kept her 
going. Today Radio One is the largest African American owned and 
operated radio broadcast network, with over 65 radio stations in every 
major market in the United States and the seventh largest network in 
the nation. In 2004, Cathy launched TV One, a cable television channel 
dedicated to capturing the rich and diverse experience of African 
American life, history, and culture.
  On February 17, 2012, Ms. Hughes was honored at the 43rd NAACP Image 
Awards, the premier multicultural awards show that recognizes the 
achievements of people of color in the fields of television, music, 
literature, film, and creative social justice. Cathy's name has been 
added to an illustrious list of past honorees, such as U.S. Surgeon 
General, Dr. Regina Benjamin, Former Vice-President Al Gore, then 
Senator Barack Obama, and Aretha Franklin. And no one could be more 
deserving.
  Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate Black History Month, it is my distinct 
honor and privilege to recognize a pioneer in the media industry, a 
leader in the African American community, and my dear friend, Ms. Cathy 
Hughes. I commend her for her tireless dedication to empowering the 
disenfranchised and for continuing to be a powerful voice for those who 
too often remain unheard. Cathy, I wish you all the best for many years 
to come.

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