75 CENTS
OMAHA STAR
THE
Celebrating 80 Years
Celebrating Our Fathers
1938 2018
Dedicated to the Service of the People that NO Good Cause Shall Lack a Champion and that Evil Shall Not Go Unopposed
Nebraska’s Only Black Owned Newspaper Vol. 80 - No. 11 Omaha, Nebraska
Friday, June 1, 2018
75 cents
Media Titan Cathy Hughes, Legendary Business Leader and North Omaha Home Girl There could be no higher authority nor appropriate guest speaker than a woman who grew up On May 17-18, Cathy Elizabeth Hughes, a child in North Omaha and founded her own media of North Omaha’s Logan-Fontenelle housing empire. Hughes’ Urban One is the largest African project, received a triumphant celebration for her extraordinary life achievements and steadfast American-owned broadcasting company in the commitment to the African American “village” U.S. and the largest radio broadcaster targeting that nurtured her and prepared her for greatness. African American and urban listeners. Hughes The party started on May 17 with a ceremonial is the first African American woman to own a street naming. Paxton Boulevard is now Cathy company selling public stock on Wall Street. Hughes Boulevard. Today, her personal wealth makes her the second On May 18, Hughes was keynote speaker for richest African American woman (after Oprah the luncheon at the 11th Annual Empowerment Winfrey) in the United States. Network “Rebuilding the Village Conference.” Hughes’ two days of celebration was crowned by a roast at the Omaha Press Club and presentation of her portrait as the 157th inductee to the “The Face on the Barroom Floor.” In a celebrity world filled with awards, plaques, honors, and all manner of glorification, after observing Hughes interactions with so many of her beloved North Omahans, it was clear that those two glorious days for her were not about the titles and new stuff she can now add to her trophy case. This isn’t the first street named for Cathy Hughes. In 2015, the corner of 4th Johnny, Alfred, Cathy & Ben unveiling street sign and H Street NE in Washington, D.C. was By Walter V. Brooks
Omaha Star Publisher Earns Recognition for Service to Youth and the Community
During the 11th Anniversary Empowerment Network Conference & Awards Luncheon on May 18, Omaha Star Publisher Phyllis Hicks received the Community Impact Award. This award was given in recognition of her longtime commitment and contributions to youth and the North Omaha community, and for stepping up to meet a critical need in our community by serving as the Publisher of the Omaha Star. From 2005 until 2016, Phyllis Hicks was the Director of Marketing for the Omaha Star newspaper. Since the death of Omaha Star Publisher Dr. Marguerita Washington in 2016, the duties of publisher and general manager were added to Phyllis’ list of responsibilities. Phyllis sells advertising, increases circulation, writes news and feature articles, is the newspaper’s primary representative at media-related conferences and events and is coordinator for developing new revenue streams, grants and awards to enhance the Omaha Star. From 1968 to 1998, Phyllis was Employee Relations Coordinator and Employment Service Supervisor for the Omaha Opportunities Industrialization Center Inc., where she retired and accepted employment as a trainer at a telephone marketing firm. Phyllis later accepted a position as a System Analyst at CSG Systems, where she retired in 2005. Having attended Peru State Teacher’s College, Creighton University and University of Nebraska at Omaha, Phyllis received a teacher’s certification for vocational education. Her interest was always in journalism so she minored in it but never used it until she started
working at the Omaha Star. She is a graduate of the Omaha Chamber of Commerce’s second Leadership Omaha Program and the Heartland Blue Print Program sponsored by the United Way of the Midlands – two of Nebraska’s most prestigious business fellowship programs. She is a 2002 recipient of the City of Omaha’s “Living the Dream” Award presented annually on Dr. Martin Luther King’s Birthday. One of her proudest achievements remains being Co-founder of the Salem Baptist Church Stepping Saints Drill Team in 1967 and leading it to national prominence.
9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., M-F • Citadel Corps/Renaissance Village, 3612 Cuming St. 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., M–F • Burrows Center, 6101 NW Radial Hwy 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., M-F • Council Bluffs Salvation Army, 715 N. 16th St. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., M-F
Hours vary by location: • Kroc Center, 2825 Y St. 5 a.m. - 9 p.m., M-F • North Corps Community Center, 2424 Pratt St.
Summer Arts Festival – June 8-10 See In the Village for details
Changing the Game with Cathy Hughes 11th Annual Empowerment Conference a Huge Success
Phyllis Hicks Photo Credit Marlon of MAW Photography
Salvation Army Facilities Serve as Cooling Centers The Salvation Army Omaha and Council Bluffs locations will serve as cooling centers during regular business hours when weather conditions meet specified guidelines. Cooling Centers are in operation when the Heat Index (HI) is expected to reach 105 degrees, or when air temperatures reach 90 degrees or more for two consecutive days.
renamed Cathy Hughes Street. This corner is the location of Hughes’ first radio station, WOL1450 AM. It was at this radio station that Cathy Hughes invented the radio programming format called “Quiet Storm,” now used by 480 radio stations across the country. WOL was the birth of Radio One, now the largest black-owned radio empire in America with 56 radio stations in 16 U.S. markets. Cathy Hughes has addressed major national and international conferences for many years. She is a widely sought-after speaker and media/business consultant of the first order. Her presentation at the Empowerment Network conference was a home-grown connection, because people of Cathy Hughes’ stature are rarely affordable and accessible to local initiatives such as the Empowerment Network. “The Face on the Barroom Floor,” while a much-esteemed honor in Nebraska, has actually Cathy with drawing for barroom floor been awarded several times annually over the worth approaching $500 million, doesn’t come to last 20 years and Cathy Hughes is not the first African American to receive it. Brenda Omaha just for some honors and awards. Cathy Council, Bob Gibson, Johnny Rodgers, John Hughes soaked up two days of celebration and Beasley, Michael Scott and Preston Love Sr. are glorification in Omaha because it came from the people she loves the most and has never previously honored African Americans. So, honestly, a woman who climbed her way to forgotten. the top of America, created a globally recognized Over the last 40 years, I’ve seen or read media empire, and is now clocked at a personal See Media Titan continued on page 9
Monetary contributions to help support Salvation Army Emergency Services can be mailed to The Salvation Army, 10755 Burt St., Omaha, NE 68114, or given online at SalArmyOmaha.org.
Cathy Hughes with County Commissioner - Chris Rodgers, Empowerment Network Board Chair – Teresa Negron, Empowerment Network Board Vice-Chair – Timothy Christian, City Council President – Ben Gray, Empowerment Network President - Willie Barney
Reprinted with Permission from Revive! Omaha Magazine 2018 “This is amazing. Over 500 people at an Empowerment Conference. This would not have been possible when I was in Omaha.” – Cathy Hughes Cathy Hughes, North Omaha native and founder and Chairwoman of Urban One Inc., delivered an awesome keynote at the 11th Annual Empowerment Network Conference on May 18 at the Hilton Omaha Downtown. Hughes was in town to attend a street dedication in her honor and agreed to serve as the keynote speaker at the Network’s luncheon. It was a historic, one-of-a-kind moment. Comments from attendees said it all. “She was real, down to earth and absolutely amazing. Everyone in North Omaha needs to hear what she had to say.” “She made it so personal, it made it seem like I
Salute to Graduates Issue – June 29 Send Photos to Phyllis Hicks by June 12 phyllis@omahastarinc.com
was sitting in her kitchen listening to stories about what it was like to grow up in North Omaha and what it takes to be successful.” “Always better your best.” The audience was fully engaged, laughing, cheering, gasping and applauding throughout the forty minute conversation between Hughes and Willie Barney, President of the Empowerment Network. She started by thanking God for her blessings. Hughes recognized Johnny Rodgers, Vickey Parks and the other team members responsible for the Street Dedication. She was in awe of the whole Empowerment Network Conference and the collaboration happening in the community. She then shared a wide range of experiences: working for her father and traveling on the railroad to Pocatello, Idaho; her first job at the Omaha Star working for Mildred Brown; starting at KOWH in Omaha and then eventually launching Radio See Empowerment continued on page 9
See the Juneteenth Calendar of activities in this issue.