WHEREAS, Ukee Washington, born Ulysses Samuel Washington III, joined CBS News Philadelphia (CBS 3 / KYW-TV) as a sports anchor in July 1986, and on July 9, 2026, will mark his fortieth anniversary with the station, a milestone that places him among the longest-tenured local news personalities in the history of Philadelphia television; and
WHEREAS, In 1996, Mr. Washington moved from sports to the news desk as early morning and noon anchor, and in July 2015 was promoted to anchor of the evening editions, where he today anchors CBS News Philadelphia at 5, 6, and 11 p.m., as well as CBS News Philadelphia at 8 p.m. on Philly 57; and
WHEREAS, A proud son of West Philadelphia, Mr. Washington attended Dover High School in Delaware, where he was a celebrated athlete, and later graduated from the University of Richmond, before beginning his broadcast career as a sports anchor at WBBH-TV in Fort Myers, Florida, and WSB-TV in Atlanta, Georgia, prior to returning home to Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, Over the course of his four decades on the air, Mr. Washington has been front and center anchoring some of the region's most memorable and consequential stories, including Superstorm Sandy in 2012, the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, and Pope Francis' historic visit to the City in 2015, and his assignments have ranged from hosting the 2015 Philadelphia Mayoral Candidates Forum to going behind bars to interview a high school classmate on death row, as well as covering the rise of a young Kobe Bryant at Lower Merion High School, the 1997 President's Summit for Service, and the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl championships; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Washington's talents have also been showcased on the national stage, having guest co-hosted the CBS network talk show THE TALK on three occasions, in 2013, 2014, and 2016, and having created and hosted "Rap-Around" in the early 1990s, a groundbreaking Saturday morning teen talk show on Channel 3 that gave voice to the issues facing young people long before the age of social media, and whose guests included future stars Bradley Cooper and Seth Green; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Washington's excellence and impact have been formally recognized through his induction into the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2015 and the Philadelphia Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2008, and in February 2017, the Council of the City of Philadelphia confirmed what the people of this City already knew, naming Ukee Washington a "Living Legend" during its special Black History Month observance; and
WHEREAS, Through revolution and renewal, championship parades and moments of heartbreak, the triumphs and tragedies of forty years of Philadelphia life, Ukee Washington has been a steady, trusted, and beloved presence in the homes of millions across the Delaware Valley, earning the affection of generations of viewers who have come to think of him not merely as an anchor, but as a member of their own family; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby honors and congratulates Ukee Washington on the occasion of his fortieth anniversary with CBS News Philadelphia, and expresses its deepest gratitude for his decades of distinguished service, his compassionate storytelling, and his unwavering commitment to the people of Philadelphia.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this Resolution be presented to Ukee Washington as a token of the Council's esteem and the enduring gratitude of the City of Philadelphia.
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