Dr. Hazel Dukes Honored with NAACP Spingarn Medal

by Karl B. Rodney

Dr. Hazel Dukes, a woman of consequence, received the NAACP Spingarn Medal, the highest and the most prestigious award of this historic organization. What a pleasure it was to witness at the Boston Convention Center with thousands of other persons, the conferring of the Spingarn Medal on Dr. Hazel Dukes, the civil rights icon, human rights fighter, and the grassroots worker for community, individuals and country – a magnificent leader in politics and economic empowerment, education, and social justice. Dr. Hazel Dukes deserves, in every sense of the word and every sense of its meaning, the Spingarn Medal and she follows many outstanding recipients, but the Spingarn Medal needs Dr. Dukes because she brings to this a distinctive career of achievement in the widest world of working for housing, for education, involved in national politics involved in all the areas that encompasses human development and so her receiving this award acknowledges an individual who has this broad appeal with wonderful, unmatched achievements.

We are delighted for other reasons to have worked with Dr. Dukes from the very inception of Carib News when an emerging community, we herald the voice of that community through Carib News not only looking to advance the interest of the community but to build alliances with leaders much in the tradition of other 

Caribbean leadership that had preceded us, where collaboration and alliances among all people of color is necessary, and in the tradition of Garvey, Chisolm and Belafonte.

It was in that spirit that working with Hazel Dukes was a hallmark of Carib News and its outreach. In fact, our relationship with Dr. Dukes preceded Carib News because we had worked with her through the campaign of Percy Sutton when he was running for Mayor of New York City and also while he was the Borough President of Manhattan. 

We were also honored to work with Dr. Dukes on the campaign of David Dinkins, the first African-American mayor of New York City, and to bring communities together.

Hazel Dukes was one of those individuals we could work with and did work with as we connected through Percy Sutton and our Caribbean connection with WLIB radio. 

Working with the Caribbean community, the African American community, and Dr. Dukes was a part of that uniting.

We are so proud of this association, and I’ve had the privilege to work with her in so many ways, in restoring the Brooklyn branch at a time it was not performing up to standard. We were with her through thick and thin. She was with us through the formation of several citywide activities supporting the community, economic and school activities, and also the social activities of the Carnival, she attended several of our board meetings and was always active in working with our communities.

Dr. Dukes traveled with us to several of the Caribbean countries, and she was not shy to work with the prime ministers on how best we as people of color can work together. She generally had solutions that she proposed that would help us to move in that direction.

A strong partner for progress of black people, Hazel Dukes is known for her dynamic, open, and frank leadership – a warrior for whatever cause she takes on and a dynamic visionary. She is one that you can depend on in tough times to stand with you and one that is dependable in purpose and steadfast accomplishing achievements.

We watch her as she works with all generations and how as she progresses through all her activities she has brought along and mentored so many young people providing the kind of leadership example that she clearly indicates to them that they need to take up the mantle and go forward with the leadership that she has provided; they need to carry it forward.

Her achievement at the NAACP is well documented and well recognized, her leadership in communities and with individuals has been constant and productive and her always present energy, passion and compassion is something to be celebrated. Through the years we at Carib News have been a witness to all of these characteristics of a wonderful person. 

We salute Dr. Hazel Dukes, a woman of real consequence on the occasion of this honor, recognized by so many, but especially by the NAACP Spingarn Medal. 

So well deserved! Congratulations!