It is with profound sadness that we share that Dr. Hazel N. Dukes, former President of the NAACP New York State Conference passed away on March 1, at the age of 92.
Dr. Dukes has been in the forefront of the Civil Rights movement since the 1960s and has been an important and dynamic activist inspiration to this movement from that period to the present. Up until her passing, she remained a constant fighter for the rights of our people and undeterred by any kind of opposition.
- Advertisement -
She served as president of the NAACP from 1989 to 1992 and her work with President Lyndon B Johnson’s Head Start program is known throughout the country and for her stellar performance. Hazel Dukes was also the first African-American vice-president of the Nassau County Democratic Committee and served in that position to empower black people in the suburbs for years. She served in the position of President of the NAACP New York Conference since 1929, and has been a relentless leader who never stopped working for the political empowerment of our people, civil rights and human rights.
She is known for her dynamic leadership in the local and national scene. We bear witness to that leadership as Ms. Dukes tried to resuscitate the Brooklyn Chapter, which was growing cold. We accompanied her to Brooklyn as she worked in the cold and with all kinds of opposition to rebuild and recraft the Brooklyn chapter to be one of the most dynamic in the country today.
Ms. Dukes was a strong supporter of the concept of the Caribbean Multinational Business Conference (CMBC). She has not just been a supporter but an avid participant who has constantly talked about the commonality of purpose and the problems that exist with black people or people of color internationally. And she was not afraid to express her views to Prime Ministers, to Presidents about the need for working together and being stronger as a unit. Ms Dukes through her association with The Links has worked on several projects in the Caribbean, school projects to upgrade schools and to help in so many social areas, so her reputation is national and international, and all contributing to a better world, all contributing to bring people together.
So, we pay tribute to this Titan and thank her for her service and for her support of CARIB NEWS and people of color of the world through the many decades of her long and very active life.
Governor Hochul Directs State Flags to Be Lowered to Honor the Life of Dr. Hazel N. Dukes
Governor Kathy Hochul today directed flags to be lowered at half staff to honor the life of Dr. Hazel N. Dukes, the longtime New York civil rights leader who died this morning at the age of 92.
“The leadership, courage and bravery of Hazel Dukes transformed New York for the better,” Governor Hochul said. “Her unwavering commitment to the fight for civil rights transformed lives and uplifted our communities. New York is forever indebted to her for the courage, strength, and love she brought to every battle.”
Hazel Dukes was a civil rights activist and former president of the New York State NAACP. She fought for racial justice, education reform, and voting rights, becoming a prominent advocate for the African American community.
NAACP Mourns the Passing of Decades-Long Leader & Trailblazing Icon Hazel N. Dukes
the NAACP is mourning the passing of our New York State Conference President and organizational leader, Dr. Hazel N. Dukes. In addition to her role as New York State Conference President, Dr. Dukes was also a member of the NAACP National Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, and an active member of various Board of Directors sub-committees. She also served as President of the Hazel N. Dukes & Associates Consultant Firm and held several leadership positions within her New York community.
NAACP Chairman of the Board, Leon W. Russell, NAACP Vice Chair of the Board, Karen Boykin Towns, and NAACP President & CEO, Derrick Johnson, released the following joint statement:
“No words can convey the devastation that this loss brings upon us as individuals, and the NAACP as an organization. Dr. Hazel N. Dukes, known to many as ‘Ma’ was a living embodiment of the NAACP. She led with conviction, always put her community first, and stood up to those who tried to bring us down. From leading our National organization to carrying our New York State Conference, serving as a passionate voice on our National Board of Directors, and mentoring our youth, there is no corner of the movement that has been untouched by Dr. Dukes’ legacy.
“While she may have passed on, hers is a legacy that will outlive us all. The NAACP is proud to have served as a home, and our members and fellow leaders an extended family for a force of nature, and source of light as bright as Dr. Dukes. Our hearts are with the Dukes family as we hold her memory close to our hearts while carrying the torch she lit.”
Dr. Dukes received the Association’s highest honor, the Spingarn Medal, at the 114th National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts. The Medal was presented by Hillary Rodham Clinton, who commended Dr. Dukes for her many decades of service to the people of New York and her dedication to bettering the lives of Black Americans across the country. A full interview from the 114th National Convention can be found here.
A daughter of the South turned Harlem legacy, Hazel was born in Montgomery, Alabama, where her father taught her to question racial segregation, and her community showed her the power of organizing. After her family’s migration to New York in the 1940s, Dr. Dukes got heavily involved in the movement for racial equity across healthcare, education, and housing, and was ultimately selected by President Lyndon B. Johnson to the Head Start program.
Dr. Dukes began her leadership at the NAACP in the 1990s, and has been a leading voice in the organization for nearly 40 years, but her list of accomplishments runs long. Most recently, she was given the key to the city by former NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2020, and made history by becoming the first civilian person in the United States to administer the oath of office to a governor – Kathy Hochul.
Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn’s Statement on the Passing of Civil Rights Icon “Mama Dukes”
“I join our communities with deep sadness in mourning the passing of Dr. Hazel N. Dukes, a trailblazing activist and President of the NAACP NYS Conference.
Hazel was a fearless champion of civil rights, dedicating her life to serving and uplifting Brooklynites, New Yorkers, and individuals in need across the country. Her impact was profound, and it will continue to reverberate throughout the nation.
I knew “Mama Dukes” as a fellow sorority sister of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and to me, and countless others, she was more than a mentor—she was a guiding light who inspired the next generation of leaders working towards a fairer future.
Dr. Dukes was a forefront of the civil rights movement; serving for decades as a champion for justice, and a fierce advocate for civil rights. Her powerful voice for change will live on. May she rest in peace.”
