Harlem mourns the great Dr. Hazel N. Dukes

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Dr. Hazel Nell Dukes, civil rights activist and president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) New York State Conference, has died at 92. She had reportedly been battling an illness toward the end of her life and died Saturday, Mar. 1, 2025. The announcement was made by Dukes’s son, Ronald.

“It is with profound sadness that I announce the passing of my mother, Dr. Hazel Nell Dukes, at 92 years of age,” he said in a statement. “Mom departed this life peacefully on the morning of March 1, 2025, surrounded by her loving family. Mom was a committed civil rights leader in New York City and the nation, and worked tirelessly on the frontlines almost to the end. We find comfort in knowing that while she’s no longer with us physically but resting in the bosom of Jesus. Funeral service details will be forthcoming. Kindly keep our family in your prayers.” 

Dukes was a dynamic leader and a Harlem legend who worked behind the scenes in New York and national politics for decades, although she never wanted to run for office.

Born in Montgomery, Ala., in 1932, Dukes was the only child of Edward and Alice Dukes. Her father was a Pullman porter and active in the first all-Black railroad union, organized by civil rights activist A. Philip Randolph, in the deeply segregated South. She and her family lived in the Graetz neighborhood of Montgomery, which would eventually be known as the former home of civil rights icon Rosa Parks. 

Her parents’ families were both involved in education. Dukes had thought she’d be a teacher, even enrolling at Alabama State Teachers College in 1949 for a year. Her family ended up moving to New York in 1955 and she attended Nassau Community College on Long Island. While there, she got involved with tenant and community organizing through the Economic Opportunity Commission (EOC) of Nassau County in the town of Roslyn in N. Hempstead. 

In the 1960s, Dukes was appointed by former President Lyndon Johnson to his Head Start early childhood education program — one of the oldest and largest programs of its kind. In 1966, she became the first Black person to hold a position in the Nassau County Attorney’s Office. She eventually received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Adelphi University in New York and completed post-graduate work at Queens College. 

Dukes also had a huge impact on Harlem. She was a former chair of Manhattan Community Board 10, deeply involved with the Harlem Arts Alliance, and an active leader in the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce. She was a champion of the arts; supported Black-owned businesses and economic empowerment; and was laser-focused on closing racial disparities in medical care in Black and underserved communities.

Dukes’s accomplishments and awards received over the course of her lifetime are vast, including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, YWCA City of New York John La Farge Memorial Award for Interracial Justice, Guy R. Brewer Humanitarian Award, 2007 “Network Journal” 25 Most Influential Black Women in Business Award, and a Proclamation at the New York City Council’s Third Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. award.

Dukes received the key to the city from former Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2020, was a Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce 125th Anniversary Gala honoree in 2023, and made history by becoming the first civilian person in the United States to administer the oath of office to a governor — Kathy Hochul, New York State’s first female governor. She was especially proud of that.

City and state leaders shared their condolences and memories of Dukes, whom many affectionately referred to in the Black community as “Ma Dukes.”

“It is with profound sadness that I learned of the passing of my dear friend and mentor, Dr. Hazel Dukes. For over 40 years, Ma Dukes has been an unwavering presence in my life — a trusted advisor, a cherished friend, and a guiding light during some of my most challenging times,” said Mayor Eric Adams in a statement. 

“I will remember Ma Dukes for her remarkable ability to bring people together. Whether in times of crisis or celebration, she could fill a room with her commanding presence yet make everyone feel heard and valued. Her wisdom, compassion, and straight-talking spirit made her a mother figure not just to me, but to several generations of leaders and community members throughout our city who were her ‘children.’”

In her honor, Adams ordered all flags on all city buildings, as well as stationary flagstaffs throughout the five boroughs, to be lowered to half-staff on Saturday.

“I’m saddened to hear of the passing of my true friend, sister, and friend for more than 40 years, Hazel Dukes. She was a force of nature for justice and an activist of the highest order. She made a difference, and we will forever be indebted to her,” said Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network (NAN). “I spoke to her by phone just two days ago. We will never have another Hazel Dukes, but I am grateful that we had this one.”

Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, who heads the Brooklyn County Dems party, said she knew “Mama Dukes” as a fellow sorority sister of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and a mentor.

“… She was a guiding light who inspired the next generation of leaders working towards a fairer future,” said Hermelyn. “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.”

“Dr. Hazel Dukes was an icon to so many New Yorkers. Head of the NAACP New York State Conference, she fought so hard for civil rights and the causes she believed in. I’m praying for Hazel, her family, and everyone who knew and loved her,” said U.S. Senator Charles “Chuck” Schumer.

“It is with profound sadness that we mourn the loss of civil rights legend Hazel Dukes,” said Congressmember Gregory W. Meeks. “She was a towering figure in the fight for justice and equality; most importantly, a mentor and dear friend to me. During her life, Hazel stood courageously in the face of adversity, challenging discrimination with unwavering resolve. Her legacy of bravery, compassion, and commitment to a more equal world will never be forgotten. As we reflect on her advocacy, we are reminded that the work she started is not finished and continues to inspire us to push forward in her honor. My deepest condolences go out to her family, friends, and everyone touched by her remarkable life and contributions. May God bless her soul.”