Hazel Dukes, the president of the New York State chapter of the NAACP, passed away peacefully at the age of 92 in her New York City home surrounded by family. Dukes, who led the NAACP for nearly five decades, was a lifelong advocate for civil rights, fighting for voting rights, economic development, fair housing, and education throughout her career. She continued to speak out against police brutality and for adequate health care in underserved neighborhoods even in her 90s.
In 2023, Dukes was awarded the NAACP’s highest honor, the Spingarn Medal, by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Dukes was instrumental in paving the way for Black women to ascend to the highest offices in the nation, including advocating for Shirley Chisholm’s presidential candidacy in 1972 and supporting Joe Biden’s selection of a Black woman as his 2020 running mate.
Dukes was a respected figure in the civil rights movement and was honored by leaders such as Vice President Kamala Harris. She was also the president of her own consulting firm and served on the NAACP National Board of Directors. Mayor Eric Adams ordered flags to be lowered at half-staff as a tribute to Dukes, recognizing her as a “living embodiment” of the NAACP whose legacy has touched every aspect of the movement.
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