Hazel Dukes, the president of the New York State chapter of the NAACP and lifelong civil rights advocate, died Saturday at the age of 92.
Dukes peacefully passed away in her New York City home surrounded by family, her son, Ronald Dukes, said in a statement.
Dukes, who led the New York State NAACP for almost five decades, was a staunch advocate for voting rights, economic development, fair housing, and education throughout her career. Even in her 90s, she continued to speak out against police brutality and advocate for adequate healthcare in underserved communities, as highlighted in a statement by the NAACP’s New York State chapter.
In 2023, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presented Dukes with the NAACP’s highest honor — the Spingarn Medal.
In her acceptance speech for an award, Dukes declared, “I’m not tired yet,” reaffirming her commitment to ongoing advocacy work and the mentorship of future NAACP leaders.
Dukes played a pivotal role in paving the way for Black women to reach prominent political positions. Her notable moment came in 1972 at the Democratic National Convention when she took the stage to officially support Shirley Chisholm’s historic presidential candidacy, marking a significant milestone as Chisholm became the first Black woman to seek the party’s nomination.
Dukes was instrumental in former President Joe Biden’s decision to choose a Black woman as his 2020 running mate, she noted in an interview with CBS last year. Her career-long fight was bookended by former Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 bid for the presidency.
In a post in X Saturday, Harris called Dukes one of the heroes “upon whose broad shoulders we stand.”
“I’m just proud of Kamala. I’m just excited if I can live to see this happen. It would be the joy of my life,” Dukes said in the CBS interview.
Dukes was the president of her own consulting firm. She also served as the member of the NAACP National Board of Directors. Leaders of the NAACP said in a statement Saturday that Dukes was a “living embodiment” of the NAACP and that her legacy has touched every aspect of the movement.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams ordered flags to be lowered at half-staff as a tribute to Dukes.
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