Hazel Dukes, the former NAACP national president and renowned civil rights leader, passed away in Harlem on Saturday. She was 92.
Dukes passed away at 6.20 am on Saturday (March 1), surrounded by family at her home in Harlem, New York, her son Ronald said in a statement.
Her cause of death was not revealed, though sources close to the family told The Post that she had been battling an illness.
“It is with profound sadness that I announce the passing of my mother, Dr. Hazel Nell Dukes, at 92 years of age,” Ronald said.
“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.”
It is not clear what illness Dukes was suffering from, but sources say she skipped the annual NAACP New York State Conference event in Albany earlier this year because she was ill.
“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,” the NAACP Board’s Chairman Leon W. Russell and Vice Chair Karen Boykin Towns, and President & CEO, Derrick Johnson said in a joint statement.
“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.”
Born in Montgomery, Alabama, Hazel Dukes moved to New York City with her parents in 1955, where she pursued a degree in Business Administration at Nassau Community College.
In 1989, she was elected national president of the NAACP, serving until 1992.
Beyond her leadership in the civil rights movement, Dukes worked for President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “Head Start” program in the 1960s and became the first Black American to work at the Nassau County Attorney’s Office in 1966.
She also served as a community organizer for the Economic Opportunity Commission of Nassau County and actively fought against housing discrimination while residing in Roslyn, Long Island.
Dr. Dukes was a passionate activist, unafraid to publicly challenge opponents, such as former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
In a New York Amsterdam News profile last year, she reflected on their clashes, stating, “I had fights with them. We had a NAACP convention. Giuliani was so bad that I said he could not even bring greetings. His behavior toward the Black community was so bad that he could not speak at an NAACP convention.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who was by Dukes’ side in her final days, shared a heartfelt tribute.
“She called me her daughter. That means the world to me. Her contributions to making our state and our country more just, more equitable, and more fair are impacts that will long endure after her passing,” Hochul wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Attorney General Letitia James said on X:
“My heart is heavy this morning to learn that another giant has gone on to rest. Hazel Dukes was a legend who fought for justice every day, and her legacy will live on. May she rest in power and peace.”
