Dr. Hazel Nell Dukes, a prominent civil rights activist and longtime president of the NAACP New York State Conference, has died at the age of 92.
Her son released a statement Saturday morning confirming the passing of the activist, who spent decades of her work in and around New York.
“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,” Ronald Dukes said in a statement on behalf of the family.
Dukes was elected national president of the NAACP in 1989, where she served until 1992. She remains one of the few women to ever lead the organization.
Rev. Al Sharpton described Dukes as a “force of nature for justice” and an “activist of the highest order.”
“We will never have another Hazel Dukes, but I am grateful that we had this one,” Sharpton said of Dukes, whom he knew for more than 40 years.
Dukes earned countless awards and recognition for her work on voting rights and fair housing, including the National Coalition of 100 Black Women’s Candace Award for community service, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor for patriotism and philanthropy, and the NAACP 108th Spingarn Medal – the highest or noblest achievement by a living African American in any honorable field.
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo appeared to deliver the news of Dukes’ passing in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“A great pioneer and warrior for social and racial justice, Hazel Dukes was my champion for as long as I can remember and close to all of us in the Cuomo family,” Cuomo said.
On Long Island, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said flags were be lowered to half staff until Dukes’ burial “as a memorial to a great leader.”
