The first female president of the NAACP’s New York State Conference, Dr. Hazel Dukes, was a key player in the civil rights movement and a beloved leader who died on March 1st. Leaders, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Rev. Al Sharpton, and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, gathered at Mother A.M.E. Zion Church “The Freedom Church” organized 1796 in Harlem early on Wednesday afternoon to give ‘Ma Dukes’ a heartfelt farewell (see video below).
Speaker after speaker noted that Dr. Dukes was on the front lines, fervently defending everything from migrant workers’ rights to affordable housing to political inclusiveness.
Clinton, who called Dukes a “friend and mentor” for more than three decades, recalled meeting Dukes during the 1992 presidential campaign of former President Bill Clinton. She said that Dukes was the one who urged her to run for the New York Senate.
“We’re living in times of uncertainty, discord, difficulty, tough times ahead, and it seems especially cruel that we would lose a trusted friend and a leader and a voice,” Clinton told the standing-room-only crowd. She said it was Dukes who encouraged her to run for Senator, and “When I ran for president in 2016 against he-who-shall-not-be-named, there she was again — as fierce, as focused, as smart as ever. We have made and lived history together, and I will always be grateful for her wisdom, her humor and her grace.”
In order to continue Dukes’ legacy, she urged the audience to “recommit to not being tired.”
“Ma Dukes was good to the last drop,” NYC Mayor Adams said. He encouraged those present to “feel the heat of Mama Dukes when you are in a low place,” urging them to carry her spirit forward in their everyday lives.
“She and I have gone to jail together, and to the White House together,” the Rev. Al Sharpton, president of the National Action Network, shared. “We are here to salute someone who is the glue to civil rights in New York. In the winding days of her life, everybody was getting ready for the city elections. She said, ‘Well, you know Eric’s one of my children,'” civil rights leader Al Sharpton said in remarks, referring to the mayor. “Then Andrew (Cuomo) jumped in. She said, ‘Well, you know I helped raise Cuomo with Mario, he’s one of my children.’ Then our sister in Queens… ‘Yeah, that’s one of my daughters, the president of the City Council, Adrienne Adams.’ Well, if everybody is her child, I guess since she’s gone, y’all are going to have a family feud on primary day,” Sharpton joked.
The church was filled with more clapping and cheers than sadness and tears. Other mourners at the historic house of worship, the oldest Black church in New York State located at on W. 137th Street, included Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, former Gov. David Paterson, Attorney General Letitia James, Speaker of the New York City Council Adrienne Adams, State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, A.M.E. Zion Bishop George D. Crenshaw over the North Eastern Episcopal District, Grace Baptist Church Senior Pastor W. Franklyn Richardson, Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins, former Mt. Vernon Mayor Clinton Young, and Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus Mt. Vernon President Cynthia Turnquest-Jones.
“It was most appropriate and well-deserved to see national and state leaders celebrate the life and legacy of a Civil Rights icon, Dr. Hazel Nell Dukes. The African-American community was challenged to pick up the baton and forward the cause of civil rights,” Bishop Crenshaw shared with Black Westchester.
Gov. Hochul talked about how Dukes administered the oath of office when she was sworn in as the first woman elected governor of New York in 2023. Hochul said she saw Dukes just two days before she died. “She says, ‘You be strong, and you don’t give up the fight. You cannot,’” Hochul said. “I will carry on that fight. I will be your voice.”
“There is a spiritual task that was given while sitting in Dr. Hazel Dukes’ funeral. I know we have a moral responsibility to stand for what is right and say something. My task is to research the truth and share it. Approach the change makers, confront the problem while working on a solution together, but if I have to do it alone, so be it. There is no way anyone who left the service for Dr. Hazel Nell Dukes left without being fired up and ready to go. We’ve got things to do. Black Power!” Turnquest-Jones shared with Black Westchester.
Hazel Bulletin FINAL by BLACK WESTCHESTER MAGAZINE on Scribd
Westchester was definitely in the house standing shoulder to shoulder to send off Queen Warrior, freedom fighter Dr. hazel Nell Dukes. Port chester/Rye, White Plains/Greenburgh, Yonkers, Ossining and Mount Vernon NAACP Branches represented.
“Dr. Dukes was more than a leader- she was a force. She walked in the room when others walked out. She was our shield, our voice, our unwavering advocate. From civil rights to education, from housing justice to political power, she never backed down, never surrendered, and never let us forget our responsibility to the movement,” Port Chester/Rye wrote shared on Instagram.
“The Service was a Beautiful tribute to a life well lived. It was befitting of an incredible woman who dedicated her life to the advancement and empowerment of our community. The love that she gave throughout her life was on full display today,” Janice Griffin White Plains/Greenburgh NAACP President shared with Black Westchester.
“As I sat in Ms. Hazel Duke’s funeral today, I was deeply moved by the outpouring of love and gratitude from individuals of all backgrounds, each a testament to the profound impact she had on countless lives. She was a woman whose compassion knew no boundaries, embracing all as children of God, regardless of their origin or circumstance. Her unwavering dedication to service, her relentless advocacy for justice, and her boundless love for her community have left an indelible mark on generations,” MV NAACP President Kathie Brewington shared with Black Westchester. “Ms. Duke’s legacy is not just in the memories of those who knew her but in the continued work of those she inspired. She was a bridge-builder, a mentor, and a beacon of hope, ensuring that the voices of the underserved were heard and uplifted. Today, as we honor her life, we also commit to carrying forward her mission—to stand in the gap for those in need, to serve with humility and strength, and to uplift the next generation just as she did. Her influence will continue to resonate through every act of kindness, every fight for justice, and every life transformed by her unwavering belief in the power of community.”
Dukes “proscribed to make right the wrongs that plague our communities and our people,” Mother A.M.E. Zion Church Senior Pastor, Rev. Dr. Malcolm J. Byrd said. “Ma Dukes left this world better than she found it.”
All Photos and Funeral Program provided by Cynthia Turnquest-Jones
