Thank You, Hazel Dukes!
Honoring Dr. Hazel N. Dukes: A Life of Service and Legacy
This special edition of The Positive Community (TPC) is dedicated to the life and legacy of Dr. Hazel N. Dukes, President of the NAACP New York State Conference—a fearless leader and our dear friend. Her presence will be deeply missed. Everyone loved Hazel Dukes. It always felt as though she would be here forever, protecting and encouraging us.
The central theme of Hazel Dukes’ life’s work was clear: community progress and social justice—the business of building a better future. She was a forward-thinker, a doer, always on the side of fairness and positive change. If the cause was righteous, Hazel was there, finding a way to support it. A master strategist, she stood on the front lines whenever the NAACP took on an issue. To many, she was affectionately known as “Mama Dukes.”
Support and Advocacy
Hazel was a true champion of Black media and a trusted ally to our community’s media outlets and publishers. She advised Percy E. Sutton, founder of Inner City Broadcasting Corporation, which owned WBLS and WLIB radio stations, and was also a shareholder. Despite enduring criticism in mainstream media, what mattered most to her was the relationship she nurtured with her people through the Black Press—a vital institution in our community.
This month, we also recognize Black Press Day (March 16), celebrating the founding of The Freedom Journal, the nation’s first African-American newspaper, published in New York City in 1827. For nearly 200 years, the Black Press has chronicled our struggles, hopes, and triumphs. Hazel Dukes was unwavering in her advocacy and support for these vital institutions.
Loving Service
In 2019, TPC honored Dr. Dukes with the distinguished Torchbearer Award at our inaugural Great American Emancipation Day Awards Gala in Newark, NJ. Instead of simply accepting the accolades, she used the moment to urge support for Black-owned media—calling on businesses, institutions, and corporations to invest in community media that tells our stories on our own terms.
This past September, at Convent Avenue Baptist Church in Harlem, the Baptist Ministers’ Conference of Greater New York and Vicinity, under the leadership of President Rev. Dr. James A. Kilgore, honored TPC for 25 years of “Loving Service.” Among those who shared remarks was Hazel Dukes. (To view the video, visit thepositivecommunity.com.)
Through the years, she remained a close friend and informal advisor to us. She would call from time to time, updating us on important matters or simply checking in.
A Final Farewell
In the week leading up to our annual Emancipation Awards Celebration on February 22nd, Hazel called our offices several times—something unusual for her. She expressed regret that she wouldn’t be able to attend this year. We offered to send a car, but she gently declined, saying, “I’m just not feeling well these days.” Still, she wished us the very best.
Just one week after our event, we were devastated to learn of her passing.
The Pathway Forward
Hazel Dukes’ life was anchored in knowledge, wisdom, faith, courage, and resilience. She exemplified an unyielding commitment to service and teamwork, driven by an unwavering love for her people.
Her legacy teaches us an essential truth: Freedom isn’t free. There is always a price to pay. But the burden is lighter when we empower young people to build upon the foundation laid by those who came before them.
Let us continue to inspire the next generation with the ideals of self-acceptance, self-reliance, and self-respect—pillars of true progress. Let us ignite in them a hunger for truth and an unquenchable thirst for righteousness and positive change.
Dr. Hazel N. Dukes was a mighty Torchbearer, illuminating the path forward for all of us. Now, it is our turn to carry the light.
A very special thank you to our Guest Editor, L. Joy Williams, President of the NAACP New York State Conference.
