Remembering Hazel Dukes: NYC pols honor life of civil rights icon at Harlem service

Leaders across New York City gathered in Harlem Wednesday to pay tribute to Dr. Hazel Dukes, a pivotal figure in the civil rights movement and a beloved leader known for her lifelong commitment to justice and equality, who died on March 1.

In a heartfelt homegoing service at Mother AME Zion Church attended by friends, family, and political leaders, Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul reflected on Dukes’s legacy and the lessons she imparted to countless lives.

“Ma Dukes was good to the last drop,” 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.

A figure of inspiration and resilience, Dukes was an advocate for civil rights, making impactful contributions through organizations like the NAACP and Head Start, a program dedicated to uplifting and supporting young people in need.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams at the memorial service for Dr. Hazel Dukes in Harlem on March 12, 2025.Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

Dr. Dukes was born and raised in Harlem, where she became a beacon of hope and empowerment. She was the first female president of the NAACP’s New York State Conference and played a significant role in campaigns advocating for education, social justice, and community development. Her leadership in the Head Start program showcased her commitment to early childhood education, emphasizing the importance of nurturing the next generation.

Hochul also paid tribute to Dukes, recalling their personal connection that deepened following the loss of Hochul’s mother.

“Her life was a gift to all of us,” Hochul said.

“I didn’t know that I now had about a thousand siblings,” she said, referencing Dukes’s ability to make anyone feel included and cared for, affirming her reputation as “Mama” to many.

Throughout her life, Dr. Dukes’s passion for activism extended into numerous facets of community organizing. She was fierce in her advocacy during tumultuous times, leading efforts against racial discrimination, police brutality, and for women’s rights. Her spirit echoed in the pulsating heart of Harlem, a place she diligently fought to uplift.

“She put drops in the Head Start program, drops in the NAACP, drops in uplifting young people,” Adams said.

“When she gave advice to someone like me, she knew from where she spoke, because she had been in the trenches, on the front line,” former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said of Hazel Dukes.

The service highlighted stories from public figures and personal friends who cherished their experiences with Dukes. Speaker after speaker contrasted her tough but loving nature, often humorously recounting her sometimes demanding but always supportive presence.

Many other attendees, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, echoed the sentiment that Dr. Dukes’s empathy and commitment to fostering unity among diverse communities were among her greatest legacy.

“She wasn’t some kind of bystander through all of these years; she was active,” Clinton said, noting that she helped launch Head Start during the Johnson administration and was the first Black prosecutor in the Nassau County District Attorney’s office.

“When she gave advice to someone like me, she knew from where she spoke, because she had been in the trenches, on the front line,” she added.

Rev. Al Sharpton remembered Dukes as “the mother of the northern civil rights movement” who fought her life to combat racism in the New York City area. He urged the congregation to follow her example to continue fighting oppression and the Trump administration’s actions.

“Hazel raised us to fight, and the generation behind us to keep the fight going, and we’ve got to fight,” Sharpton said. “I don’t know how long we have to go, but I know that we owe it to Hazel to take these bigots out of the White House and return some dignity, and return some integrity, and return some level of respect. She raised us for this day. So she can get her rest now, because from one generation to another generation, she did her duty. The question is, what are we going to do with what she taught us?”