12-03-2025
Funeral today for Dr. Hazel Dukes, trailblazing civil rights leader in NYC
Dr. Hazel Dukes' funeral will be held Wednesday in Harlem, a final goodbye for a civil rights icon.
A large crowd is expected to pay tribute, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.
The service is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. at Mother AME Zion Church, where Dukes attended regularly. Watch live on CBS News New York in the video player above.
There will be another public viewing beforehand at 9 a.m. Anyone planning to attend should anticipate long wait times.
"She was one of a kind"
On Tuesday, the street outside the church was filled with mourners paying their respects at her wake. Long lines wrapped around the block.
Dukes, affectionately known as "Ma Dukes," was described by many as a woman of great strength and courage. She died on March 1, the first day of Women's History Month, just shy of her 93rd birthday.
"I recently learned Rosa Parks was her Sunday school teacher. And these were things she'd just say casually," friend Dr. Patricia James-Jordan said.
"She was one of a kind. We will miss her dearly, but we are committed to continue to fight the good fight in her legacy and her memory," said Elsie Cooke-Holmes, international president and chair of board of directors for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.
She was a trailblazing civil rights leader and president of the New York NAACP for nearly five decades, one of the few women to lead the historic organization.
Dukes fought tirelessly for voting rights, fair housing and education, and she was active in politics until her passing. She supported Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, and she administered the oath of office when Hochul was sworn in as the first woman elected governor of New York in 2023.
Even in death, she is giving back. In lieu of flowers, people are urged to donate to the NAACP Youth & College division to help the next generation.
