12-03-2025
Civil rights champion Dr. Hazel Dukes to be laid to rest at funeral
HARLEM, Manhattan (PIX11) – An emotional gathering will be held in Harlem on Wednesday as long-time civil rights champion Dr. Hazel Dukes is laid to rest during her funeral.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Rev. Al Sharpton are all expected to pay tribute to Dukes – who fought for racial and social justice for over 70 years.
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She made history as the first Black American to work for the Nassau County Attorney's Office and the first layperson in the U.S. to administer the oath of office to a governor for Hochul in 2023.
She served as president of the NAACP New York State Conference and was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and the Key to New York City.
'She was a force to be reckoned with, let me say that. She meant business and she fought for what was right. She wasn't letting it go. She would make sure that we got the outcome that we looked for,' said Barbara Powell, the president of the Hempstead branch of the NAACP.
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Dukes is also credited with launching the Head Start program, fostering early education and healthy families under former President Lyndon B. Johnson. She's advocated for voting rights, economic development, fair housing and quality education.
Dukes died at 92 years old.
Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.
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