SUNY Board of Trustees and Chancellor King Celebrate Women’s History Month and Establish the Dr. Hazel Dukes Fellowship for the Advancement of Civil Rights
March 11, 2025
In Memory of Civil Rights Leader Dr. Hazel Dukes, Eligible SUNY Faculty Will Engage in Research and Scholarship Related to Civil Rights, Social Justice, Civic Education, Civil Discourse, and Community Action
This is the Second SUNY Fellowship in Dr. Dukes' Name
Albany, NY – In recognition of Women's History Month and in honor of one of the New York State's treasured civil rights and public education leaders, the State University of New York Board of Trustees and Chancellor John B. King Jr. announced the Dr. Hazel Dukes SUNY Fellowship for the Advancement of Civil Rights. Through this fellowship, one SUNY faculty member will be selected each year to engage in research or scholarship related to civil rights, social justice, civic education, civil discourse, and community action.
Dr. Dukes, a former member of the SUNY Board of Trustees who served as the President of the New York State NAACP Conference until her passing earlier this month at the age of 92, led a life dedicated to community and civic action. This is the second SUNY fellowship in Dr. Dukes' name. Last year, SUNY joined Governor Kathy Hochul in announcing the Dr. Hazel Dukes Fellowship, naming one exceptional individual from each class of the Black Leadership Institute to hold this honor each year.
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "Dr. Dukes broke barriers in her fight for civil rights—actions that would open up opportunities for generations of New Yorkers. She was an inspiration to us all and is dearly missed. We are proud to honor Dr. Hazel Dukes and her legacy with a fellowship closely tied to her life's work of creating a more just state and society."
"Throughout our history, New York State has benefitted from visionary women leaders in government, civil rights, and public education—everyone from Susan B. Anthony to Shirley Chisholm to Dr. Dukes and today with the first woman to hold the office of New York State Governor, Kathy Hochul," said SUNY Chancellor King. "Dr. Dukes was one of the staunchest supporters of public education and civil rights in our state, and we are proud to celebrate her life through the Dr. Hazel Dukes SUNY Fellowship for the Advancement of Civil Rights."
The Dr. Hazel Dukes SUNY Fellowship for the Advancement of Civil Rights advances SUNY's ambitious agenda to foster civil discourse, civic engagement, and public service. It complements the Dr. Virginia Radley SUNY Fellowship Program and the Dr. L. Eudora Pettigrew Women's History Summer Research Excellence Grants, both of which were announced to mark Women's History Month in March 2023.
The application for the Dr. Hazel Dukes SUNY Fellowship for the Advancement of Civil Rights will open later this month, with the inaugural fellow to be named in June. SUNY tenured and tenure-track faculty from across SUNY's state-operated campuses and community colleges are eligible to apply. Preference will be given to faculty who were: SUNY students, alumni, and/or fellows; from low-income backgrounds (e.g., Pell-eligible as undergraduates); first-generation college students; AmeriCorps alumni; veterans; or have overcome adversity.
New York Attorney General Letitia James said, "Dr. Hazel Nell Dukes was a glass ceiling-shattering, history-making, justice-advancing force of nature. She worked tirelessly to serve her fellow New Yorkers, and to build a better, fairer, more equal society. The 'Dr. Hazel Dukes Fellowship for the Advancement of Civil Rights' is a fitting tribute to this pioneering New Yorker, and as a daughter of Ma Dukes' mentoring, as she was affectionately referred to, I applaud SUNY for taking this step. This fellowship will help ensure that Dr. Dukes' legacy continues, and grows, for generations to come, and all of New York will be better for it. May her legacy live on."
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, "As President of the NAACP, Dr. Hazel Dukes devoted her life to advocating for the rights of African Americans, fiercely fighting for equality, and amplifying the voices of those too often unheard. Her leadership, integrity, and steadfast commitment to civil rights have left an indelible mark on New York and the nation. Her legacy will continue to inspire and guide us in the ongoing pursuit of justice and equity. The creation of the SUNY Dr. Hazel Dukes Fellowship will honor her extraordinary impact by supporting faculty research and scholarship focused on civil rights, social justice, civic education, civil discourse, and community action. This fellowship is a fitting tribute to her lifelong mission of empowering communities and driving meaningful change."
New York State Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie said, "Dr. Hazel Dukes was a prominent figure in both the political and advocacy spheres. Her unwavering dedication to civil rights transformed the landscape, providing a path forward for those who have long been marginalized and oppressed. Today's announcement of the establishment of the Dr. Hazel Dukes Fellowship for the Advancement of Civil Rights, will honor these remarkable contributions, ensuring that her life will continue to inspire future generations. Her passing has saddened us all, but her legacy will live on."
Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes said, "Dr. Dukes will be remembered as a dedicated civil rights leader, someone who was committed to being on the front lines of the fight for justice, equality, and bringing a seat to the table where none previously existed. She was a great friend and mentor to me, as well as many others, and it is wonderful to have Dr. Dukes name and legacy honored in this way."
New York State Senator and Higher Education Committee Chair Toby Ann Stavisky said, "Dr. Hazel Dukes was a trailblazer for civil rights and for the rights of women. I applaud SUNY for honoring her legacy through this fellowship."
Assembly Member and Higher Education Chair Alicia Hyndman said, "The Dr. Hazel N. Dukes SUNY Fellowship for the Advancement of Civil Rights is an amazing tribute to Dr. Dukes who was not only a Civil Rights leader but championed social justice, civic engagement, and educational opportunities in her community. Those who benefit from this fellowship will continue her legacy in a tangible and meaningful way. Dr. Dukes dedicated her life to community action and educational investment, just a few of her greatest achievements. Let us continue her legacy by empowering communities to advocate, even when it is difficult, and the obstacles seem insurmountable. Dr. Dukes' legacy tells us all things are possible."
New York State Senator Cordell Cleare said, "There is no finer tribute to the pioneering and righteous lifework of the iconic Hazel Dukes than the establishment of a SUNY Fellowship for the Advancement of Civil Rights. It is comforting, as well as inspiring, to know that her legacy will be one of words, actions, deeds, and policy advancements long into the future of humankind."
Assembly Member Michaelle Solages, Chair of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, & Asian Legislative Caucus, said, "Dr. Hazel Dukes' lifetime of championing civil rights has inspired community leaders and government officials across New York State. From her early years in Roslyn, Long Island, in the late 1950s to her tenure as State President of the NAACP, she has been a force for racial and socioeconomic progress. As Chair of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislative Caucus and an Assemblywoman from Long Island, I commend Dr. Dukes' unwavering dedication and lifelong impact. The Caucus remains committed to advancing the rights of New York's marginalized communities, carrying forward her legacy in our work every day."
Assembly Member Latrice Walker said, "I cannot think of a more appropriate person to bear the name of SUNY's new fellowship. Dr. Hazel Dukes was a civil rights icon, who left behind a powerful legacy of leadership that may never be matched. She was a mentor to me and an inspiration to a countless number of justice advocates, government officials, and thought leaders. I applaud Chancellor John B. King and the SUNY Board of Trustees for bestowing this posthumous and well-deserved honor upon ‘Ma Dukes.' I stand with all New Yorkers and thank her for her strength, her resilience, and for marching in shoes that can never be filled. She was a force of nature to whom we all owe a debt of gratitude."
Assembly Member Al Taylor said, "The establishment of the Dr. Hazel Dukes Fellowship for the Advancement of Civil Rights is a well-deserved tribute to her legacy, providing scholars and educators with the opportunity to continue the transformative work she has championed for decades. Dr. Dukes had a deep passion for educating and mentoring young people, making this fellowship within the SUNY system especially meaningful. I commend SUNY for this initiative and look forward to the lasting impact it will have on the pursuit of justice and civic engagement."
About Dr. Hazel Nell Dukes
Dr. Hazel N. Dukes was President of the NAACP New York State Conference and a member of the NAACP National Board of Directors, a member of the NAACP Executive Committee and well as an active member of various NAACP board sub-committees. Dr. Dukes was a woman of great strength and courage. Her dedication to human rights and equality was exemplified by her role linking business, government, and social causes. Dr. Dukes was an active and dynamic leader who was known for her unselfish and devoted track record for improving the quality of life in New York State.
Dr. Dukes received a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Adelphi University and completed post-graduate work at Queens College. In 1990 she was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from the City University of New York Law School at Queens College and in 2009 was conferred the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Medgar Evers College. In 2012 she was awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Dukes had many organizational affiliations; she was former President of the Metro-Manhattan Links Chapter, in 2010 was appointed the National Links NGO Representative and was a former trustee of the State University of New York and Stillman College. Dr. Dukes was a member of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc., and National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS, INC.
Dr. Dukes was the recipient of numerous awards for her outstanding leadership activities, Ellis Island Medal of Honor, YWCA City of New York John La Farge Memorial Award for Interracial Justice, Guy R. Brewer Humanitarian Award, and the 2007 The Network Journal's 25 Most Influential Black Women in Business Award, member Ford Motor Company Funds Committee of Honor for Freedom's Sisters, was honored and received a Proclamation at the New York City Council's Third Annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Awards ceremony at City Hall in New York. Dr. Dukes was an active member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Northern Manhattan Alumnae Chapter and has been selected to receive the sorority's Althea T.L. Simmons Social Action Award in August 2010. Dr. Dukes was Incorporated in 2007 as a Pi Eta Kappa Fellow and her biography has been selected for publication in many journals and directories including Fisk University Library, Minority Women Contribution, American Biographical Institute Personalities of Northeast, Who's Who Among American Women and Who's Who Among Black Women.
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2023, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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