POUGHKEEPSIE – “For decades, Elouise Maxey fought tirelessly and faithfully for racial justice and equality, and it is with great sadness to hear of her death,” Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison said Tuesday.
“Elouise was born in the South, but the Hudson Valley is where she made her home for more than 35 years. For more than the last 20 years, she was the leader of the NAACP’s Northern Dutchess chapter, and I always appreciated our conversations and her insistence on accountability.
“As a teenager, Elouise participated in the March on Washington in 1963 when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. made his historic ‘I Have A Dream’ speech. Two years later, she and family took part in the march from Selma to Montgomery to protest suppression of the black vote. She was undoubtedly inspired by those events and committed to a life of boundless advocacy.
“Elouise also was an excellent chef who liked to “break bread” with people of all kinds to find common bounds and overcome differences.
“She seemingly never rested. Most recently, she condemned the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, yet she also called for peaceful, nonviolent protests in response, not wanting to see others hurt during these demonstrations. The Hudson Valley owes Elouise Maxey a debt of gratitude for her work – a commitment to justice that will always be remembered and must be honored.”
City of Poughkeepsie Police Chief Tom Pape echoed the mayor’s comments and added, “Miss Eloise was a wonderful woman who was always a pleasure to speak with. She was compassionate and fair and understood that there was always two sides to every story. She will be missed.”
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