Alfred Duckett
Alfred Duckett was a prominent figure born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1917, who made significant contributions to journalism, public relations, and literature. After serving in the military, he pursued a career that included founding the magazine Equal Opportunities in 1969, which was notable for being the first career periodical specifically aimed at minority college graduates. Duckett held various editorial roles, including work with the Associated Negro Press International and as an associate editor for influential publications like Ebony and Negro Digest. He was notably involved in civil rights, collaborating with Martin Luther King, Jr. on the iconic "I Have a Dream" speech and writing biographies with baseball legend Jackie Robinson. One of his notable works, I Never Had It Made, won the Coretta Scott King Award in 1973. Additionally, Duckett was a published poet and contributed to numerous magazines. He passed away in 1984 at the age of sixty-seven, leaving a legacy in both literature and advocacy for minority empowerment.
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Subject Terms
Alfred Duckett
Writer
- Born: March 8, 1917
- Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York
- Died: October 1, 1984
- Place of death: Chicago, Illinois
Biography
Alfred Duckett was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1917, and he attended Columbia University. After completing his military service, Duckett worked in public relations and journalism in Chicago and New York City. With John R. Miller, he founded Equal Opportunities in 1969 and served as the magazine’s editorial director from 1969 until 1984. Equal Opportunities was the first career periodical for minority college graduates. Duckett also was a director of Associated Negro Press International, Inc. and an associate editor of Ebony and Negro Digest.
Duckett collaborated with Martin Luther King, Jr., to write King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. He also worked with baseball player Jackie Robinson to write Breakthrough to the Big League (1965), a juvenile biography of Robinson, and I Never Had It Made: An Autobiography, published in 1972, the year Robinson died. In 1973, I Never Had It Made won the Coretta Scott King Award, which honors an African American author or illustrator for making an outstanding inspirational or educational contribution to the community.
Duckett’s poetry is included in several anthologies and in 1973 he published a book of poems, Raps. He also wrote numerous articles for popular magazines. Duckett died of cancer in 1984 at the age of sixty-seven.