Dolores Daluz
BARNSTABLE – Longtime Civil Rights activist Dolores Daluz of Hyannis has been named the 2017 Mercy Otis Warren Cape Cod Woman of the Year.
Daluz is a well-known expert of African American and Cape Verdean life and history on Cape Cod.
She authored a booklet about both communities for the Town of Barnstable and the United States Bicentennial.
She’s also an actor, storyteller, poet, singer and songwriter.
“Black people believed in this country, even if sometimes we were the only ones…all we want is to be treated equally,” said Daluz, 82, in a statement announcing the award.
She is a founding member of the Zion Union Heritage Museum and a founding member and past officer of the Cape Cod NAACP.
Daluz is also the organizer of the annual Sepia Fashion Show which earns thousand for scholarships and was an early supporter of the Council of Churches and organizer of the Baby Center.
Daluz, then Dolores Holden, grew up in Dover, Delaware.
Her mother was an assistant at the college and her father was an enterprising truck driver who saw an opportunity to create housing for the black professors and staff at the State College.
He purchased land and built houses for black professionals with the help of the Amish community who lived nearby. One of Mrs. Daluz’s sisters still lives in one of these homes.
Daluz’s soon to be husband, Joe, was a student from New England on a full football scholarship at the State College.
He drove a bus part time and delivered children to Booker T. Washington High School which was next door to Dolores’ childhood house.
They were married for 64 years at the time of his death last fall.
The Daluz’s moved in with Joe’s father in Osterville when they were unable to find a place to live elsewhere in segregated New England.
As a veteran, Joe was able to qualify for a VA loan and they moved into their first home on General Patton Way. They raised 3 boys and 3 girls.
Dolores Daluz immediately became associated with the NAACP and Fair Housing issues, becoming friends with Judy Barnet, Jane Vonnegut, Eugenia Fortes and Margaret Mosley.
Mercy Otis Warren, born in West Barnstable in 1728, was a playwright, a historian, a pioneer in women’s causes and a champion of liberty.
She was an advocate of the Bill of Rights and a patriot in an era where it was unusual for woman to be educated, much less to emerge as a leader.
The Mercy Otis Warren Woman of the Year Award was established in 2013 to annually recognize a Cape Cod woman who exemplifies the traits of leadership in the community and has made significant contribution to the arts, education, business, community involvement and/or volunteerism, embracing the ideals of patriotism.
Past recipients have been: Marion Villeumier (2002), Jean Gardner (2003), Eugenia Fortes (2004), Felicia Penn (2005), Bonnie Snow (2006), Lynne Poyant (2007), Josephine Ives (2008(, Mary LeClair (2009), Gloria Rudman (2010), Susan French (2011), Judy Walden Scarafile (2012), Dorothy Savarese (2013), Mary Lou Petitt (2014), Michelle DeSilva(2015), and Ann Williams (2015).
On June 5 at 7 pm, Daluz will be presented the Award by last year’s recipient Ann Williams as part of the Tales of Cape Cod’s program at the Olde Colonial Courthouse, Barnstable Village .
As part of the presentation, Linda Myer, a historical actor will perform a dramatic reading of the letters between Abigail Adams (who she will portray) and Mercy Otis Warren.
Cape Cod Broadcasting’s Matt Pitta will be the Master of Ceremonies.
The Award is a bronze statuette sculpted by Marstons Mills artist David Lewis. It is a replica of the statue of Mercy Otis Warren, located on the Superior Court House lawn in Barnstable Village.
Dolores Daluz will also be honored at the Barnstable West Barnstable Parade on July 4, 2017 at 9 am at Hyannis Independence Day Parade at 4 pm.
Sponsors of the award include Cape Cod 5 Savings Bank, Robert Paul Properties, Barnstable County, Tales of Cape Cod, Barnstable Village Association, West Barnstable Civic Association, Cape Cod Writers Guild, and Woman for Historical Preservation.
Daluz was nominated by Ellen Chahey.
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