Civil Rights Attorney With Caribbean Roots Among Victims In Tragic Plane Crash

News Americas, New York, NY, January 31, 2025: Civil rights attorney and Howard University law professor Kiah Duggins, who had roots in St. Kitts and Nevis, has been identified as one of the victims of the tragic January 29th collision between an American Airlines flight and a Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C.

Civil rights attorney Kiah Duggins, who had St. Kitts roots, was among the victims of the tragic plane crash near Reagan National Airport.

Duggins, the daughter of Dr. Maurice Duggins, originally from Sandy Point, St. Kitts, was widely respected for her work with the Civil Rights Corps, where she fought against unconstitutional policing and money bail practices in states such as Tennessee, Texas, and Washington, D.C.

The 30-year-old Harvard Law School graduate was also a former Miss Kansas contestant and was deeply committed to social justice. She was set to join Howard as a professor. In a statement, Howard University President Ben Vinson III expressed profound sadness over her passing, asking for privacy for her family, students, and colleagues during this difficult time.

A Legacy of Advocacy and Excellence

Before joining Civil Rights Corps, Duggins worked with the ACLU of Northern California and Neufeld, Scheck & Brustin LLP, focusing on police misconduct cases. She also studied prison industrial complex abolition and movement lawyering as a Law 4 Black Lives Fellow, integrating these principles into her legal work.

Duggins earned her J.D. from Harvard Law School, where she served as president of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau. She also held bachelor’s degrees from Wichita State University, completed a Fulbright grant in Taiwan, and was a proud graduate of Wichita Public Schools.

Beyond her legal career, Duggins was known for her love of international travel, dance, and seeking out life’s magical moments.

A Tragic Loss

The collision occurred over the Potomac River as American Airlines Flight 5342, a PSA Airlines-operated aircraft, approached Reagan National Airport around 9 p.m. on January 29. The plane, American Eagle Flight No. 5342, a regional jetliner, was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members on a flight from Wichita, Kansas. There were three soldiers aboard the U.S. Army’s Sikorsky H-60, a Defense Department statement said. The crash claimed the lives of all 64 people on board, including 60 passengers and four crew members. At least 40 bodies have been recovered, according to D.C. Fire Chief John Donnelly.

Duggins’ father, Dr. Maurice Duggins, shared that she had been in town to check on her mother and described the family’s overwhelming grief.

“We are coming to terms with the loss of our beautiful and accomplished firstborn. Please respect our family’s privacy at this time,” he said.

Her passing marks a profound loss for the civil rights and legal communities, as well as for the Caribbean diaspora.