David Norman Dinkins
July 20, 1927 -November 23, 2020
First Black Mayor of New York
David Dinkins was an American politician lawyer, and author. He served as the 106th Mayor of New York from 1990 to 1993.
Dinkins served in the United States Marines. He did service there from 1945 to 1946. He graduated cum laude from Howard University and received his law degree from Brooklyn Law School in 1966.
Dinkins is a longtime member of Harlem’s Carver Democratic Club. Dinkins began his electoral career by serving and a New York State Assembly in 1966, eventually advancing to Manhattan Borough president before becoming mayor of New York. After leaving office, Dinkins joined the faculty of Columbia University while remaining active as a Eminence Grise in Municipal politics. After his mayoral term for New York from 1994 until his death in 2020 Dinkins was a professor of professional practice at the Columbia University School of International and public affairs. Dinkins was a member of the board of directors of the United States tennis Association. He served on the board of the New York City Global Partners the Children’s Health fund. The association to benefit children and the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. Dinkins was also on The Advisory Board of independent news and media and the black leadership forum, he was a member of the Council of foreign relations, and served as a chairman emeritus of the board of directors of the national black leadership Commission on AIDS.
David Dinkins also had a radio program named dialogue with Dinkins which aired on WLIB radio station in New York City from 1994 to 2014. There was also a memoir which was named A Mayors life covering New York gorgeous Mosaic written with Peter Knobler that was published in 2013.
David Dinkins sat on the board of directors and in 2013 was on the honorary Founders Board of the Jazz Foundation of America. He work with that organization to save the homes and life of America elderly Jazz and Blues musicians, including musicians who survived hurricane Katrina. He served on the board of the Children’s Health Fund. Dinkins was also chairman emeritus of the board of directors of the national black leadership Commission on AIDS. He was a champion of college access, serving on the Posse Foundation national board of directors until his death in 2020.
Dinkins was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha and Sigma Chi Phi (The Boule ) the oldest collegiate and professional Greek-letter fraternity respectively established for African Americans he was raised as a Master Mason and King David Lodge Number 15 F & A M.PHA located in Trenton,New Jersey in 1952. In 1994, Dinkins became part of an Episcopal Church delegation to Haiti.
David Dinkins was hospitalized in New York on October 31st 2013 for treatment of pneumonia. He was hospitalized again for pneumonia on February 19th 2016.
David Dinkins on November 23, 2020 just over a month after his wife passed away before the celebration of Thanksgiving David Dinkins passed away from unspecified natural causes at his home on the upper east side of Manhattan at he age of 93.
His legacy will be carried on through his family.
First photo by Steve Mack/S.D. Mack Pictures • Public domain
Chester zhiggins Jr. / New York Times