David Norman Dinkins (born July 10, 1927 in Trenton, New Jersey) was the Mayor of New York City from 1990 through 1993, being the first and to date only African American to hold that office. He is the most recent Democrat to have been elected Mayor of New York City. During World War II he served in the United States Marine Corps. Dinkins is a graduate of Howard University, with a degree in Mathematics, and Brooklyn Law School. Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... Shortcut: WP:NPOVD Articles that have been linked to this page are the subject of an NPOV dispute (NPOV stands for Neutral Point Of View; see below). ... For a list of the Dutch Director-Generals who governed New Amsterdam (as New York City was called when it was a Dutch-run settlement) between 1624 and 1664, see: Director-General of New Netherland. ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... Edward Irving Koch (born December 12, 1924; pronounced to rhyme with Scotch) was a United States Congressman from 1969 to 1977 and the Mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989. ... Rudolph William Louis Rudy Giuliani III, KBE (born May 28, 1944) served as the Mayor of New York City from January 1, 1994 through December 31, 2001. ... is the 191st day of the year (192nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: Location of Trenton inside of Mercer County Coordinates: , Country State County Mercer Incorporated November 13, 1792 Government  - Mayor Douglas H. Palmer Area  - City  8. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... Joyce Dinkins is the former First Lady of New York City. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the state of New York and the entire United States. ... This article is about the Episcopal Church in the United States. ... is the 191st day of the year (192nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: Location of Trenton inside of Mercer County Coordinates: , Country State County Mercer Incorporated November 13, 1792 Government  - Mayor Douglas H. Palmer Area  - City  8. ... “NJ” redirects here. ... For a list of the Dutch Director-Generals who governed New Amsterdam (as New York City was called when it was a Dutch-run settlement) between 1624 and 1664, see: Director-General of New Netherland. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. ... Howard University is a university located in Washington, D.C., USA. An historically black university, Howard was established in 1867 by congressional order and named for Oliver O. Howard. ... Brooklyn Law School Brooklyn Law School (BLS) is a law school located in downtown Brooklyn, New York. ...

Political career

Dinkins rose through the Democratic Party organization in Harlem and became part of an influential group of African-American politicians that included Percy Sutton, Basil Paterson, Denny Farrell, and Charles Rangel. As an investor, Dinkins was one of fifty African American investors who helped Percy Sutton found Inner City Broadcasting Corporation in 1971. He served briefly in the New York State Legislature and for many years as New York City Clerk. Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... For other uses, see Harlem (disambiguation). ... Percy Ellis Sutton N.Y. Democrat. ... Basil Paterson is a longtime political leader in New York and Harlem. ... Herman D. Farrell (born February 4, 1932) represents District 71 in the New York State Assembly, which is comprised of the Manhattan neighborhoods of West Harlem, Inwood and Washington Heights. ... Charles Bernard Rangel Charles Bernard Rangel (born June 11, American politician. ... Percy Ellis Sutton N.Y. Democrat. ... Inner City Broadcasting Corporation Located in New York City, Inner City Broadcasting Corporation (Inner City) was founded in 1971 by Percy E. Sutton, former Borough President of Manhattan, and a group of over fifty African-American shareholders (including former New York City mayor David Dinkins) seeking to impact media in... The New York Legislature is the legislative branch of the U.S. state of New York, seated at the states capital, Albany. ...

He was named Deputy Mayor by Mayor Abraham D. Beame but was ultimately not appointed. He was elected Manhattan Borough President in 1985 on his third run for that office. He was elected the city's mayor on November 7, 1989, having defeated three-term incumbent Mayor Ed Koch and two others to win the Democratic nomination and going on to narrowly defeat Rudy Giuliani, the Republican candidate. Abraham David Beame (commonly known as Abe Beame) (March 20, 1906 - February 10, 2001) was mayor of New York City from 1974 to 1977. ... Borough President is an elective office in New York City. ... is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... Edward Irving Koch (born December 12, 1924; pronounced to rhyme with Scotch) was a United States Congressman from 1969 to 1977 and the Mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989. ... Rudolph William Louis Giuliani III, (born May 28, 1944) is an American lawyer, prosecutor, businessman, and Republican politician from the state of New York. ...

Mayoralty

Dinkins entered office pledging racial healing throughout what he called the "gorgeous mosaic" of New York's diverse communities. It was thought that his low-key personality, which contrasted so sharply with that of his predecessor, along with the symbolic aspect of his being the city's first black mayor might ease racial tensions. Instead, Dinkins' term was marked by polarizing events including the 1991 Crown Heights riots and the boycott of a Korean grocery in Flatbush. He withheld police protection during the Crown Heights Riots, publicly endorsed the accused shoplifters at the Korean grocery, and he used city funds to pay for the funeral of the drug dealer whose being shot by police sparked the Washington Heights Riots ^[1]. The Crown Heights riots or Crown Heights pogrom happened on August 19 – August 22, 1991 in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York. ... Flatbush is a community of the Borough of Brooklyn, a part of New York City, consisting of several neighborhoods. ... The Crown Heights Riot was a three-day riot in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York starting on August 19, 1991. ...

Perhaps as a result, he is often viewed as unpopular^{[citation needed]}, presiding over a city at its nadir, due to a history of poor management stretching over decades. Many perceived him as weak and indecisive, if well-meaning, at best. The diplomatic style that had seemed like an asset now appeared to be a liability. He was also hurt by the fact that crime was out of control, as he was in office during the peak of the crack epidemic and the drug-fueled wars which followed it. The Dinkins administration hired 12,000 more police officers. ^[2] Crack Cocaine The crack epidemic refers to a six year period between 1984 and 1990 in the United States during which there was a huge surge in the use of crack cocaine in major cities, and crack-houses all over the USA. Fallout from the crack epidemic included a huge...

Economic policy

Dinkins became mayor with a $1.8 billion budget deficit when he entered office. He attempted to balance the budget and raised taxes. High oil prices due to the Gulf War and an overall downturn in the economy did not help the economic health of the city. 300,000 private sector jobs were further lost during Dinkins's administration, eroding the city’s tax base. His handling of the city's finances was criticized as being too beholden to the unions and other pressure groups that were vital to his election. Investment was at an all time low. Oil price in 2003-2005 The price of light, sweet crude oil on NYMEX has been above $40/barrel since late July 2004. ... For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ...

His integrity came under fire, as well as his efficacy. In response to his failure to file (or pay) income taxes for 5 years earlier in his career, Salon magazine later reported, Dinkins reasoned, "I haven't committed a crime. What I did was fail to comply with the law." Screenshot of Salon. ...

In 1991, New York was unable to pay city employees. The Dinkins administration proposed unprecedented cuts in public services, $1 billion in tax increases and the elimination of 27,000 jobs. He cut education by $579 million, marked 10 homeless shelters for closing which was opposed by the city council. Just a year later however, the city had a $200 million dollar surplus.

In 1991, Mayor Dinkins signed a law which made it illegal for companies in New York City to do business with companies in Northern Ireland that discriminated against Catholics. In that same year, he hosted an unprecedented open house event in which 1400 people came to City Hall to speak with city officials. 1,058 suggestions, 216 problems, and 258 other comments were recorded. Fewer than one percent of the suggestions were considered for implementation. Northern Ireland (Irish: ) is a part of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... This box:      Most broadly, discrimination is the discernment of qualities and rejection of subjects with undesirable qualities. ...

1993 election

In 1993, Mayor Dinkins again faced Rudy Giuliani, decreasing his share of the vote from 51% in 1989 to 46%. As a result, Giuliani emerged victorious. Dinkins's departure from office at the end of 1993 would later prove to be something of an irony for New York City; he has remained its last Democratic mayor to date in a city where party affiliation among registered voters overwhelmingly favors Democrats. Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ...

After the election, Giuliani had plans to privatize many of the public services, though Dinkins made last-minute negotiations with the sanitation workers, presumably to preserve the public status of garbage removal. Giuliani also blamed Dinkins for a "cheap political trick" when Dinkins planned the resignation of Victor Gotbaum, Dinkins' appointee on the Board of Education, thus guaranteeing his replacement six months in office.^[3] Another similar Dinkins move was his last minute signing of a new 99-year lease with the USTA National Tennis Center, including strict limitations on flights in and out of neighboring LaGuardia Airport during the US Open. Giuliani managed to renegotiate a less restrictive lease. Bronze Statue at the USTA National Tennis Center. ... LaGuardia Airport (IATA: LGA, ICAO: KLGA, FAA LID: LGA) is an airport serving New York City, New York, United States, located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst in the borough of Queens. ... The U.S. Open is the fourth and final event of the Grand Slam in tennis. ...

Dinkins was subsequently given a professorship at Columbia University. Although he has not attempted a political comeback, Dinkins has remained somewhat active in politics, and his endorsement of various candidates, including Mark J. Green in the 2001 Mayoral race, was well-publicized. In some of his actions, such as the Green endorsement, he has been in conflict with Al Sharpton. He supported Democrat Fernando Ferrer in the 2005 New York mayoral election. Alma Mater Columbia University in the City of New York is a private university in the United States and a member of the Ivy League. ... Mark Green Mark J. Green (b. ... This biographical article needs additional references for verification. ... Fernando Ferrer Fernando James Freddy Ferrer (born April 30, 1950 in the Bronx, New York) was the Borough President of The Bronx from 1987 to 2001, and was a candidate for Mayor of New York in 2001 and the Democratic Party nominee for Mayor in 2005. ...

During his time serving as mayor, his chief-of-staff was Ken Sunshine. Kenneth Mark Sunshine (12 March 1948 - ) grew up in Long Island and is a graduate of Cornell University. ...

Dinkins is married to the former Joyce Burrows and they have two children. The couple are members of the Church of the Intercession in New York City. Dinkins' radio program "Dialogue with Dinkins" can be heard Saturday mornings on WLIB radio in New York City. ^[4] Joyce Dinkins is the former First Lady of New York City. ... The Church of the Intercession is a congregation of the Episcopal Church in the United States. ... WLIB is a radio station located at 1190 AM in New York City. ...

Dinkins is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha and Sigma Pi Phi ("the Boule") the first collegiate and professional Greek-letter fraternities, respectively, established for African Americans. Alpha Phi Alpha (ΑΦΑ) is the first intercollegiate fraternity established by African Americans. ... Sigma Pi Phi is the the oldest surviving black fraternity and generally considered to be the first black fraternity. ... The Greek alphabet is an alphabet that has been used to write the Greek language since about the 9th century BCE. It was the first alphabet in the narrow sense, that is, a writing system using a separate symbol for each vowel and consonant alike. ... The terms fraternity and sorority (from the Latin words and , meaning brother and sister respectively) may be used to describe many social and charitable organizations, for example the Lions Club, Epsilon Sigma Alpha, Rotary International, Optimist International, or the Shriners. ...

Citywide tickets on which Dinkins ran

1989 NYC Democratic ticket

• Mayor: David Dinkins
• City Council President: Andrew Stein
• Comptroller: Elizabeth Holtzman

Andrew Stein is the last President of the New York City Council. ... Elizabeth Holtzman (born August 11, 1941) is an American Democratic politician. ...

1993 NYC Democratic ticket

• Mayor: David Dinkins
• Public Advocate: Mark J. Green
• Comptroller: Alan Hevesi

Mark Green Mark J. Green (b. ... Alan G. Hevesi (born 1940 in Queens, New York) is the Democratic Comptroller of the State of New York. ...

References in Popular Culture

• The animated series Futurama (created by Matt Groening of The Simpsons fame) makes a reference to David Dinkins. A donut shop called Dinkin' Donuts (which is, in turn, a reference to Dunkin' Donuts) is seen in several episodes.

• Jungle Fever, the racially charged Spike Lee joint starring Wesley Snipes and John Turturro, takes place during Dinkins' mayoral term. Turturro is reprimanded by his local customers, all white, for having voted for Dinkins.

• "Mr. Dinkins will you please be my mayor," is a lyric in the song titled "Can I kick it?" by A Tribe Called Quest

• The 1993 New York mayoral election is parodied in the Seinfeld episode "The Non-Fat Yogurt". Although Dinkins is not seen, he is ridiculed as he takes the advice of Lloyd Braun that everyone in the city should wear name tags. Because the results for the election were not going to be final until shortly before the airing of the episode, two versions of the episode were shot. The alternate "Dinkins episode" in which Lloyd Braun is Giuliani's advisor and Dinkins wins the election can be found on the DVD.

• The fictional NYC Mayor Richmond Rucker in Joe Klein's Primary Colors is based on Dinkins.

This article is about the television series. ... Matthew Abram Groening (born February 15, 1954[2] in Portland, Oregon;[1] his family name is pronounced , rhymes with raining) is an Emmy Award-winning American cartoonist and the creator of The Simpsons, Futurama and the weekly comic strip Life in Hell. ... Simpsons redirects here. ... Dunkin Donuts is an international coffee and donut retailer founded in 1950 in Quincy, Massachusetts, U.S. by William Rosenberg. ... Jungle Fever is a 1991 film directed by Spike Lee, starring Wesley Snipes and Annabella Sciorra. ... Shelton Jackson Lee (born March 20, 1957, in Atlanta, Georgia), better known as Spike Lee, is an Emmy Award - winning, and Academy Award - nominated American film director, producer, writer, and actor noted for his films dealing with controversial social and political issues. ... Wesley Trent Snipes (born July 31, 1962) is an American actor, martial artist and film producer. ... John Michael Turturro (born February 28, 1957) is an Emmy Award-winning American actor noted for his performances in To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), The Color of Money (1986), Five Corners (1987), Men of Respect (1991), Monday Night Mayhem (1999), Secret Window (2004), The Bronx is Burning... Seinfeld can refer to: Seinfeld - a popular TV series that ran 1989-1998. ... The Non-Fat Yogurt is the seventy-first episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. ... Lloyd Braun was a recurring fictional character on the show Seinfeld played first by actor Peter Keleghan, then by actor Matt McCoy. ... Joe Klein (born September 7, 1946) is a longtime Washington, D.C. and New York journalist and columnist, perhaps best known for his novel Primary Colors, an anonymously-written roman à clef portraying Bill Clintons first presidential campaign. ... This article is about the book. ...

References

External links

• David Dinkins biography and video interview excerpts by The National Visionary Leadership Project

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