July 10

David Dinkins - Former Mayor of New York City

David Dinkins, the first African American Mayor of New York City, New York was born on July 10, 1927. Dinkins served  three years from 1990 to 1993.   He is credited with leading the city in a dramatic decrease in crime while he was mayor. He was born to William Harvey Dinkins, Jr. and Sally Dinkins in Trenton, New Jersey. After high school he joined the Marines and was a part of the historic Montford Point Marines who were later awarded the Congressional Gold Medal which was approved on November 23, 2011. Dinkins entered and graduated from Howard University in Washington, DC after leaving the marines.  He then received his law degree from Brooklyn Law School.   Before being elected mayor, Dinkins was the Borough President of Manhattan.  He became a professor of public affairs at Columbia University after leaving the office of mayor.  David Norman Dinkins died on November 23, 2020 at age 93, a little over a month after the death of his wife, Joyce Dinkins.