MEMORIAM
HARLEM COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS
David Norman Dinkins, New York's 106th Mayor - 1927-2020
Harlem Community Newspapers | November 26. 2020
O
10
n Monday, November 23, 2020 at the age of 93, David Norman Dinkins joined “his bride” (as he often referred to her) Joyce, who passed away several weeks earlier. The Dinkins were married for 67 years. Honorable Charles B. Rangel said, “David Dinkins was a very long time and dear friend. I, along with millions of New Yorkers, with people all over the country and indeed the world will miss him. He loved New Yorkers and especially New York’s children. I will miss him, and I am confident that history will record the contribution he made to our gorgeous mosaic of New York City.” David N. Dinkins, the first Black mayor of New York City, served a fouryear term during the 1990’s, “David Dinkins will be re-
membered as a pioneer in the history of our city,” said Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte. “As New York’s first Black mayor, he broke barriers and sought to unify New Yorkers during a tense time in our city’s past. Dinkins established the city's first MWBE program, setting the course for minority and women entrepreneurs to prosper in the empire state. I am grateful for Mayor Dinkins' contribution to our city, which helped pave the way for others, like myself, to serve.” Under Dinkins’s term, the overall crime rate in the city fell 14 percent and the homicide rate fell 12 percent. It was the first time in more than a decade that the city became safer. The Minority Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) program he established boosted the award of contracts
to MWBE's by nearly 10 percent in a four year span. He is a founding member of One Hundred Black Men NY Chapter. “David Dinkins was a forerunner to Barack Obama. He was elected saying the same things,” said civil right activist Al Sharpton. “He helped to change the psychology of American politics, making it more inclusive and more progressive. Dinkins was born on July 10, 1927, in Trenton, New Jersey. After serving in the US Marine Corps from July 1945 through August 1946, Dinkins enrolled at Howard University, where he graduated cum laude with a degree in mathematics in 1950. Columbia University sent out the following release with statements from the Dinkins Family: “David N. Dinkins was a devoted family man whose love had no bounds. He extended his wealth of compassion to the citizens of New York City and beyond the five boroughs of its Gorgeous Mosaic. As we mourn his passing, we cherish the legacy that he left behind. He showed us how to care for one another with dignity and grace. He fought for what he believed in and never compromised his principles. As the 106th Mayor of New York City and the first African American to hold that office, our patriarch’s place in history is secure. He was a trailblazer who forged a path for others to follow. He will live on as today’s and future leaders trace and advance from those footsteps. David N Dinkins transitioned peacefully from this
life, at home on November 23, 2020. A memorial service will be held sometime after the covid crisis ends. He was predeceased by his beloved bride, Joyce B. Dinkins. He is survived by his children, David N Dinkins, Jr, and Donna Dinkins Hoggard; daughter-in-law, Paula Bormes, son-in-law, Jay Hoggard; grandchildren Jamal Hoggard, and
Kalila Hoggard Anderson; grandson-in-law, Francois Anderson; sister, Joyce Dinkins Belton; numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, god children, and a vast number of beloved friends. The Dinkins family thanks everyone for their comforting thoughts, prayers, and expressions of sympathy. In lieu of flowers, contributions/donations
can be made to: The Howard University Scholarship Fund The Schomburg Center for Research and Black Culture The Montford Point Marine Association The Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program New York Junior Tennis and Learning