David Dinkins
Iconic Graduates
Former Mayor of New York City
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Field of Study
Bachelor of Science Mathematics
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Year Graduated
1950
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Affiliation
Alumni
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Hometown
Trenton, New Jersey
Quote
Race relations can be an appropriate issue...but only if you want to craft solutions, and not catalogue complaints. If we use the issue appropriately, we can transform it from the cancer of our society into the cure.Biography
David Norman Dinkins was an American politician, lawyer and author who became the first African American Mayor of the New York City, from 1990 to 1993. He joined the faculty of Columbia University upon leaving office.Born on July 10, 1927, in Trenton, New Jersey, Dinkins served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. He used veteran educational benefits to earn his bachelor of science degree in mathematics from Howard University in 1950. He later obtained his law degree from Brooklyn Law School in 1956. Dinkins was a founding member of the Black and Puerto Rican Legislative Caucus of New York State, the Council of Black Elected Democrats of New York State, and the One Hundred Black Men. He was also vice president of the United States Conference of Mayors, and a member-at-large of the Black Leadership Forum.Dinkins passed away in November of 2020 at age 93.