Former New York City Mayor David Dinkins, the only Black person to be elected mayor of the city, died Monday evening in Manhattan at the age of 93.
Dinkins was a state legislative representative who later became Manhattan Borough President. In 1989, he was elected Mayor by defeating Rudy Giuliani, taking office in 1990. Dinkins inherited a city that was experiencing spiralling crime rates, which Dinkins was able to lower over the span of his four year term.
He was defeated in the 1993 election by Giuliani, who continued to enjoy the lowering crime rates Dinkins initiated.
In 1991, just prior to the Gulf War, Dinkins visited Israel as Iraqi Scud missiles fell on the nation. Dinkins wanted to show unity with Israel.
His wife of 67 years, Joyce Burrows Dinkins, died last month at the age of 89.