David Dinkins, the 106th and first black mayor of New York City, has died at the age of 93. He led an amazing life of service to this city, rising from the black power politics of Harlem to the steps of City Hall.
He presided over the city from 1990 to 1993, during a time of both great strife and great change in the city. Crime was high (thanks to the crack epidemic) and Dinkins expanded the police force. Racial tensions were much higher than they are today -- Dinkins did his best to alleviate them but the task was perhaps too big for one mayor during one term. And he also started the revitlization of Times Square, helping to transform the city into the glistening jewel box it is today. He was a transitional figure in many ways, a bridge between the rough and tumble days of the old city and its sleeker, more polished future.
Dinkins was a trailblazer, a gentleman, and a true servant of the city he loved and governed. RIP
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