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New York City's first Black mayor, David Dinkins, dies at 93

David Dinkins
Posted at 1:04 AM, Nov 24, 2020
and last updated 2020-11-24 17:21:05-05

NEW YORK (AP) — David Dinkins has died 30 years after he became New York City's first Black mayor. Current Mayor Bill de Blasio says Dinkins died Monday at age 93. The Democrat broke barriers when he was elected in 1989. He was a calm and courtly figure with a penchant for tennis and formalwear. Dinkins spoke in his inaugural address of New York as a “gorgeous mosaic.” He was doomed to one term by a soaring homicide rate, unemployment and his handling of a race riot. Dinkins accused police of letting it get out of hand, but he also took a share of the blame.