The New York Times Highlights the Mayoral Legacy of David Dinkins ‘56

In an in-depth feature story in The New York Times, David Dinkins ‘56 reflects on his term as mayor of New York City and how he hopes it will be remembered.

While Dinkins made history when he was elected the first black mayor of the city in 1989, that accomplishment has been often overshadowed by the memory of the riots in Crown Heights in 1991, as well as the high crime rate that still plagued the city at the time, a fiscal crisis, and high levels of homelessness. Yet, changes instituted by Dinkins, including putting more cops on the street, averting a fiscal takeover by the state, and revitalizing the Times Square area, paid off in the years after his tenure, leading his successors to garner much of the credit for his policies.

“I think we did overall a pretty good job,” Dinkins said. “When things went well, we didn’t always get the credit to which we were entitled, but if things did not go well, you’re the mayor, it’s your fault. Still the greatest job in the world.”

David Dinkins Doesn’t Think He Failed. He Might Be Right, The New York Times, Nov. 10, 2017