David Norman Dinkins (July 10, 1927 – November 23, 2020) was an American politician, lawyer, jurist, and author who served as the 106th Mayor of New York City from 1990 to 1993, becoming the first African American to hold the office. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, he was raised there until the Great Depression, when his family moved to Harlem, New York. Dinkins served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II as one of the first African-American Montford Point Marines from 1945 to 1946. He attended Howard University on the G.I. Bill, graduating cum laude with a B.S. in mathematics in 1950, and earned his law degree from Brooklyn Law School in 1956. He married Joyce Burrows in 1953, who introduced him to politics. Dinkins began his political career in the 1960s as a longtime member of Harlem's Carver Democratic Club. He served in the New York State Assembly starting in 1966, later becoming New York City Clerk and Manhattan Borough President. Elected mayor in 1989 after defeating Rudy Giuliani, his single term was marked by efforts to address urban challenges, though he lost re-election in 1993. After leaving office, Dinkins taught public affairs at Columbia University and authored a memoir.