Washington Heights Armory Honors David Dinkins With Plaque, Ceremony

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — A host of Washington Heights influencers gathered at The Armory to honor former Mayor David Dinkins during a Thursday morning ceremony to name the racetrack's starting line the "David Dinkins Starting Line."

The ceremony hosted by the Armory Foundation and New York Road Runners honored Dinkins for handing over the "key to The Armory" in 1993 when he was mayor. The handing over of the key has led to a transformation of The Armory from an overcrowded homeless shelter to a world-class facility that hosts some of the nation's premiere indoor track events, said Dr. Norbert Sander, president of the Armory Foundation.

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More than 20 years ago, Dinkins gave Sander the key to transform The Armory, and Thursday Sander returned the favor. As Sander introduced Dinkins to give a speech, he handed him a large red key.

"Is's a hell of a key," Dinkins said as he took the podium.

Dinkins said The Armory has played a major role in shaping the youth of the community by providing them opportunities to learn valuable lessons and stay off the streets.

"We owe the generation behind us the opportunity to achieve their potential, we owe them that," Dinkins said. "These youngsters are our future."

Dinkins spoke humbly about his desire that future generations will be inspired to work to create a better community in the future.

At the end of his speech, Dinkins praised Sander, saying, "I know that you're the one who really got it all done."

The ceremony was attended by a number of local power players and influencers including State Sen. Adriano Espaillat, State Assemblyman Guillermo Linares, City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance and members of Community Board 12.

Espaillat said that the first time he saw The Armory — during a Knights of Columbus track meet when he was in the fifth grade — he thought he was in Madison Square Garden.

"To have a starting line named after Mayor Dinkins, that is such a wonderful message for kids," Espaillat said. "As they dig down on the blocks getting ready to do that 100-meter sprint, they can look at that line and say, 'this is the Mayor Dinkins starting line.' It is symbolic because it can be a starting line for their lives, because through sports they can do better, because through this facility they can get out of the streets and move forward."

As the influencers heaped praise onto Dinkins for his community-based policies as New York's first African-American mayor, their remarks were drowned out by whistles and the occasional gunshot marking the beginning of a race in the next room over.

Eventually the group made its way to the track where a plaque honoring Dinkins was unveiled right across from the track's starting line.

In 1990 Dinkins became the first African-American mayor of New York City. He got his start as a young politician as a member of Harlem's "gang of four," along with Percy Sutton, Basil Paterson and longtime Harlem congressman Charles Rangel. Before serving as mayor, Dinkins served in the New York State Assembly, as city clerk and Manhattan borough president.