List of mayors of New York City
The Mayor of New York City is the chief executive of New York City's government, as stipulated by New York City's charter. The current mayor, the 109th in the sequence of regular mayors, is Bill de Blasio, a Democrat.
During the Dutch colonial period from 1624 to 1664, New Amsterdam was governed by the Director of New Netherland. The office of Mayor of New York was established in 1665 and were appointed by colonial governors until 1777. The year prior, New York was run by Richard Nicolls, the British military governor of the Province of New York. Thomas Willett was the first person to be specifically appointed mayor.
In 1777, during the American Revolution, a Council of Appointment was formed by the State of New York. In 1821 the New York City Council – then known as the Common Council – began appointing mayors.
Since 1834, mayors have been elected by direct popular vote.[1]
Before 1898, the city included little beyond the island of Manhattan. The 1898 consolidation created the city as it is today with five boroughs: Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island.
The longest-serving mayors have been Fiorello H. La Guardia (1934–1945), Robert F. Wagner Jr. (1954–1965), Ed Koch (1978–1989), and Michael Bloomberg (2002–2013) each of whom was in office for twelve years (three successive 4-year terms). The shortest terms in office since 1834 have been those of acting mayors: Thomas Coman (five weeks from Monday, November 30, 1868, to Monday, January 4, 1869) and Samuel B. H. Vance (one month from November 30 to December 31, 1874), in addition to the purely nominal single day that William T. Collins served in 1925.
Every mayor so far has been white, with the solitary exception of David Dinkins (1990–1993), the city's first and only African American mayor.[2] New York has not had a Hispanic or Latino mayor, with the possible exception of John Purroy Mitchel (1914–1917), who was of Spanish descent and whose grandfather was born in Venezuela.[3] New York's mayors have been religiously diverse; the city has had Protestant, Jewish, and Catholic mayors.[4] No woman has ever served as mayor of New York City.[5]
Colonial mayors
Before 1680, mayors served one-year terms. As of 1680, they served two-year terms. Exceptions are noted thus (*). A dagger (†) indicates mayoralties cut short by death in office. [When the same man served more than one continuous term, his name is lightly shaded purely for clarity, but the tints have no other significance.]
| No.[6] | Name | Starting year of office | Ending year of office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thomas Willett (1st term) | 1665 | 1666 |
| 2 | Thomas Delavall (1st term) | 1666 | 1667 |
| 3 | Thomas Willett (2nd term) | 1667 | 1668 |
| 4 | Cornelius Van Steenwyk (1st term) | 1668 | 1671 |
| 5 | Thomas Delavall (2nd term) | 1671 | 1672 |
| 6 | Matthias Nicoll | 1672 | 1673 |
| 7 | John Lawrence (1st term) | 1673 | 1675 |
| 8 | William Dervall | 1675 | 1676 |
| 9 | Nicholas De Mayer | 1676 | 1677 |
| 10 | Stephanus Van Cortlandt (1st term) | 1677 | 1678 |
| 11 | Thomas Delavall (3rd term) | 1678 | 1679 |
| 12 | Francis Rombouts | 1679 | 1680 |
| 13 | William Dyre | 1680 | 1682 |
| 14 | Cornelius Van Steenwyk (2nd term) | 1682 | 1684 |
| 15 | Gabriel Minvielle (*) | 1684 | 1685 |
| 16 | Nicholas Bayard (*) | 1685 | 1686 |
| 17 | Stephanus Van Cortlandt (2nd term) | 1686 | 1688 |
| 18 | Peter Delanoy 1 | 1689 | 1691 |
| 19 | John Lawrence (2nd term *) | 1691 | 1691 |
| 20 | Abraham de Peyster | 1691 | 1694 |
| 21 | Charles Lodwik | 1694 | 1695 |
| 22 | William Merritt | 1695 | 1698 |
| 23 | Johannes de Peyster | 1698 | 1699 |
| 24 | David Provost | 1699 | 1700 |
| 25 | Isaac De Reimer | 1700 | 1701 |
| 26 | Thomas Noell | 1701 | 1702 |
| 27 | Phillip French | 1702 | 1703 |
| 28 | William Peartree | 1703 | 1707 |
| 29 | Ebenezer Wilson | 1707 | 1710 |
| 30 | Jacobus Van Cortlandt (1st term) | 1710 | 1711 |
| 31 | Caleb Heathcote | 1711 | 1714 |
| 32 | John Johnstone | 1714 | 1719 |
| 33 | Jacobus Van Cortlandt (2nd term) | 1719 | 1720 |
| 34 | Robert Walters | 1720 | 1725 |
| 35 | Johannes Jansen | 1725 | 1726 |
| 36 | Robert Lurting † | 1726 | 1735 |
| 37 | Paul Richard | 1735 | 1739 |
| 38 | John Cruger † | 1739 | 1744 |
| 39 | Stephen Bayard | 1744 | 1747 |
| 40 | Edward Holland † | 1747 | 1757 |
| 41 | John Cruger Jr. | 1757 | 1766 |
| 42 | Whitehead Hicks | 1766 | 1776 |
| 43 | David Mathews | 1776 | 1783 |
Note
- Peter Delanoy was the first and only directly-elected mayor of New York[7] until 1834. Appointed mayors resumed in the wake of Leisler's Rebellion.
† died in office
Pre-consolidation mayors
After 1820, the mayor was appointed by the city's Common Council. Under the Charter of 1834, mayors were elected annually. After 1849, they served two-year terms.
Notes
- John T. Hoffman resigned after his election as Governor of New York state but before the end of his mayoral term.[12] Thomas Coman, President of the Board of Aldermen, completed Hoffman's term as acting mayor until his elected successor, A. Oakey Hall, took office.[13]
- When Hall temporarily retired during the Tweed investigation, the Acting Mayor of New York City was John Cochrane, the President of the New York City Council.
- William F. Havemeyer died during his last term of office. Samuel B. H. Vance, President of the Board of Aldermen, completed Havemeyer's term as acting mayor until his elected successor, William H. Wickham, took office.
- William L. Strong served an additional year in office because New York City mayoral elections were changed to be held in odd-numbered years due to the impending consolidation of New York City.
† died in office
Post-consolidation mayors
The 1898–1901 term was for four years. The City Charter was changed to make the mayor's term a two-year one beginning in 1902, but after two such terms was changed back to resume four-year terms in 1906. George B. McClellan Jr. thus served one two-year term from 1904 to 1905, during which he was elected to a four-year term from 1906 to 1909. See New York City mayoral elections#Terms and term limits (since 1834).
The party of the mayor reflects party registration, as opposed to the party lines run under during the general election.
| #[6] | Portrait | Name | Term in office | Length of service | Party affiliation | Previous office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91 | 
|
Robert A. Van Wyck1 (1849–1918; aged 69) |
January 1, 1898 – December 31, 1901 |
4 years | style="background:Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Democratic | Chief Justice of the City Court of New York[14] |
| 92 | 
|
Seth Low 2 (1850–1916; aged 66) |
January 1, 1902 – December 31, 1903 |
2 years | style="background:Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Republican | 11th President of Columbia University (1890–1901) |
| 93 | 
|
George B. McClellan Jr. (1865–1940; aged 75) |
January 1, 1904 – December 31, 1909 |
6 years | style="background:Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Democratic | U.S. Representative for New York (1895–1903) |
| 94 | 
|
William Jay Gaynor 3 † (1849–1913; aged 64) |
January 1, 1910 – September 10, 1913 |
3 years, 253 days | style="background:Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Democratic | Judge of the New York Supreme Court (1893–1909) |
| Acting3 | 
|
Ardolph L. Kline | September 10, 1913 – December 31, 1913 |
113 days | style="background:Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Republican | President of the Board of Aldermen |
| 95 | 
|
John P. Mitchel (1879–1918; aged 38) |
January 1, 1914 – December 31, 1917 |
4 years | style="background:Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Republican | U.S. Customs Collector of the Port of New York; President of the Board of Aldermen |
| 96 | 
|
John F. Hylan 4,[15] (1868–1936; aged 67) |
January 1, 1918 – December 30, 1925 |
8 years | style="background:Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Democratic | County Judge in Brooklyn[16] |
| Acting4 | William T. Collins | December 31, 1925[15] | 1 day | style="background:Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Democratic | President of the Board of Aldermen[15] | |
| 97 | 
|
Jimmy Walker 5 (1881–1946; aged 65) |
January 1, 1926 – September 1, 1932 |
6 years, 244 days (6 years, 8 months) |
style="background:Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Democratic | New York State Senator (1919–1925) |
| Acting5 | 
|
Joseph V. McKee | September 1, 1932 – December 31, 1932 |
121 days (4 months) |
style="background:Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Democratic | President of the City Council |
| 98 | File:John P. O'Brien (1932).gif | John P. O'Brien (1873–1951; aged 78) |
January 1, 1933 – December 31, 1933 |
1 year | style="background:Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Democratic | Surrogate of New York County[17] |
| 99 | 
|
Fiorello H. La Guardia (1882–1947; aged 64) |
January 1, 1934 – December 31, 1945 |
12 years | style="background:Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Republican[18] | U.S. Representative for New York (1922–1933) |
| 100 | 
|
William O'Dwyer 6 (1890–1964; aged 74) |
January 1, 1946 – August 31, 1950 |
4 years, 243 days (4 years, 8 months) |
style="background:Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Democratic | Brooklyn District Attorney (1939–1945) |
| Acting 7 | 
|
Vincent R. Impellitteri 6 (1900–1987; aged 86) |
August 31, 1950 – November 14, 1950 |
75 days | style="background:Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Democratic (as acting mayor) |
President of the City Council (1945–1949) |
| 101 | November 14, 1950 – December 31, 1953 |
3 years, 48 days | style="background:Template:Independent politician/meta/color;"| | Experience Party (as elected mayor) |
Acting Mayor | ||
| 102 | 
|
Robert F. Wagner Jr. (1910–1991; aged 80) |
January 1, 1954 – December 31, 1965 |
12 years | style="background:Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Democratic | 17th Borough President of Manhattan (1950–1953) |
| 103 | 
|
John Lindsay (1921–2000; aged 79) |
January 1, 1966 – December 31, 1973 |
8 years | style="background:Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Republican | U.S. Representative for New York (1959–1965) |
| style="background:Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Democratic | ||||||
| 104 | 
|
Abraham Beame (1906–2001; aged 94) |
January 1, 1974 – December 31, 1977 |
4 years | style="background:Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Democratic | 38th New York City Comptroller (1970–1973) |
| 105 | 
|
Ed Koch (1924–2013; aged 88) |
January 1, 1978 – December 31, 1989 |
12 years | style="background:Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Democratic | U.S. Representative for New York (1969–1977) |
| 106 | 
|
David Dinkins (born in 1927; aged 97) |
January 1, 1990 – December 31, 1993 |
4 years | style="background:Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Democratic | 23rd Borough President of Manhattan (1986–1989) |
| 107 | 
|
Rudy Giuliani (born in 1944; aged 80) |
January 1, 1994 – December 31, 2001 |
8 years | style="background:Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Republican | United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York (1983–1989) |
| 108 | 
|
Michael Bloomberg (born in 1942; aged 82) |
January 1, 2002 – December 31, 2013 |
12 years | style="background:Template:Republican Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Republican 8 | CEO of Bloomberg L.P. (1981–2001) |
| style="background:Template:Independent politician/meta/color;"| | None | ||||||
| 109 | 
|
Bill de Blasio (born in 1961; aged 63) |
January 1, 2014 – Incumbent |
4 years | style="background:Template:Democratic Party (United States)/meta/color;"| | Democratic | 3rd New York City Public Advocate (2010–2013) |
Notes
- Randolph Gugghenheimer I (born 1846) served as acting mayor in 1900 while Robert A. Van Wyck was away.[19][20]
- Seth Low previously served as Mayor of the City of Brooklyn from 1882 to 1885.
- William Jay Gaynor died September 10, 1913. Ardolph L. Kline, the unelected President of the Board of Aldermen, succeeded as acting mayor upon Gaynor's death, but then sought re-election as an alderman (successfully) rather than election as mayor. Kline has thus been the only mayor since 1834 never to win a citywide election (having been appointed Vice President of the Board of Aldermen by his colleagues and then succeeding to the presidency mid-term, rather than winning it by popular election at large).
- John Hylan and Police Commissioner Richard Enright resigned December 30, 1925 to ensure that they received their city pensions, which they may not have been entitled to keep had they stayed in office for one more day. William T. Collins became acting Mayor for one day, prior to the inauguration of Jimmy Walker[15]
- Jimmy Walker resigned September 1, 1932 and went to Europe, amid allegations of corruption in his administration. Joseph V. McKee, as President of the Board of Aldermen, became acting mayor in Walker's place, but was then defeated in a special election by John P. O'Brien.
- William O'Dwyer resigned August 31, 1950, during a police corruption scandal, after which he was appointed Ambassador to Mexico by President Harry S. Truman.
- Vincent R. Impellitteri, President of the New York City Council, became acting mayor when O'Dwyer resigned on August 31, 1950, and was then elected to the office in a special election held on November 7, 1950. He was inaugurated on November 14.
- Michael R. Bloomberg was a Democrat before running for mayor.
† died in office
See also
- Election results for Mayor of New York
- History of New York City
- Mayors of the City of Brooklyn (1834–98)
References
- ^ Lincoln, Charles Z. (1906). The Constitutional History of New York: From the Beginning of the Colonial Period to the Year 1905, Showing the Origin, Development, and Judicial Construction of the Constitution – Volume 2. Rochester, N.Y.: The Lawyers Co-operative Publishing Company. p. 6. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- ^ Mollenkopf, John (2014) "The Rise of Immigrant Influence in New York City Politics" in New York and Amsterdam: Immigration and the New Urban Landscape (Foner, Nancy et al. eds.) New York:New York University Press, p.210
- ^ Roberts, Sam (May 7, 2013) Candidate Hoping to Be First Hispanic Mayor May Be 100 Years Too Late, The New York Times
- ^
- Roberts, Sam (May 10, 2005) Today's Loneliest Political Minority? It's Probably the White Protestant, The New York Times: "New York's early mayors were mostly Protestant, but in the last 100 years the city has elected few Protestant mayors."
- Binder, Frederick and Reimers, David (1995) All the Nations Under Heaven: An Ethnic and Racial History of New York City New York: Columbia University Press. p.243: "In 1963 Abe Beame became the first Jew to be elected mayor of New York City. In 1977 Ed Koch became the second Jewish mayor when he won election to the first of three terms."
- Collins, Glen (May 15, 2008) Persecuted to Powerful: Exhibiting a History of New York’s Catholics, The New York Times: "William R. Grace, who was elected in 1880 as the first Catholic mayor of New York City..."
- ^ Weatherford, Doris (2012) Women in American Politics: History and Milestones, Vol. 1. CQ Press p.262
- ^ a b "The Green Book: Mayors of the City of New York" on the official NYC website. When a former mayor serves again after a break in office, a new number is assigned to his resumed service. However, the six acting mayoralties are unnumbered.
- ^ Burrows, Edwin G. and Wallace, Mike (1999). Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-195-11634-8. pp.99–100
- ^ Caldwell, John; Rogue, Oswaldo Rodriguez; Johnson, Dale T. (March 1, 1994). American Paintings in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Vol. 1. Metropolitan Museum of Art. p. 256.
- ^ Mooney, James E. "Tiemann, Daniel F(awcett)" in Jackson, Kenneth T., ed. (2010). The Encyclopedia of New York City (2nd ed.). New Haven: Yale University Press. pp. 1314–15. ISBN 978-0-300-11465-2.
- ^ Burrows, Edwin G. and Wallace, Mike (1999). Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 850–51. ISBN 0-195-11634-8.
- ^ Trager, James (2003), The New York Chronology, New York: HarperCollins, p. 113, ISBN 0-06-074062-0
- ^ Staff (November 17, 1868). "Local Intelligence — Board of Aldermen — Resignation of the Mayor". The New York Times. p. 2. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
- ^ Staff (January 5, 1869). "Municipal Affairs — Organization of the Common Council — The Mayor's Message — The City Budget for 1869 — Comparison of Taxation in 1868 and 1869". The New York Times. p. 2. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
- ^ Staff (November 7, 1897). "Robert A. Van Wyck". The New York Times Magazine. p. 2. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
- ^ a b c d Staff (December 31, 1925). "Hylan And Enright Out With Pensions; Last-Hour Shifts In Police Department; Walker Fills Important City Posts — Collins Mayor for a Day — Leach is the Active Head of the Police Force for the Last Day of 1925 — Hylan to Get $4,205 A Year — Retirement Voted by Board of Estimate, He Quits to Assure Pension — Enright to Draw $5,000 — Approval of His Retirement as Commissioner One of Hylan's Last Official Acts". The New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
- ^ Staff (November 7, 1917). "How Hylan Reached The Mayor's Chair — Came Here from the Farm and First Worked as a Tracklayer — To School After Marriage — Long Active in Civic Affairs in Brooklyn — Mayoralty Said to Have Been His Ambition". The New York Times. p. 5. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
- ^ Staff (November 10, 1932). "O'Brien Will Stay on Bench Till Jan. 1 — Mayor-Elect Says, However, He Will Devote Spare Time to Study of City's Problems — Renews Economy Pledge — Silent on Protest Vote — McKee Among Thousands Who Send Congratulatory Messages". The New York Times. p. 5. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
- ^ Staff (November 5, 1933). "List of Candidates Who Will Be on Ballots in Municipal Election Nov. 7". The New York Times. p. N2. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
- ^ "Acting Mayor Boomed Long Branch Property by Buying Drexel Cottage". The New York Times. August 20, 1900. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
- ^ "Randolph Gugghenheimer". Jewish Encyclopedia.
Guggenheimer acted as mayor of New York city during the absence of the incumbent.
External links
Media related to Mayors of New York City at Wikimedia Commons
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