Bill de Blasio
The progressive mayor who championed a tale of two cities agenda, aiming to bridge New York's deep economic divides.
Born 1961 (age 65)·Mayor of New York City from 2014 to 2021·Birthday: May 8·Baby Boomers
Biography
Bill de Blasio's political identity was forged in the neighborhoods of Brooklyn, not the corridors of Manhattan power. A former city councilman and public advocate, he rode into Gracie Mansion in 2013 on a wave of progressive energy, promising to tackle the city's stark inequality. His signature policy achievements—universal pre-kindergarten and a paid sick leave mandate—were aimed squarely at supporting working families. His tenure was defined by a constant, often contentious, push against the status quo, from feuds with the governor to ambitious but fraught plans like reforming specialized high school admissions. De Blasio governed through crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, which hit his city with devastating force. While his presidential bid faltered, his eight years in office left an indelible mark, shifting the city's policy conversation firmly toward equity and expanding the social safety net in ways that outlasted his administration.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Bill was born in 1961, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bill Was Born
The biggest hits of 1961
#1 Movie
101 Dalmatians
Best Picture
West Side Story
#1 TV Show
Wagon Train
Bill's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1961Born
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1966Started school
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1974Became a teenager
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Could drive
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1979Could vote
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Turned 21
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1991Turned 30
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 40
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 50
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 60
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 65 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Implemented a universal, full-day pre-kindergarten program for all New York City four-year-olds, a first for the city.
- Signed into law a paid sick leave mandate for employees in New York City.
- Oversaw a significant reduction in stop-and-frisk police encounters following a federal court ruling.
- Launched the NYC Care program, guaranteeing low-cost healthcare to undocumented residents and others ineligible for insurance.
Did You Know?
He met his wife, Chirlane McCray, when they both worked in the administration of Mayor David Dinkins.
De Blasio spent time living in Cuba as a young man, where he worked for the Nicaraguan Sandinista government.
He legally changed his surname from Warren Wilhelm Jr. to Bill de Blasio, his mother's maiden name, in the 1980s.
His son, Dante, became a recognizable figure in his 2013 campaign due to his large Afro, featured in ads.
“We are called to put an end to economic and social inequalities that threaten to unravel the city we love.”
