The longest-serving mayors have been Fiorello H. The mayor continued to be selected by the Nominating Council of the New York Government until 1821, when Stephen Allen became the first mayor appointed by a local Common Council. After the creation of the British province of New York in 1664, British military governor Richard Nicolls led the newly renamed New York City. The office of mayor is the highest-ranking local official and responsibilities can range from ceremonial functions (see weak mayor) to full-time responsibilities in city operations (see strong mayor).
The Mayor of New York City is the executive director of the New York City Government, as stipulated in the New York City statutes. The municipal statutes were amended so that the mayor's term of office was two years starting in 1902, but after two of those terms it was changed again to resume four-year terms in 1906. All mayors were white until the election of David Dinkins (1990—199), to date, the only African-American in the city to hold office. He took office on April 5, 1971, and his 52 years in office make him not only the longest-serving mayor in New York history, but also in the history of the United States. New York City's mayors have been religiously diverse; the city has had Protestant, Jewish, and Catholic mayors.
That year, during the American Revolution, New York State formed a Nominating Council.
