Black History Month: Eric Adams Credits His Mother As His Inspiration To Enter Public Service
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Eric Adams is only the second African American to become mayor of New York City.
As the nation and the city celebrate Black History Month, CBS2's Marcia Kramer sat down with the mayor to talk about why he chose a life of public service, and what he hopes to accomplish for all New Yorkers.
"When we uplift the African Americans and acknowledge Black History Month, we're acknowledging that this is a country where everyone has the opportunity to aspire. When you can leave the slave plantations and then become the mayor of this important city, that says to every group in this country that the possibilities are endless," Adams said.
As Kramer walked with Adams in City Hall, past pictures of the men who had previously been elected to run the city, it was with a sense not only of history. They walked past the picture of David Dinkins, who 32 years earlier because the city's first Black mayor, but also of the possibilities, the promise of the city's second Black mayor could achieve.
"Thank God for America. America is the only place, Marcia, where we have dream attached to our name. There's no German Dream. There's no Polish Dream. But, darn it, there's an American Dream, and I'm going to fight to make sure that dream is available to everyone," Adams said.
Watch the full interview --
When Eric Leroy Adams arrived at City Hall on his first day on the job, he carried with him the hopes and dreams of his mother, Dorothy Mae Adams-Streeter: The woman who worked double shifts as a house cleaner, the woman who had only a third grade education, the woman whose picture he carried into the voting booth on election day, and held up proudly when he took the oath of office just after midnight on New Year's Day.
The attachment to his mother so profound - she died at 83 during the primary - that his answer to this question was no surprise.
"What figures in your life inspired you to lead a life of public service?" Kramer asked.
"It was just my mom. She was an amazing woman. Every time I think of how little we had, but how much she gave to everyone in the neighborhood, if you were a family member, that was in need of something, you knew you could come down and see Miss Adams, and it just showed me at an early age that you need to give," Adams said. "We must be living examples of what we want our children to be. Because I watched her, and I carried out what she wanted me to be. She didn't just say Eric, I want you to always be there, and give back for people. She lived it. And I duplicated what I saw her do."
And although Eric Adams says he was inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, by the Rev. Herbert Daughtry - who convinced him to become a police officer - he keeps coming back to Dorothy Mae Adams-Streeter, who took him into the voting booth in 1977 when the-then Manhattan borough president was on the ballot, hoping to become the city's first Black chief executive.
"She placed my hand on Percy Sutton's name and she said 'You know, I want you to understand the significance of this moment... This is an important moment. I want you to touch his name.' Little did I know what she was instilling in me. And when you think about it, it brings you chills, that she inspired me the possibility that, you know, I could become the mayor of the city of New York. That's just amazing," Adams said.
He said that was a turning point. He went on to become a police captain, state senator, Brooklyn borough president. And now, Dorothy Mae Adams-Streeter, your son is the 110th mayor of the city of New York.
We'll have Marcia full interview with Adams on CBS News New York tonight at 8:30 p.m.