“Digital divide” is used to describe any type of gap or
disparity between those who have access to new tech-
nologies and those who lack access. The gap may be
caused by socioeconomic status, in that the technol-
ogy is unaffordable; by geographic location, in that
access is not possible because the communication in-
frastructure is not in place; or by knowledge, in that
those with more education are more likely to have
the skills needed to use the new technologies. The
term is also used to describe the gap in access and us-
age of computer technology between industrial and
developing countries.
Disparities in ownership and access were com-
monly found between affluent populations who
could afford to purchase and use the technology
and the less affluent populations, including many
minorities who lacked the resources and education
to purchase and use computers. Geographic loca-
tion was found to create another division in access
and use of new communication technologies as
small towns and rural areas, many in the southern
and western United States, were found to contain
“dead zones,” where access to the Internet was either
limited or simply unavailable.
Impact The lack of access to computer technology,
along with a lack of education on how to use it effec-
tively, was predicted to create widespread economic
and educational disadvantages. Numerous surveys
and studies consistently demonstrated a disparity be-
tween minority and nonminority American popula-
tions, with whites most often having both the access
and skills and with many minority groups lacking
both. In poorer school districts that lacked the re-
sources to afford computers, there was much con-
cern that the children were not receiving the
needed education and skill sets to function effec-
tively and successfully in the age of technology. The
growing divide indicated a potential gap in future
populations’ abilities to seek higher education and
better employment.
In working to eliminate or “bridge the digital di-
vide,” the federal government introduced funding
and legislative efforts such as the High Performance
Computing and Communication Act of 1991, the
Educate America Act of 1994, and the Telecommu-
nications Act of 1996. Some would argue that the di-
vide continues to exist as the usage of technology
continues to increase while the costs of such technol-
ogies as computers, wireless phones, and communi-
cation utilities have not seen a significant decrease
in pricing. Bridging the digital divide in education
has also remained elusive for many.Further Reading
Servon, Lisa J.Bridging the Digital Divide: Technology,
Community, and Public Policy. Malden, Mass.:
Blackwell, 2002.
U.S. Department of Commerce. National Telecom-
munications and Information Administration.
Falling Through the Net: A Survey of the “Have Nots”
in Rural and Urban America.Washington, D.C.: Au-
thor, 1995.
_______.Falling Through the Net II: New Data on the
Digital Divide.Washington, D.C.: Author, 1998.
Susan E. ThomasSee also African Americans; Bush, George H. W.;
Clinton, Bill; Computers; Demographics of the
United States; Educate America Act of 1994; Educa-
tion in the United States; Internet; Poverty; Science
and technology; Telecommunications Act of 1996;
World Wide Web. Dinkins, David
Identification Mayor of New York City, 1990-1993
Born July 10, 1927; Trenton, New JerseyDinkins was the first African American to be elected mayor
of New York City, capping a long career in city politics and
activism. He was defeated by Rudy Giuliani in the 1993
mayoral election.When David Dinkins entered office on January 1,
1990, he inherited a huge city budget deficit at a
time when the nation was entering a recession. Gas
prices were soaring as a result of the crisis in the Per-
sian Gulf region, and New York lost tens of thou-
sands of jobs, eroding the tax base. The gaping hole
in the city’s budget made it impossible to pay city
employees without sacrificing services elsewhere.
Dinkins was forced to make unpopular cuts in public
services, jobs, education, and homeless shelters, and
he also enacted large tax increases.
Mayor Dinkins chose crime and race relations as
his top priorities. He instituted the “Safe Streets,
Safe City: Cops and Kids” program to cut crime, im-
prove community relations, and cut police abuse.
Despite budget cuts elsewhere, Dinkins managed toThe Nineties in America Dinkins, David 259