Patsy Takemoto Mink (1927 – 2002)
Mink was born to parents of Japanese heritage in Paia, Hawaii, and faced substantial discrimination throughout her youth. Nonetheless, Mink thrived academically – she was elected student body president of her high school and went on to graduate as valedictorian of her senior class. After successfully earning her bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and zoology from the University of Hawaii, Mink prepared to attend medical school; however, in 1928, none of the 20 schools to which Mink had applied were accepting female applicants. Intent to change this widespread discriminatory policy, Mink applied to law schools, hoping to one day work through the judicial system in order to correct the injustice she had faced in her own academic pursuits. Mink eventually received her J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and went on to become the first Japanese American woman to practice law in Hawaii. While in law school, she met and married John Mink.
Just a few years after beginning her own law practice, Mink entered the political world – in 1956, she won a seat in Hawaii’s House of Representatives. Mink continued her political involvement and activism, eventually winning the votes to take office as a Hawaii State Senator, and later as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. In 1965, Mink began her first of six terms as a representative of Hawaii in the United States House of Representatives. In 1972, Mink ran for the office of United States President as an anti-war candidate; although her campaign was unsuccessful, her efforts have helped open the door for women aspiring to attain our nation’s highest office.
Mink was well known for her ability to take action and build powerful coalitions in her fight against injustice; she put this talent to use in authoring and earning support for several groundbreaking pieces of legislation. The Title IX amendment of the Higher Education Act is among Mink’s most memorable achievements; this amendment prohibits gender discrimination by federally funded institutions, forever altering the legality of the prejudice that thousands of Americans had experienced prior to its introduction. In honor of Mink’s unceasing efforts towards equality in American schools, President George W. Bush renamed the amendment to become the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act.
For her groundbreaking achievements as a voice for social and political change, Patsy Mink is remembered as a riveting figure of strength and compassion in American history.
