Patsy Mink was born on December 6, 1927 in Pa'ai, Maui to Suematsu and Mitama Takemoto.
She graduated as valedictorian of her high school. She attended the University of Hawaii, then the University of Nebraska. While in school, Patsy Mink faced many challenges and discrimination At the University of Nebraska, she faced segregated housing. When returning to Hawaii for graduate school, she faced gender discrimination when her application to medical school was denied repeatedly because she was a woman.
Eventually she moved and studied law at the University of Chicago. There she met her husband with whom she had one child, Gwendolyn.
She returned to Hawaii again to practice law. She was the first Japanese American female lawyer in Hawaii. This is a huge accomplishment, but not everyone felt this way. Even if she did good work, she was not respected in the legal profession because of her identity.
Because of her experiences with discrimination, Mink became involved in politics with the Democratic Party of Hawaii. "I didn’t start off wanting to be in politics," she once told a reporter. "Not being able to get a job from anybody changed things."
Mink was elected to the Hawaii Territorial House, then the Territorial Senate two years later. In 1964, Mink was elected to Congress.
In Congress, Patsy Mink stood out. Not only was she a Japanese woman, but she also had divisive views on public education, civil rights, and war.
One of Patsy Mink's biggest successes was co-authoring and getting the Women's Educational Equity Act (or Title IX) passed. This law said that institutions that got federal funding needed to support men and women athletes equally. This led to a huge growth of women's collegiate sports programs.
After twelve years in the house, Patsy Mink ran for Senate but lost to Spark M. Matsunuga. However, in 1977, President Jimmy Carter named Patsy Mink assistant secretary of state for oceans and international, environmental and scientific affairs.
From 1990 to 2002, Mink returned to the House of Representatives and acted as a liberal voice for Hawaii.After falling ill, Patsy Mink passed away on September 28, 2002.
She graduated as valedictorian of her high school. She attended the University of Hawaii, then the University of Nebraska. While in school, Patsy Mink faced many challenges and discrimination At the University of Nebraska, she faced segregated housing. When returning to Hawaii for graduate school, she faced gender discrimination when her application to medical school was denied repeatedly because she was a woman.
Eventually she moved and studied law at the University of Chicago. There she met her husband with whom she had one child, Gwendolyn.
She returned to Hawaii again to practice law. She was the first Japanese American female lawyer in Hawaii. This is a huge accomplishment, but not everyone felt this way. Even if she did good work, she was not respected in the legal profession because of her identity.
Because of her experiences with discrimination, Mink became involved in politics with the Democratic Party of Hawaii. "I didn’t start off wanting to be in politics," she once told a reporter. "Not being able to get a job from anybody changed things."
Mink was elected to the Hawaii Territorial House, then the Territorial Senate two years later. In 1964, Mink was elected to Congress.
In Congress, Patsy Mink stood out. Not only was she a Japanese woman, but she also had divisive views on public education, civil rights, and war.
One of Patsy Mink's biggest successes was co-authoring and getting the Women's Educational Equity Act (or Title IX) passed. This law said that institutions that got federal funding needed to support men and women athletes equally. This led to a huge growth of women's collegiate sports programs.
After twelve years in the house, Patsy Mink ran for Senate but lost to Spark M. Matsunuga. However, in 1977, President Jimmy Carter named Patsy Mink assistant secretary of state for oceans and international, environmental and scientific affairs.
From 1990 to 2002, Mink returned to the House of Representatives and acted as a liberal voice for Hawaii.After falling ill, Patsy Mink passed away on September 28, 2002.
