Patsy Mink

**Patsy Matsu Takemoto Mink** (; December 6, 1927September 28, 2002) was an American politician.  She was the U.S. Representative for the 1st and 2nd Districts of Hawaii. Mink was the first non-white woman in the U.S. Congress.

## Early life and education

Mink was born in Paia on the island of Maui in Hawaii. She was the daughter of Japanese American parents.  She was a _Sansei_, which means that she was the granddaughter of people born in Japan who immigrated to the US. Despite being Americans, her parents felt racial discrimination because they were Japanese during World War 2.

She graduated from the University of Hawaii and she earned a law degree from the University of Chicago.

## Congressional career

Mink was the first woman of color to be elected into Congress. She spent her time in Congress speaking out and writing laws related to gender equality in education. Mink was also the first woman to be an approved lawyer in the state of Hawaii. Mink founded the Oahu Young Democrats in 1954. In 1962, she finally won a seat in the Hawaii Senate.

Mink helped write the Women's Educational Equity Act which provides 30 million dollars per year to promote gender equality in schools. It also increases educational and job opportunities for women. Along with that, she was the co-writer of the Title IX law which requires public schools to provide equal and fair treatment to all genders in education. Mink was the first Asian American to run for president. During her second time in congress, Mink co-founded the Congressional Asian Pacific American Council. She also protested against the promotion of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court after claims of sexual harassment. In 1977 she served under President Jimmy Carter as assistant secretary of state for oceans and international, environmental and scientific affairs. Mink was a member of Congress until her death in 2002.

## Other websites

- Patsy Mink obituary in the _Honolulu Advertiser_, September 29, 2002; Patsy Mink memorial tributes, October 5, 2002
- Patsy Mink biography at National Organization for Women (NOW)

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **name**: Patsy Mink
- **image**: Patsy Mink 1994 portrait (cropped).tif
- **alt**: Portrait of a woman in a blue suit adorned with a pearl necklace
- **caption**: Official portrait,
- **office1**: Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Hawaii
- **term start1**: September 22, 1990
- **term end1**: September 28, 2002
- **predecessor1**: Daniel Akaka
- **successor1**: Ed Case
- **term start2**: January 3, 1965
- **term end2**: January 3, 1977
- **predecessor2**: Thomas Gill (politician), Thomas Gill
- **successor2**: Daniel Akaka
- **constituency2**: (1965–1971)
 (1971–1977)
- **office3**: Member of the Honolulu City Council
from the 9th district
- **term start3**: December 1, 1982
- **term end3**: December 1, 1986
- **successor3**: John DeSoto
- **office4**: 3rd Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs
- **president4**: Jimmy Carter
- **term start4**: March 28, 1977
- **term end4**: May 1, 1978
- **predecessor4**: Frederick Irving
- **successor4**: Thomas R. Pickering
- **office5**: Democratic Caucus Vice-Chairman of the United States House of Representatives, Secretary of the House Democratic Caucus
- **leader5**: Carl Albert
- **term start5**: January 3, 1975
- **term end5**: January 3, 1977
- **predecessor5**: Leonor Sullivan
- **successor5**: Shirley Chisholm
- **birth name**: Patsy Matsu Takemoto
- **birth place**: Hāmākua Poko, Territory of Hawaii, Hawaii Territory, United States, U.S.
- **death place**: Honolulu, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
- **restingplace**: National Cemetery of the Pacific
- **party**: Democratic Party (United States), Democratic
- **spouse**: John Mink
- **children**: 1
- **education**: Wilson College (Pennsylvania), Wilson College

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (Bachelor of Science, BS)
University of Chicago (Juris Doctor, JD)