Patsy Mink, '51, Remembering Her Legacy
5 (More) Asian Americans who Changed the World
Patsy Mink – Congresswoman and Attorney
(1927 – 2002)
Patsy Mink was born in Hawaii and was a third-generation Japanese American. As a child, Mink and her family would often experience discrimination due to their background, yet this did little to dampen her resolve. In fact, these experiences would drive Mink to fight back against prejudice, first as a lawyer following her graduation from the University of Chicago Law School, and later as the first woman of color and the first Asian-American woman elected to Congress. Mink would spend her political career championing civil rights legislation. In particular, she co-authored the Title IX Amendment of the Higher Education Act which forbids discrimination within areas of education.
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