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Hatty Lee

Patsy Mink

Trailer for Ahead of the Majority.

Patsy Mink. Who is that? I had no clue until about two months ago. While sitting in a movie theater waiting for A Song for Ourselves (Tad Nakamura’s documentary on Chris Iijima) to start playing, a short documentary called Ahead of the Majority began rolling. And did I get schooled in Asian American and women’s history. As the movie continued on, I thought, “I should really know who this is. How come I’ve never heard about her?”

But I was definitely amazed and proud of all the battles Patsy Mink fought and won, starting from high school until she passed away in 2002.

During the 1940's, she attended the University of Nebraska and faced harsh discrimination—based on race and gender. The university had a racial segregation policy, and she had been assigned to the International Student dorm because the school didn't know where to place an Asian American student. Mink challenged the policy and the next year it was rescinded. After graduating, she wanted to pursue a career in medicine. But after being rejected at all schools she applied to, due to gender, Mink decided on law school. She was only one of two women in her graduating class at the University of Chicago.

Patsy Mink was the first Asian American woman elected to Congress and the first woman elected to Congress from the state of Hawai'i. She was also the first Asian American to seek the Democratic Presidential nomination in 1972. More than just holding political office, Mink fought hard for the rights of girls and women. She was a leader in the passage of Title IX Education Amendment (later renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act). Title IX allowed equal opportunities for girls and women in high school and college academics and athletics. She also introduced the Early Childhood Education Act which would provide federal programs and funding for pre-school and kindergarten education, as well as the Women's Educational Equity Act. Mink was also a fierce crusader in promoting policies that addressed the realities of welfare and poverty.

To learn more about Patsy Mink, you can check out Ahead of the Majority on PBS. They will be airing it over the next few weeks. Check here to see when its airing in your area.

Posted at 9:58 AM, May 27, 2009 in Permalink | View Comments


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Thanks for posting this Hatty. It's great to hear about this remarkable woman.

Posted by: T | May 27, 2009 1:46 PM

It says alot about the continued marginalization of people of color that Ms. Mink and her accomplishments remain unknown to most Americans.

I'm happy PBS is recognizing and I hope her very important life and deeds will gain more and more exposure and notoriety.

Posted by: Chris Diaz | May 27, 2009 9:16 PM

I'm so sorry I missed the PBS report. Here's hoping it runs again in the near future.

DiversityInc recently wrote about two other groundbreaking women in: Ursula Burns, the new CEO of Xerox and Alysa Stanton, the nation's first female rabbi.

To read more on Burns: http://www.diversityinc.com/public/5879.cfm

To read more on Stanton:
http://www.diversityinc.com/public/5885.cfm

Posted by: Kimberly Stewart | June 1, 2009 2:02 PM

A remarkable Japanese-American woman whose life experience altered the lives of millions of women and families in this country and in the end has made this country a better place. This is a timely reminder that gender and race do make a difference. She devoted her life to opening doors which were slammed in her face so that future generations of women could spend their talents in improving and advancing society instead of fighting to have the right to participate in that society. With the confirmation of Sotomayer simmering around the comments she made on gender and race, this is an oppportune time to show this documentary. The great American experiment can only be improved with the participation of minority women.

Posted by: tayeko kaufman | June 4, 2009 12:25 PM