Mink, Patsy (1927–2002)

American politician. Name variations: Patsy Takemoto Mink; Patsy T. Mink. Born Patsy Matsu Takemoto, Dec 6, 1927, in Paia, Maui, Hawaii; died Aug 30, 2002, in Honolulu; dau. of Suematsu Takemoto and Mitama Tateyama Takemoto; University of Hawaii at Honolulu, BA in zoology and chemistry, 1948; earned law degree at University of Chicago, 1951; m. John Francis Mink (geologist); children: Gwendolyn Rachel (known as Wendy) Mink (professor of political science at University of California, Santa Cruz).

US Democratic congressional representative from Hawaii, whose long political career centered on defending the rights of minorities and women, was elected to Hawaii House of Representatives (1956) and Hawaii state senate (1958); elected to US House of Representatives (1964); over next several years, served on Committee on Education and Labor, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, and Budget Committee; introduced or sponsored many acts such as the 1st child-care bill and legislation establishing programs like student loans, bilingual education, and Head Start; also worked for the successful passage of Title IX; as chair of Subcommittee on Mines and Mining, was lead author of the Strip-Mining Act and Mineral Leasing Act of 1976; was an early critic of the expansion of the American military presence in Vietnam; authored and sponsored the Women's Educational Equity Act in 1974; lost a bid for nomination to US Senate (1976); served as assistant secretary of state for oceans and international environmental affairs (1977–78) and as president of the Americans for Democratic Action; served on Honolulu City Council (1983–87); returned to US House of Representatives (1990); reelected (1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000).

See also Women in World History.