Fifty years ago, Patsy T. Mink of Hawai`i became the first woman of color elected to Congress. On Nov. 24, she'll be posthumously honored at the White House with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Mink co-founded the Congressional Progressive Caucus in 1991 and has been cited as an inspiration and mentor by Hawai`i Sen. Mazie Hirono, the second woman of color woman to serve in the U.S. Senate.
The Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation and the Patsy T. Mink PAC further her legacy.
Mink was seen in Fahrenheit 9/11 joining members of the Congressional Black Caucus in challenging the 2000 presidential election certification.
Mink's landmark legislative work was in co-authoring Title IX, which was renamed after her death in 2002 as the Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act.
One of her noteworthy quotes was about the importance of having political courage:
It is easy enough to vote right and be consistently with the majority . . . but it is more often more important to be ahead of the majority and this means being willing to cut the first furrow in the ground and stand alone for a while if necessary.
A
documentary about her life, "Ahead of the Majority," has received excellent reviews.