Tributes pour in for Norm Mineta, first Asian American Cabinet Secretary

Department of Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, 1931-2022 

Norman Mineta, the first Asian American to serve in a Presidential Cabinet, died Tuesday from a heart ailment. He was 90 years old.

Mineta's son, David Mineta, said in a statement: "My dad passed away peacefully Tuesday afternoon at his home surrounded by his family," in Edgewater, Maryland.

Asian American members of Congress, many of whom were mentored by the political trailblazer, credited Mineta's impact and key role in Asian American history.

"Generations of Asian American leaders, including myself, have looked up to Norm as the perfect example of an outstanding public servant," said Rep. Judy Chu, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, which Mineta co-founded.

He was the first Asian American to serve as Mayor of a major American city, San Jose, CA., a 10-term Congressman representing Silicon Valley and Transportation Secretary for both Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

"Despite all he accomplished, he always prioritized opening doors for future AANHPI leaders. He showed us how much we could achieve and pulled us up with him, and especially valued mentoring young people, like like students and interns, who were interested in advocating for our communities," said Chu.

"An early supporter of LGBTQ equality, he used his moral stature to persuade the Japanese American Citizens League meeting in convention in 1994 to be the first non-LGBTQ civil rights organization to embrace same sex unions," recalled Rep. Mark Takano, an openly gay member of Congress.

"As Transportation Secretary during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Norm not only gave orders to ground all commercial flights, but he is also was credited by President George W. Bush for being a voice of restraint against any reprisals against Muslim Americans in cabinet level meetings."

Secretary Mineta was instrumental in securing the deserved apology and financial compensation for the cruel and unjust internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.

Born on Nov. 12, 1931, Norman Yoshio Mineta was 10 years old and wearing his Cub Scouts uniform when he and his parents were detained at Heart Mountain in Wyoming after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.

After the war, he graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and serve as an Army intelligence officer in Korea and Japan. After three years with the military, he returned to San Jose to run his father’s Mineta Insurance Agency.

Mineta’s political career begain in 1967, when he was appointed to a vacant seat on the San Jose City Council. He won re-election and served four more years on the council before winning the mayorship in 1971, making him the first Asian American mayor of a major city, which now has an airport that bears his name.

In 2006, he resigned as Transportation Secretary at age 74 after 5 and 1/2 years in his post.

The Japanese American Civic League issued this statement: "Secretary Mineta was a hero and a pillar in our community. He fought for civil liberties at the highest levels of government and remained a steadfast beacon of activists throughout his long career. Members of our community remember him as a patriot and a friend who fought to make sure that America lived up to the ideals of justice that it promises. His kindness and warmth helped to uplift those who he mentored and assisted throughout his time with the JACL. We are left shocked and saddened by his passing, and we know that the JACL will not be the same without his guidance, leadership, and compassion. However, we at the JACL will continue to strive to protect his ideals and legacy, and continue to devote our efforts toward the values of freedom and equality that Secretary Mineta held, and the goals and aspirations that he shared with us for our community and its future."

"He was a brilliant legislative strategist. He also helped to ensure that the bilingual ballot provisions of the Voting Rights Act were not only reauthorized but expanded – one of the reasons why so many more Asian Americans are able to vote and so many more Asian Americans are getting elected to office 30 years later, recalled Karen Narasaki, former JACL Washington Representative and former commissioner, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights ... Mineta insisted on taking a strong position supporting the right for same sex couples to marry. His speech is one of the reasons JACL maintained its historic position by a handful of votes. He told me that a good Congressman should be willing to risk losing donors and an election to be on the right side of history. "

"I sat in meetings with him when he was Secretary of Transportation, after 9/11, with members of the South Asian, Middle Eastern, and Muslim communities, experiencing discrimination at airports where he committed to reminding the airlines of their obligations not to discriminate and am certain that Mineta is one of the reasons that President Bush made an early visit to a mosque to try to stem the backlash," Narasaki continued.

"As my Secretary of Transportation, he showed great leadership in helping prevent further attacks on and after 9/11," George W. Bush wrote. "As I said when presenting him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Norm has given his country a lifetime of service, and he's given his fellow citizens an example of leadership, devotion to duty, and personal character."

Survivors included two sons from his previous marriage, David Mineta of San Jose and Stuart Mineta of Redwood City, Calif.; two stepsons, Robert Brantner of West River, Md., and Mark Brantner of Johnson City, Tenn.; and 11 grandchildren.

Funeral services are planned for Monday, May 9. Further details are forthcoming.

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