Portrait of Patsy Mink, trailblazing congressmember, unveiled in US Capitol on 50th anniversary of Title IX law

OFFICE OF SEN. MAZIE HIRONO

Sen. Mazie Hirono and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi admire the portrait of the late Patsy Mink.

The portrait of the late Congresswoman from Hawaiʻi, Patsy Mink, was unveiled today in the US Capitol during a ceremony to celebrate her legendary life and the 50th anniversary of her groundbreaking bill, Title IX.

Mink—the first woman of color elected to Congress in 1965—led the effort to write and pass Title IX, which President Nixon signed into law. Title IX stated that no one should be excluded from participation or face discrimination on the basis of sex in any education programs or activity receiving federal assistance.

"This is what America is all about: possibilities," said President Biden. "Millions of women and girls have benefited from the change that Title IX helped make possible. 

"More women and girls are participating and excelling in countless fields—from professional sports, to science, math, and technology than ever before. Their leadership, achievements, and success bear out the legacy of countless women throughout history who fought hard for a place at the table and for equal opportunity in all fields."

US Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-HI, said during the ceremony Thursday: “Thirty-seven words long, Title IX represented a sea change for women in our country. Fifty years later, Title IX is just as important today as it was when Patsy fought for it.”

Following Mink's death in 2002, the law was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act.

Title IX applies to several areas of education, including the classroom, athletics, sexual assault and violence on campus, employment, discrimination, admissions, retaliation and financial assistance with tuition.

Over the years, the law also has been extended to other forms of gender and sex discrimination with issues involving the LGBTQ community.

Because of Title IX and the movement it launched, athletic opportunities for women in college are no longer the exception – they are the rule.

In 1971, the year before Title IX, fewer than 300,000 girls participated in high school sports, one in 27. Twenty years later, the total approached 3 million, approximately one in 2½. The latest number, according to the Women’s Sports Foundation, is 3.4 million.

The portrait of Mink was painted by artist Sharon Sprung. It joins other portraits of women trailblazers hanging in Statuary Hall, including Shirley Chisholm, the first African American Woman to serve in Congress and Jeanette Rankin, the first woman to ever serve in Congress.

"Growing up, I never thought I would be in elected office, let alone a member of Congress. It's because I never saw anyone who looked like me in such positions," said Rep. Judy Chu, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. "So, it never even occurred to me that it was a possibility. 

"But think of how different this will be with the installation of this portrait. So many young girls will see it as they walk through the halls of the U.S. Capitol. And they will see a shining example of what Asian American women and women of color can do as trailblazers in Congress," said Chu.

"With celebration comes our continued commitment to build off of these incredible achievements.," said Rep. Kai Kahele, D-HI, representing Mink's congressional district. "We must tackle new challenges that arise, including fighting to eliminate sexual violence and increasing female representation in STEM programs. As the representative of the congressional district that she formerly served, I strive to uphold her legacy every day by advocating for equal rights and continuing to push for increased opportunities for women.”

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