The Leadership Conference Statement on the Passing of Norman Mineta

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Contact: Dena L. Craig, [email protected]

WASHINGTON – Maya Wiley, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on the passing of Norman Mineta, who The Leadership Conference honored in 1996 with the Hubert H. Humphrey Civil and Human Rights Award.

“Norman Mineta was a revered and beloved public servant who broke many barriers, paving the way for others to follow. He was the first Asian American mayor of a major American city, and the first Asian American cabinet secretary. He co-founded the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and was instrumental in the passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which helped right the wrong that was the Japanese American internment during World War II. Mineta put country over party – serving in the administrations of both Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Our thoughts are with his wife Deni Brantner, his family, and all those who were touched and inspired by his example.”

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 230 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.