Join us at the SALDEF National Gala in Washington, DC on Saturday, October 8, 2011. Along with marking our fifteenth anniversary, we will commemorate the tenth anniversary of 9/11, honor our awardees, and enjoy cultural entertainment.
We are pleased to announce former Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta will be honored at the SALDEF National Gala in recognition of his service to America and commitment to the cause of civil rights.
The first Asian American to serve in any President's Cabinet, Secretary Mineta experienced racial discrimination first-hand when he was forced to relocate and live in an internment camp after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Despite experiencing one of the worst examples of government-sanctioned racial discrimination in our country's history, Secretary Mineta has dedicated the greater part of his life to the service of his community and country.
From 1975 to 1995, he served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, during which time he proposed and ensured the passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, authorizing a formal apology and monetary reparations to those put in internment camps during World War II. He became the Secretary of Transportation under President George W. Bush in January 2001, after serving as Secretary of Commerce under President Bill Clinton. Following the attacks of 9/11, Secretary Mineta successfully directed all flights over United States airspace to land immediately and won widespread praise for restoring public confidence in the transportation system.
We are pleased to announce former Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta will be honored at the SALDEF National Gala in recognition of his service to America and commitment to the cause of civil rights.
The first Asian American to serve in any President's Cabinet, Secretary Mineta experienced racial discrimination first-hand when he was forced to relocate and live in an internment camp after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Despite experiencing one of the worst examples of government-sanctioned racial discrimination in our country's history, Secretary Mineta has dedicated the greater part of his life to the service of his community and country.
From 1975 to 1995, he served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, during which time he proposed and ensured the passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, authorizing a formal apology and monetary reparations to those put in internment camps during World War II. He became the Secretary of Transportation under President George W. Bush in January 2001, after serving as Secretary of Commerce under President Bill Clinton. Following the attacks of 9/11, Secretary Mineta successfully directed all flights over United States airspace to land immediately and won widespread praise for restoring public confidence in the transportation system.
