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Life and Times of 
Norman Y. Mineta

1930s
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1931

Mineta Family Archives

Norman Y. Mineta is born on November 12, 1931, in San Jose, California.

1930s
1940s
1940s
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1942

Mineta Family Archives, Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation

Norm and his family are forcibly removed from their home in San Jose, California, and sent to Heart Mountain WWII Internment Camp in Wyoming.

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1943

National Archives and Records Administration

Norm's Cub Scout troop invites a local Cody, Wyoming troop to Heart Mountain, and the lifelong friendship between Alan Simpson and Norm Mineta begins.

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1946

Mineta Family Archives

The Mineta family returns home to San Jose.

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1948

San Jose High School

Norm is elected student body president at San Jose High School.

1950s
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1952

Mineta Family Archives

Norm graduates from UC Berkeley with a major in business.

1950s
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1953

Mineta Family Archives

Norm serves as an intelligence officer for the U.S. Army in the Korean War.

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1956

Mineta Family Archives

Norm returns home from war and joins his father in the family insurance business.

1960s
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1967

History San Jose

Norm is the first non-white member appointed to San Jose City Council.

1960s
1970s
1970s
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1971

Bridge Media, Inc.

Norm is the first Asian American to become Mayor of a major U.S. city.

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1975

Mineta Family Archives

Norm is the first Japanese American member of Congress elected from the lower 48 states. He would win his election 10 times and serve 21 years in Congress.

1980s
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1988

Densho

HR 442, the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, is passed and signed by PresidentReagan—HR 442 becomes the most important legislation authored byNorm during his entire career.

1980s
1990s
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1991

Kevin Stillman/TxDOT

ISTEA (The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act) authored byNorm is signed into law by President George H.W. Bush. ISTEA created anational transportation system for highways and mass transit programs.

1990s
2000s
2000s
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2000

Mineta Family Archives

President Bill Clinton selects Norm as Secretary of Commerce, becomingthe first Asian American Cabinet Member.

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2001

Mineta Family Archives

Norm is sworn in as Secretary of Transportation under President George W.Bush, becoming the first Asian American to serve in two Presidential Cabinets.

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2001

National Archives and Records Administration

In 2 hours and 20 minutes, Secretary Mineta orders 4,638 planes to begrounded. In the following days, Norm ensures the American people that there will be no racial profiling at security check points at airports.

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2001

Bridge Media, Inc.

Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport is dedicated.

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2006

George W. Bush Presidential Archives

Presented by President Bush, Norm receives the Presidential Medal ofFreedom, the nation's highest civilian honor.

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2007

Embassy of Japan

Norm is recognized by the government of Japan and awarded the GrandCordon, Order of the Rising Sun.

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2007

History San Jose

Norm currently resides in Annapolis, Maryland with his wife Deni. He continues to mentor aspiring political leaders and holds speaking engagements across the country and internationally.

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