Fall Down Seven Times, Stand Up Eight: Patsy Takemoto Mink and the Fight for Title IX

Gr 2-4–Title IX, the 1972 civil rights legislation, bans financial support to federally funded education programs that commit sex-based discrimination. It has so impacted American society, that it’s hard to overstate its importance. Patsy Takemoto Mink was instrumental in getting this law passed. This picture book biography not only tells the story of her life and how she came to believe that such a law was necessary, but also covers her legal work on Title IX. Born in the Hawaiian territory in 1927, Mink followed her older brother to school and was welcomed as a student herself. Mink worked hard in school and became high school class valedictorian. She was later denied admission to medical school because of her gender but was accepted to the University of Chicago Law school as part of the foreign student quota. Eventually, she ran for Congress and won. The choice of cartoonlike illustration adds a zany touch, which diminishes the seriousness of the story but may make the work more appealing to younger students. Back matter includes a time line.