Norman Y. Mineta

American politician Norman Mineta (born 1931), was the first Asian-American cabinet member; he served under both the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations. Mineta, an American of Japanese descent, was forced into an internment camp during World War II, and as a member of Congress during the 1990s, he lobbied for the United States government to issue an official apology and financial restitution to families such as his. As Secretary of Transportation in the administration of George W. Bush, Mineta oversaw an agency of 100,000 employees and a $60 million budget amid heightened security concerns in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Mineta was born in San Jose, California on November 12, 1931. His father, Kunisaku Mineta,...