▁a ▁regional ▁director ▁for ▁the ▁organization . ▁ ▁Mitchell , ▁nick named ▁" the ▁ 1 0 1 st ▁U . S . ▁Senator ", ▁w aged ▁a ▁t ire less ▁campaign ▁on ▁Capit ol ▁Hill , ▁helping ▁to ▁secure ▁passage ▁of ▁civil ▁rights ▁legisl ation ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 0 s : ▁the ▁Civil ▁Rights ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 5 7 , ▁the ▁Civil ▁Rights ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁the ▁Civil ▁Rights ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁the ▁V oting ▁Rights ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁and ▁the ▁Fair ▁H ous ing ▁Act ▁( Title ▁VIII ▁of ▁the ▁Civil ▁Rights ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 8 ). ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Sp ing arn ▁Medal ▁by ▁the ▁NA AC P ▁for ▁these ▁efforts . ▁Later ▁he ▁faced ▁some ▁criticism ▁in ▁the ▁black ▁community ▁for ▁supporting ▁Daniel ▁Patrick ▁Mo yn ih an ▁( see ▁then ▁U . S . ▁Ass istant ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Labor ; ▁controvers y ▁over ▁the ▁War ▁on ▁P over ty , ▁later ▁a ▁noted ▁U . S . ▁Senator ▁from ▁New ▁York ) ▁and ▁def ending ▁the ▁State ▁of ▁Israel . ▁On ▁June ▁ 9 , ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁he ▁was ▁presented ▁with ▁the ▁" Pres ident ial ▁Medal ▁of ▁Fre edom " ▁by ▁ 3 9 th ▁President ▁Jimmy ▁Carter . ▁ ▁After ▁his ▁ret irement ,