Kaaxgal.aat-Elizabeth Wanamaker Peratrovich
Kaaxgal.aat-Elizabeth Wanamaker Peratrovich
Was born on July 4, 1911 was born in Petersburg, Alaska. She was of the L’ukwaax.ádi clan in the Raven moiety of the Tlingit nation. Her passion, perseverance, and tenacity led Alaska to become the first state or territory in the nation with an anti-discrimination act. Although I’ve seen many articles stating New York was first, The Alaska Anti-Discrimination Act of 1945 pre-dated The New York Human Rights Law by nearly a month. It was signed on, February 18, 1945.
Orphaned at a young age, she became Elizabeth Wanamaker when adopted by a Presbyterian minister and his wife. She went on to marry Roy Peratrovich, whose mother was Tlingit and father was Serbian. Together, they formed one of the greatest civil rights power couples of the 20th century. Roy became the mayor of their town, Klawock, and later held other positions in the territorial government. They each became Grand President of the Alaska Native Brotherhood and Sisterhood, respectively.
When they moved to Juneau to seek more opportunity after they both received college educations, they were met with racial discrimination. They were unable to find adequate housing in an appealing neighborhood due to “no Native” policies. Signs on local business read “no dogs and no Natives allowed.” Like so much of this country at the time, discrimination was blatant and wide spread.
Elizabeth and her husband just wanted their children to have more opportunities in life. So the Alaska Natives—both Tlingit—moved from small town Klawock, Alaska to the state capital of Juneau. But they found Native people were not welcome in Juneau. In addition to being unable to own homes in nice neighborhoods, or to enroll their children in public schools, Native people encountered “No Natives Allowed” signs almost everywhere they went and were kept out of many public spaces, including some hotels, restaurants, and movie theaters.
In 1941, Elizabeth Peratrovich petitioned the territorial governor, Ernest Gruening, to ban “No Natives Allowed” signs. The Anti-Discrimination Act was defeated in 1943. In 1945, their fight continued. It was at this time Senator Allen Shattuck, who opposed the bill, said the following. “Far from being brought closer together, which will result from this bill, the races should be kept further apart,” he said. “Who are these people, barely out of savagery, who want to associate with us whites with five thousand years of recorded civilization behind us?”
As the Grand President of the Alaska Native Brotherhood, Roy was asked to give testimony in front of the senate. Roy testified, “Only Indians can know how it feels to be discriminated against. Either you are for discrimination or you are against it.”
When he was finished, time was allowed for anyone else to give testimony. Legend has is it that Elizabeth put down her knitting and asked to speak. She was the last to give testimony. By all accounts, she was composed, confident, and extremely persuasive. Her most powerful words though, came indirectly from Senator Shattuck.
“I would not have expected,” she exclaimed, “That I, who am barely out savagery, would have to remind gentlemen with five thousand years of recorded civilization behind them of our Bill of Rights.” She then went on to recount the discrimination she and her family faced. When Senator Shattuck asked if she thought the bill would eliminate discrimination all together, this was her reply. “Do your laws against larceny and even murder prevent those crimes? No law will eliminate crimes, but at least you legislators can assert to the world that you recognize the evil of the present situation and speak your intent to help us overcome discrimination.”
When she concluded her testimony, the chamber broke out in thunderous applause. The bill passed the senate and was signed into law. It would be nearly 20 years before the Civil Rights Act took the same steps for the country as a whole.
Elizabeth Peratrovich died at the age of 47 of cancer. In 1988, Alaska began to officially recognize February 18 as Elizabeth Peratrovich Day. Her husband, Roy, died nine days before the day was officially celebrated.
Today, Alaska celebrates Peratrovich’s (aka “fighter in velvet gloves”) rad contribution to Native equality every February 16th “Elizabeth Peratrovich Day.” And in 2020, the U.S. Mint will honor her civil rights legacy by putting her face on a commemorative one dollar coin.
