Elizabeth Peratrovich Trumps Martin Luther King

Nineteen years before United States Congress prohibited discrimination in public accommodations in the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Eighteen years before Dr. Martin Luther King spoke of his dream on the steps of the Washington monument Alaska had a civil rights law. Elizabeth would not live to see the United States adopt the same law she brought to Alaska in 1945.

Elizabeth Wanamaker Peratrovich was born July 4, 1911, in Petersburg, Alaska. Her Tlingit name was Kaaxgal.aat. She was of the Lukaax.adi clan of the Raven moiety. Her parents died when she was young and she was adopted. She attended Petersburg Elementary School, Sheldon Jackson School, and graduated from Ketchikan High School. She continued her studies at Western College of Education in Bellingham, Washington.

Elizabeth married Roy Peratrovich of Klawock on December 15, 1931, in Bellingham, Washington. They moved back to Alaska to raise their family in 1941. On moving from Klawock to Juneau, they were astonished to discover signs in business establishments revealing blatant discrimination against Alaska's Native people. With the help of then Governor Ernest Gruening and Congressional Representative Anthony J. Dimond, legislation was sponsored and introduced in the Legislature in 1943. However, the "Equal Rights" Bill did not pass until the next legislative session in 1945.

As Grand Camp President of the Alaska Native Sisterhood, Elizabeth provided the crucial testimony that cultivated passage of the Anti Discrimination Bill.

Back in 1945, the territorial Legislature heeded the words of Alaska civil rights leader Elizabeth Peratrovich. History recounts that she spoke quietly, directly to senators about to vote on an anti-discrimination law.

"I would not have expected that I, who am barely out of savagery, would have to remind gentlemen with 5,000 years of recorded history behind them of our Bill of Rights."

One sentence. Just one. But with those 32 words Elizabeth Peratrovich indicted, shamed, inspired and exhorted Alaska's elected leaders to do their duty and acknowledge in law the same civil rights for all of Alaska's people. In those 32 words were irony, humor and the honest call of history.

It was her response when questioned by the Senate -- Will the equal rights bill eliminate discrimination in Alaska? -- that split the opposition and allowed the bill to pass.

Elizabeth answered, "Have you eliminated larceny or murder by passing a law against it? No law will eliminate crimes but, at least you as legislators, can assert to the world that you recognize the evil of the present situation and speak your intent to help us overcome discrimination."

As Elizabeth stepped down from the Senate platform, the galleries and some of the senators gave her a rousing acclaim. The Senate passed the bill 11 to 5. A new era in Alaska's racial relations had begun.

The Peratroviches, like the rest of Alaska's Native peoples and other minorities, endured discrimination in every aspect of life.
The Peratroviches worked long and hard advocating for equality.

It was not until many years later that Elizabeth's efforts to secure equality for all Alaskans won recognition. In 1988, the Alaska Legislature established February 16 as "The Annual Elizabeth Peratrovich Day," the anniversary of the signing of the Anti-Discrimination Act. Every year since that day, Alaskans pause to remember her, dedicating themselves to the continuation of her efforts to achieve equality and justice for all Alaskans of every race, creed, and ethnic background.

In Anchorage today, members of the Alaska Native Sisterhood and Alaska Native Brotherhood will mark the day at noon at the Fourth Avenue downtown park that bears the name of Ms. Peratrovich and her husband. In a press release, the groups noted, "She changed the state for all time."

That's a ringing epitaph, but not a done deed. Alaskans pay their respects today to both her achievement and her challenge, yet to be fully met. We honor her best when we honor the rights and humanity of one another. Elizabeth Peratrovich died on December 1, 1958, after a lengthy battle with cancer. She is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Juneau.

On September 23, 2004, in an effort to provide long overdue recognition to two leaders of Alaska's Native civil rights movement - Elizabeth Wanamaker Peratrovich and her husband Roy Peratrovich - Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski unveiled legislation to posthumously grant a Congressional Gold Medal to honor their contributions to the nation's civil rights effort.

Compulated from articles from www.adn.com; http://library.thinkquest.org/11313/Early_History/Native_Alaskans/elizabeth.html; http://www.alaskool.org/projects/native_gov/recollections/peratrovich/Elizabeth_1.htm; http://www.alaskool.org/projects/native_gov/recollections/peratrovich/Honoring_EPeratrovich.htm; http://www.congressionalgoldmedal.com/Roy_ElizabethPeratrovich.htm