In the late 1990s, I watched a documentary called The Land is Ours. It focused on Sitka and the Tlingit people's civil rights struggles in the early 1900s. The key figure in this film was William Paul. He was the first Tlingit lawyer in the United States. He and his brother, Louis, were instrumental in growing the Alaska Native Brotherhood into a political force. They used this along with William's power in Alaska politics to desegregate Natives in Alaska's public schools. His story, as portrayed in the documentary, was very influential to me. After seeing it, it lit a fire that drove me back to school to get a bachelors degree.

William Paul's legacy paved the way for other Natives to combat racism. He deserves, and will get, his own entry on this blog. However, today, I want to focus on Elizabeth Peratrovich. Her story has been told on numerous websites on the Internet, but I would like to dedicate today's post to this great woman.

She has been described as a beautiful, educated, strong-willed Tlingit woman. In 1941, she and her husband were president of the Alaska Native Sisterhood and Brotherhood Grand Camps, respectively. They had moved from Klawock, where her husband, Roy, was from, to Juneau; thinking there was a better life to be had for their kids.

When they found a home they liked, they were told they could not lease the home because they were Native. Other discrimination was found all over the city, including schools, restaurants, theaters, etc. The Peratrovichs decided to use their power as officials of the ANB/ANS to write a letter to the Governor. Because then Governor Ernest Gruening had already been alarmed by the discrimination he saw throughout Alaska, gaining his alliance took little effort. He knew, however, that he could only stand by the Natives. It was the Natives' fight to win.

And this is where Roy and Elizabeth Peratrovich excelled. They both lobbied other Natives to join the battle against discrimination. Together with the Governor and other allies, they began crafting legislation to be voted upon by the legislature. It had been turned down in a fierce battle in 1943.

But the Governor was able to get the house and senate enlarged. After doing this, he urged the ANB/ANS to go to the polls and elect Native leadership. They did, and in the fall of 1944, they passed Resolution Number 2 to battle discrimination. Many Alaska Natives know this story well.

In February, 1945, on the day the anti-discrimination bill was to be voted on, it drew a standing room only crowd. The House of Representatives passed the bill with little opposition. However, the Senate debated for two hours. One senator, Allen Shattuck, was quoted as saying: "Who are these people, barely out of savagery, who want to associate with us whites with 5,000 years of recorded civilization behind us?" Another said he did not want to sit next to an Eskimo in the theater because "they smelled."

Roy Peratrovich was invited to speak on behalf of the Natives. He noted how the Governor had recognized the existence of discrimination in a report to the Secretary of the Interior. He also pointed out present members of the Senate from Fairbanks who supported a program for action on behalf of Natives. He said, "Only Indians can know how it is to be discriminated against. Either you are for discrimination or you are against it accordingly as you vote on this bill."

When he was done, a call was made to anyone present to voice their views. Elizabeth Peratrovich came forward. Her presence was met with a tense silence. She spoke these words:

"I would not have expected that I, who am barely out of savagery, would have to remind gentleman with 5,000 years of recorded civilization behind them of our Bill of Rights. When my husband and I came to Juneau and sought a home in a nice neighborhood where our children could play happily with our neighbors' children, we found such a house and arranged to lease it. When the owners learned that we were Indians, they said 'no.' Would we be compelled to live in the slums?

There are three kinds of persons who practice discrimination. First, the politician who wants to maintain an inferior minority group so that he can always promise them something. Second, the Mr. and Mrs. Jones who aren't quite sure of their social position and who are nice to you on one occasion, and can't see you on others depending on who they are with. Third, the great superman who believes in the superiority of the white race."

She continued that discrimination suffered by herself and her friends had "forced the finest of our race to associate with white trash." When asked by Senator Shattuck if passing the anti-discrimination bill would end discrimination, she replied: "Do your laws against larceny and even murder prevent those crimes? 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."

The crowd roared their approval, and history was made on that day, February 8, 1945. The anti-discrimination bill was passed by the Senate, 11-5. In 1998, the Alaska Legislature declared February 16 as Elizabeth Peratrovich Day, making it a state holiday.

Elizabeth and Roy's fight for equality continues to resonate in Alaska's history. With strong Native leaders like them and William Paul in our past, many of us are compelled by their stories. Surely they have influenced people of all races with their courage to stand up for what is right. In a small way, I do my best to honor them by learning as much as I can about what they fought for and how I can make a difference. Stories like this drove me to a college education and prompted me to make a website dedicated to Tlingit people.