Elizabeth Peratrovich

Elizabeth Peratrovich
Ḵaax̲gal.aat
Born
Ḵaax̲gal.aat

July 4, 1911 (1911-07-04)
Petersburg, District of Alaska, U.S.
DiedDecember 1, 1958(1958-12-01) (aged 47)
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Other namesElizabeth Jean Wanamaker
Education
OrganizationAlaska Native Sisterhood
Known for
  • Civil-rights activism
  • Native-American rights
Spouse
Roy Peratrovich
​
(m. 1931)​
Children3

Elizabeth Peratrovich (née Elizabeth Jean Wanamaker; Tlingit: Ḵaax̲gal.aat [qʰaχ.ɡʌɬ.ʔatʰ];[1] July 4, 1911 – December 1, 1958)[2] was an American civil rights activist, Grand President of the Alaska Native Sisterhood,[3] and a Tlingit who worked for equality on behalf of Alaska Natives.[4] In the 1940s, her advocacy was credited as being instrumental in the passing of Alaska's Anti-Discrimination Act of 1945, the first state or territorial anti-discrimination law enacted in the United States.

In 1988, Alaska Governor Steve Cowper established April 21 as Elizabeth Peratrovich Day "for her courageous, unceasing efforts to eliminate discrimination and bring about equal rights in Alaska. The date was later changed to February 16 in observance of the day in 1945 on which the Anti-Discrimination Act was approved.[1][5] In March 2019, her obituary was added to The New York Times as part of their "Overlooked No More" series,[6] and in 2020, the United States Mint released a $1 coin inscribed with Peratrovich's likeness in honor of her historic achievements.[7] The Peratrovich family papers, including correspondence, personal papers, and news clippings related to the civil-rights work done by Peratrovich and her husband, are currently held at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.[8]

  1. ^ a b Boochever, Annie; Peratrovich, Roy Jr. (February 16, 2019). Fighter in Velvet Gloves: Alaska Civil Rights Hero Elizabeth Peratrovich. University of Alaska Press. ISBN 9781602233706 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ Kifer, Dave (February 18, 2008). "Alaska Celebrates Civil Rights Pioneer - Peratrovich's Efforts Pre-Dated Martin Luther King". SitNews "Stories in the News" Ketchican, Alaska. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  3. ^ "§ 2 ch 65 SLA 1988". Alaska State Legislature. 1988.
  4. ^ For the Rights of All: Ending Jim Crow in Alaska, retrieved November 19, 2020
  5. ^ "Alaska. Territorial Legislature". vilda.alaska.edu. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  6. ^ Vaughan, Carson (March 20, 2019). "Overlooked No More: Elizabeth Peratrovich, Rights Advocate for Alaska Natives". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  7. ^ "Celebrating Elizabeth Peratrovich". Google Doodles. December 30, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).