02/16/2026
Happy Elizabeth Peratrovich Day! February 16th commemorates the day Alaska passed the Alaska Anti-Discrimination Act in 1945, The United States' first anti-discrimination law, even before we were a state. Today we remember and honor Elizabeth Wanamaker Peratrovich, a central figure in Alaska's fight for civil rights.
Elizabeth Wanamaker, Tlingit name is Kaaxgal.aat, was born in Petersburg, Alaska, on July 4, 1911. She was adopted by Andrew and Mary Wanamaker after her parents died when she was very young. Elizabeth, who was Tlingit and spoke both Tlingit and English, grew up poor while experiencing discrimination by the territory's white residents, as reflected in the common signs of that era: "No Natives Allowed," "No Dogs, No Natives," "We cater to white trade only." Natives were restricted in where they could live, which hospitals would accept them, and which restaurants or theaters they could enter. They could send their children only to Indian schools. Elizabeth was fortunate to attend Ketchikan High School, which had been integrated as a result of a lawsuit filed by a Tlingit leader. With a passion for teaching, Elizabeth attended Western College of Education (now Western Washington University) in Bellingham, Washington where she became reacquainted with Roy Peratrovich, another Southeast Alaskan Native who was a student at the same college. Roy was Tlingit on his mother's side, and Croatian on his father's side. In 1933, she and Roy married and moved to Klawock.
In late 1941, they moved to Juneau. Roy was leader of the Alaska Native Brotherhood; Elizabeth was grand president of the Alaska Native Sisterhood. One day late that year, they spotted a "No Natives Allowed" sign on the door of the Douglas Inn across the channel from Juneau. With the United States having just entered World War II, they were outraged by this sign of discrimination. They wrote to Governor Ernest H. Gruening. "The proprietor of Douglas Inn does not seem to realize that our Native boys are just as willing as the white boys to lay down their lives to protect the freedom that he enjoys." The sign, they said, was "an outrage."
That letter was the start of Elizabeth's campaign, with the support of Governor Gruening, to pass an anti-discrimination bill through the Territorial Legislature. In 1943, however, it failed in the House by a tie vote. Despite this disappointment, Elizabeth and her husband traveled around the State urging Native Americans to join their fight for justice.
In 1945, the House, which now included two Natives, passed the bill, which went to the Senate where it had enough votes to pass. However, one opponent, Senator Allen Shattuck, asked, "Who are these people, barely out of savagery, who want to associate with us whites with 5,000 years of recorded civilization behind us?"
During the public comment period, Elizabeth, who always knitted while attending legislative sessions, put down her needles to speak. "I would not have expected that I, who am barely out of savagery, would have to remind the gentlemen with 5,000 years of recorded civilization behind them of our Bill of Rights." After she described the restrictions her family faced, the senator asked if she thought the 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 gallery broke out in loud applause. The bill passed the Senate which, according to one account, "was forced to a defensive whisper at the close of that senate hearing by a five foot five in Tlingit woman."
On February 16, 1945, Governor Gruening approved the country's first anti-discrimination law. "All citizens," section 1 stated, "shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of accommodations, advantages, facilities and privileges of public inns, restaurants, eating houses, hotels, soda fountains, soft drink parlors, taverns, roadhouses, barber shops, beauty parlors, bathroom, resthouses, theaters, skating rinks, cafes, ice cream parlors, transportation companies, and all other conveyances and amusements, subject only to the conditions and limitations established by law and applicable alike to all citizens." Violators would be subject to imprisonment for up to 30 days or fined up to $250.
Elizabeth Peratrovich died of breast cancer on December 1, 1958, at the age of 47. She lived long enough to see the rough early years of the Civil Rights Movement, during which the rest of the country battled with the same types of discrimination against African-Americans that she had fought on behalf of Alaska Natives. Nineteen years after Governor Gruening signed the law in Alaska, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, which banned discrimination throughout the country on the basis of race, color, religion, s*x or national origin.
Forty-four years after Governor Gruening signed the law, February 16 was established as "The Annual Elizabeth Peratrovich Day." As one account explained, "Every year since that day, Alaskans pause to remember her, dedicating themselves to the continuation of her efforts, to achieving equality and justice for all Alaskans of every race, creed, and ethnic background."
For the Rights of All: Ending Jim Crow in Alaska, a documentary, was released by Blueberry Productions in 2009.
In 2019 University of Alaska Press released Fighter in Velvet Gloves, written by Annie Boochever with help of Elizabeth's oldest son, Roy Peratrovich Jr. As a short chapter book and relatively easy read, it is aimed toward middle school aged children but everyone can benefit from reading it.
In 2020, the US Mint released the Elizabeth Peratrovich Commemorative $1 coin. Elizabeth was also honored with a Google Doodle on December 30, 2020.
