📚✏️On this day, February 16th, we proudly celebrate Elizabeth Peratrovich National Day. This day commemorates the remarkable work of Tlingit civil rights activist Elizabeth Peratrovich (July 4, 1911 – December 1, 1958). She fought against segregation and discrimination alongside over 6,000 Alaska Natives and non-Natives and played a principal role in the passage of the Alaska Equal Rights Act of 1945.
“In the history of discrimination in the United States, the Alaska Equal Rights Act of 1945 (also known as the Anti-Discrimination Law of 1945 Alaska Statutes 44.12.065) was the first state or territorial anti-discrimination law enacted in the United States in the 20th century. The law, signed on February 16, 1945, prevents and criminalizes discrimination against individuals in public areas based on race. The law came about after Alaska Natives fought against segregation and other forms of discrimination in Alaska.” – wikipedia
In 1989, 31 years after Elizabeth Peratrovich’s death, February 16th was established as Elizabeth Peratrovich Day in Alaska. In 2023, the U.S. Senate designated it as National Elizabeth Peratrovich Day. Elizabeth is recognized as a key figure in Alaska’s civil rights movement.
Growing up in the Tlingit territories, she experienced severe racism. By 1941, she became the president of the Alaska Native Sisterhood and spearheaded an anti-discrimination campaign after seeing signs like “No Natives Allowed” in local stores. Her efforts aimed to pass an anti-discrimination bill in the Alaska Territorial Legislature.
To learn more about this important historical day, visit these links:
https://www.anbansgc.org/about-us/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Peratrovich
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Equal_Rights_Act_of_1945
https://highways.dot.gov/highway-history/general-highway-history/who-elizabeth-peratrovich-story-behind-countrys-first-anti
https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/elizabeth-peratrovich-day-recognized-nationally-for-first-time
https://gov.alaska.gov/elizabeth-peratrovich-day-5/
#IPDPhilly #OnThisDay #DidYouKnow #Indigenous #ElizabethPeratrovichDay #Tlingit #Alaska #CivilRights #IndigenousActivism #AlaskaNative #AlaskaEqualRightsAct1945 #FirstAntiDiscriminationLaw
