Viewpoints
"Elizabeth Peratrovich
Day"
by Arlene Buxton
February 16, 2005
Wednesday
Alaska commemorates today as "Elizabeth
Peratrovich Day" the day in 1945 that the Alaska Senate
passed the Anti-Discrimination Act and the day that was established
by the 1988 Alaska Legislature to acknowledge the anniversary
of the signing of said Act. The Act that allowed, for example,
Alaska Native children to attend the same schools as other children
and Alaska Natives to eat in the same restaurants or enter places
of business like any other individual, attend any church of their
choice, not just those designated Native. These kinds of discrimination
were outlawed in Alaska because of leaders like Elizabeth Peratrovich
and her husband Roy Peratrovich who were strong advocates of
Alaskan Native rights.
I find it quite interesting
and hopefully only an oversight on the part of the Alaska Capital's
newspaper (Empire) to omit the entry in their "This Day
in History" section which happens to not only be on their
website but also in this one (Sitnews). I just happened to take
note that Elizabeth Peratrovich Day was not listed in that section.
Hopefully next year this entry will be included?
Arlene Buxton
Metlakatla, AK - USA
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