Wonder Woman of the Week: Elizabeth Peratrovich

Living in Alaska has its benefits. From my window, I can see mountains. From my front porch, I can smell the ocean. There are days I’m walking along the beach and I see whales and seals playing in the Pacific. Last week was Founder’s Week which celebrates the founding of Alaska from the natives who crossed the land bridge from Asia to little old me who crossed from Seattle last summer. One “Founder” in particular has her own holiday during Founders’ Week, and she is our Wonder Woman of the Week.

Kaaxal.gat was born in Petersburg, AK to the Lukaax.adi clan of the Tlingit tribe of Native Alaskans. Kaaxal.gat’s died when she was young and was adopted by a Petersburg family and raised as Elizabeth Wanamaker. [1] Elizabeth moved to Washington for college and married her husband Roy Peratrovich in 1931. When they moved back to Alaska to raise their family- the two were shocked by the amount of racial discrimination Native Alaskans faced. Alaska had its own Jim Crow laws segregating natives and whites. [2]

While living in Juneau, the two both worked in local government and were active members in local and state politics. The two both served as presidents of the Alaskan Native Brotherhood (ANB) and the Alaskan Native Sisterhood (ANS). Their work and power came to a climax during a state senate meeting in 1945. A new anti-discrimination bill had passed via landslide in the State House of Representatives, but needed Senate approval to pass. The odds looked bleak. Both white and native members of the senate believed the two races should be kept separate- and tensions between members of Native Alaskan rival tribes became heated. Roy first voiced his opinion- but the ears of the Senate seemed not to listen. They allowed one more person to speak their opinion before making the final vote- and that final person changed state history. [1]

"I would not have expected," she said "that I, who am barely out of savagery, would have to remind gentlemen with five thousand years of recorded civilization behind them of our Bill of Rights." Elizabeth spoke about her family and friends, the discrimination all Native Alaskans faced together, and the hypocrisy of a democratic nation with segregation laws. The vote passed 11-5 ending Jim Crow laws in Alaska. [3]

I get to do an incredible number of things in Alaska. I volunteer with a recreation program at a high school where the majority of students are Native Alaskan. I’m the Yup’ik Dance Group advisor. On Elizabeth Peratrovich Day, I walked with my dance group in a parade celebrating Alaska’s most important woman. At the Alaskan Native Brotherhood Hall, some of the students I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know over the last few months reenacted the senate meeting where EP changed history. While watching, I could think of only one person worth being this week’s Wonder Woman- Elizabeth Peratrovich.

Pierce, Susan. "Elizabeth Peratrovich | UA Journey." Elizabeth Peratrovich | UA Journey. January 1, 2001. Accessed February 25, 2015. https://www.alaska.edu/uajourney/notable-people/juneau/elizabeth-peratrovich/.

"National Women's History Museum." Education & Resources. Accessed February 25, 2015. https://www.nwhm.org/education-resources/biography/biographies/elizabeth-wanamaker-peratrovich/.

"Alaska State Legislature, Honoring Elizabeth Peratrovich." Alaska State Legislature, Honoring Elizabeth Peratrovich. Accessed February 25, 2015. http://www.alaskool.org/projects/native_gov/recollections/peratrovich/honoring_eperatrovich.htm.