Sitnews - Stories In The News - Ketchikan, Alaska - Opinions

 

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

 

 

Note: Comments published on Viewpoints are the opinions of the writer
and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sitnews.

 

 

Write a Letter -------Read Letters

E-mail the Editor

Sitnews
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska