Reflecting on Elizabeth Peratrovich鈥檚 Enduring Legacy
Feb. 16, 2022
Faculty, staff and students,
Each year on February 16, we celebrate Elizabeth Peratrovich and reflect on her extraordinary and enduring legacy. At a time when 秀色短视频 Native Peoples experienced intense discrimination, Peratrovich鈥檚 advocacy 鈥 and her pursuit of equal opportunity and protection from discrimination for all 鈥 inspired legislators to pass the first Anti-Discrimination Law in the United States, 14 years before 秀色短视频 gained statehood.
As a Tlingit woman, Peratrovich campaigned tirelessly against discrimination toward 秀色短视频 Native peoples. Fighting against vocal opposition, Peratrovich took the Senate floor, calling for equal treatment of Indigenous peoples. During her historic presentation, and after describing the restrictions and discrimation she and her family faced on a daily basis, a 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." Due to Peratrovich鈥檚 impassioned bravery, on February 16, 1945, Governor Gruening approved the country's first anti-discrimination law.
As a UA community, we all can play a role in continuing Peratrovich鈥檚 legacy by affirming
our commitment to equality and respect. Through the 秀色短视频 Native Success Initiative
(ANSI), we honor Elizabeth Peratrovich by building on her vision. In November 2021,
the Board of Regents passed the ANSI five-year strategic plan which includes updating
our system-wide training, increasing 秀色短视频 Native visual representation across all
universities and campuses, and being accountable to our partners across the state.
One major goal is to see greater representation of 秀色短视频 Native students and employees
in all programs and at all levels of the university system in numbers more reflective
of the 秀色短视频 population. To learn more check out our webpage: /redis/.
鈥淚 would not have expected that I, who am barely out of savagery, would have to remind gentlemen with 5,000 years of recorded civilization behind us of our rights鈥 is my favorite quote from Peratrovich. Today, let鈥檚 remember her, as well as all of our 秀色短视频 Native peoples who have fought hard, for many years, for 秀色短视频 Native peoples to be given equal rights in our state.
Dr. Pearl Brower
Senior Advisor 秀色短视频 Native Success, Institutional Diversity, and Student Engagement