Elizabeth Peratrovich (I accidentally posted it on my English blog)

Elizabeth Peratrovich was born in Petersburg in 1911. She was key in the native rights movement between WWI and WWII. She became the president of the Alaska Native Sisterhood, while her husband, Roy Peratrovich, was the president of the Alaska Native Brotherhood. In 1941, Peratrovich moved to Juneau. She and her husband were keen to live in a nice neighborhood and were nearing lease arrangements when the owner was informed that they were native. The owner, in response, told Elizabeth and Roy they couldn’t live in that house. Elizabeth testified in front of the territorial senate before they voted on The Anti-Discrimination Act. It is assumed that her speech was the turning point for the act, and it passed 11 to 5. In celebration of her work in ending native rights, the Alaska Legislature approved creating a state holiday in her name. Unfortunately, Elizabeth died of cancer on December 1, 1958. Her husband died around one week before the first Elizabeth Peratrovich Day, on February 7, 1989. Elizabeth Peratrovich day is celebrated throughout Alaska every year on February 16.