“This is a book that should be placed in the required curriculum of all Alaska schoolchildren. More importantly, it’s one that should be read by adults. Anyone who peruses online comments on Alaska news sites or who follows state news stories knows that racism is still being directed towards Alaska Natives. The problem persists and Elizabeth Peratrovich’s work remains incomplete. It’s up to us to continue the job. “Fighter in Velvet Gloves” explains why.”
Read the full article written by David James on Feb. 2, 2019
New book for young adults describes life of iconic Alaska civil rights leader Elizabeth Peratrovich
On February 16, Alaskans will celebrate Elizabeth Peratrovich Day, an annual event honoring the achievements of one of the most significant and influential Alaskans of the 20th century. Peratrovich, a Tlingit activist, worked relentlessly throughout her life to counter the legally entrenched anti-Native racism that plagued Alaska for decades following America’s purchase of the territory. And in 1945 she offered public testimony before the territorial senate that is considered to have been the key argument leading to passage of the Anti-Discrimination Act, the first formal piece of civil rights legislation ever passed in the United States.
Fighter in Velvet Gloves: Alaska Civil Rights Hero Elizabeth Peratrovich
By Annie Boochever with Roy Peratrovich, Jr., University of Alaska Press/Snowy Owl Books, 2019, 120 pages. $16.95