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[[Image]] ANB [[/Image]] Grand Camp Alaska Native Brotherhood 1983 Officers Grand President ANB Ronald D. Williams 1st Vice President William Thomas 2nd Vice President Joe Hotch Secretary Albert Kookesh Treasurer Laird A. Jones Sergeant-At-Arms Lawrence Sweet Grand President ANS Emma Widmark February 10, 1984 Mr. Carl Sampson Managing Editor Juneau Empire Juneau, Alaska Dear Sir: In your publication of February 9, 1984, there appeared an article in the opinion section with a heading "Black History Month." The article apparently was prepared by Citizens for a United Black Community based on information supplied by Blanche McSmith. While I hold Mrs. McSmith in the highest regard, the information contained therein needs clarification. The Alaska Native Brotherhood and Sisterhood sponsored and had introduced the first anti-discrimination legislation in the 1943 territorial legislature. Our bill was defeated by a tie vote in the House, eight to eight. In those territorial days we had 16 representatives in the House and eight senators. The territorial legislature met every other year, so we waited until 1945 to have the bill reintroduced. To say that we had strong opposition, and animosities, would be an understatement of the year. My wide, Elizabeth, who since passed away, was Gran President of the Alaska Native Sisterhood and I was Gran President of the Alaska Native Brotherhood. Since we were not successful in getting witnesses, just she and I testified in the legislature in support of our bill. We had "Heavy Weight" appearing in opposition to the bill, one a noted attorney and another a church pillar. The good Lord must have felt sorry for us, because the 1st Anti-Discrimination Bill passed with flying colors. If one checks the records, they will find that my wife's testimony did it all. All during those years we were not aware that NAACP was in existence, nor did we see a Black around in support of the bill. There were only a few in Alaska during that period, but we had an influx of Blacks after the passage of our bill in 1945. So far as I know there have only been two cases tried under the law, both by Blacks who were denied equal accommodations. The proprietors were both found guilty of violating the Anti-Discrimination law. Past ANB Grand Presidents Roy Peratrovich Alfred Widmark Cyrus Peck Frank Peratrovich Patrick J. Paul Thomas Jackson John Hope Frank See Walter Soboleff Richard Stitt Steven V. Hotch Nelson D. Frank Frank O. Williams Herbert Hope Robert R. Martin Roy Peratrovich, Grand President Emeritus Cyrus Peck, Sr., Grand Secretary Emeritus Mildred Sparks, ANS Grand President Emeritus
