Alaska: History of the Death Penalty
Even so, little violence was directed against Native Alaskans. Violence was likely abated by the sheer size of Alaska’s landmass, its cold climate, and the relatively small size of inland Native Alaskan groups.11 Nevertheless, the distribution of social status, economic resources, and political power never reflected the fact that Alaska’s population remained predominately Native Alaskan until at least 1930 (see Table 7.2). Similar to Southern states, Alaska’s territorial legislature passed a statute (the Literacy Act of 1925) that required voters in territorial elections to be literate. The act, supported by nearly every newspaper in the state (Anchorage Daily News, Anchorage Alaskan, Cordova Times, and Juneau Empire), was intended to block efforts by William Paul (the first Native Alaskan elected to the territorial legislature) to make Native Alaskans a political force. A Juneau Empire editorial, reacting to a grandfather clause incorporated in the act, reasoned that “A White Man’s Party Is Necessary.”12 Alaskan Natives were also forbidden by law from attending school with white children. The Nelson Act [1905] gave the responsibility to the territorial governor and local communities to fully fund the education of white children and children of “mixed blood with a civilized life,” while the costs of educating Indian and Eskimo children remained a federal burden.13
Finally, Native Alaskans and whites in rural areas generally lived separate lives. In the settled areas of Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, and Ketchikan, ethnic discrimination or Jim Crow was the rule of the day. Native Alaskans lived in distinct areas. Stores, hotels, restaurants, swimming pools, and movie theaters generally denied service to Native Alaskans or segregated their customers on the basis of race. Signs reading “No Natives,” “We Do Not Cater to Native and Filipino Trade,” or “No Dogs or Indians Allowed” were common sights.14 Ketchikan was known as “Indian Town” because it was largely populated by non-white residents. Ketchikan was, in the 1930s, as racially divided as any small town in Georgia during the same period. Indians and Alaska Natives were barred from white schools, white churches, and many white businesses. Segregated seating areas were enforced in the movie theater. When a Native family was served in a restaurant, it was not .....................
119