How Sarah Palin Excluded African-Americans in Alaska

On April 29, 2008, 14 leaders of Alaska's black community met with Gov. Sarah Palin to voice discontent with her minority hiring record. Palin's response, which was first reported by journalist Earl Ofari Hutchinson, only compounded her icy relationship with her African-American constituents.

Gwen Alexander, the president of the African-American Historical Society of Alaska, told me that Palin stated defiantly that she had no intention to hire any minority staffers. And according to Bishop Dave Thomas, senior pastor of Anchorage-based African-American church Jesus Holy Temple, the Palin administration excluded black business owners from the Alaskan oil and gas pipeline board. "We wasn't even able or allowed to go into the meetings" to seek contracts for the pipeline, Thomas told me.

Palin further alienated Alaska's black community by becoming the first Alaskan governor in recent memory to not recognize the Juneteenth celebration of the emancipation proclamation. "She doesn't hire any black people, she doesn't have any on her staff, so it's not a surprise that she doesn't support our Juneteenth celebration," Alexander said.

These revelations and many more are contained in my latest video, which was produced with support from the Nation Institute Investigative Fund.

Comments (52)

1. i think it's because she was runner up to a black woman in the 1984 beauty pageant.

   Posted by frosty zoom at 10/14/2008 @ 02:11am

2. Sara Palin is a set back to all women out there, the woman does not have a brain, tries to go it on her charm and good looks, she does have nice legs, man saw her the other day with that dress and those boots, MAN SHE LOOKED GOOD, anyways she is an idiot

   check this video for the real obama

   http://www.barackobamacans.blogspot.com/

   Posted by obama2008 at 10/14/2008 @ 03:23am

3. I agree with the first poster, she was beaten BADLY by that young women from fairbanks,second alaska has a huge racist steak amongst the natives and the whites against blacks,i have plenty of reletives there and they are very racist to blacks and really hate the natives. i could recount incidents but that is to long winded. suffice to say the white redneck right wingers feel they where MORE than justified to ram jesus down the throat of everone and to take their lands and rule over the population by the force of the GUN AND RIFLE. democracy HA thats for fools the rule of law ha ..ITS WHAT WE SAY IT IS ON ANY GIVEN DAY as evidenced by palins actions in alaska and by her inflamatory rehtoric on the campaign trail to her racist follwers. reject and SHUN sarah palin. THE DISCIPLE OF HATE. I hearby call for a SHUNNING of sarah palin. In the oldest traditon do not give her fire water food resouces shelter employment or halp in any way of anykind SHUN SARAH PALIN.

   Posted by reality check at 10/14/2008 @ 04:53am

4. Posted by frosty zoom at 10/14/2008 @ 02:11am

   Ha! That's funny especially if it's true. You would think that a politician would try to cater to all of her constituents. However if she can win without their votes, why would she give a rat's ass about them? Maybe there aren't any black hockey moms for her to relate to.

   Posted by k330k at 10/14/2008 @ 07:32am

5. Maybe there aren't any black hockey moms for her to relate to.

   Posted by k330k at 10/14/2008 @ 07:32am

   http://www.nytimes.com/2005

   /11/13/sports/hockey/13hockey1.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

   Posted by frosty zoom at 10/14/2008 @ 08:19am

6. "Well, gosh darnit, doncha know, those black folks are the descendents of Ham, and therefore are cursed by God to be servants, you betcha!"

   Posted by Maskdelta at 10/14/2008 @ 09:00am

7. I'm thinking those 14 leaders represented, what 90% of the Black population up there? Why don't you get some records on her Native American or Eskimo or Inuit hiring records before you start making the usual racial accusations, however subtle.

   Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 10/14/2008 @ 09:29am

8. If you have one racism, you have them all, because you see the world racially...

   And the Arabs have been wondering why she describes herself as a 'haq imam' (Genuine Imam)...

   Posted by mikecope at 10/14/2008 @ 09:35am

9. <i>And the Arabs have been wondering why she describes herself as a 'haq imam' (Genuine Imam)...

   Posted by mikecope at 10/14/2008 @ 09:35am</i>

   I have to tip my cap to this one, solely by virtue of its cleverness and originality. Not its truth, of course.

   Also, Sarah Palin=pro-slavery? Seriously? I find this accusation just a touch ironic given previous threads about the McCain/Palin campaign and its distortions of truth. Perhaps we should stop pretending that "convenient truths" are the sole property of one party...

   Posted by Thrawn at 10/14/2008 @ 10:10am

10. "Not its truth, of course."

    Posted by Thrawn at 10/14/2008 @ 10:10am

    Oh, come on! It's no more far-fetched than the 'Barack HUSSEIN Obama' inuendos. Palin is a Muslim man! lol

    Posted by mikecope at 10/14/2008 @ 10:30am

11. Maybe she WASN"T able to put minorities on the board just because they were minorities, instead of considering qualifications-Thats another Baby Boomer legacy, one I experienced personally, and frankly its bullshit.

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 10/14/2008 @ 10:38am

12. redriver-When you only make up 3.7% of the population then it's safer to keep your mouth shut.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 10/14/2008 @ 11:12am

13. Well, it's just one more thing that shows she and McSame are "two peas in a pod"

    "John McCain voted against the creation of the holiday to honor King, and later defended Arizona Republican Governor Mecham's rescinding of the state holiday in honor of King created by his Democratic predecessor. After his opposition grew increasingly untenable, McCain reversed his position, and encouraged his home state of Arizona to recognize the holiday despite opposition from then-Governor Evan Mecham."

    Posted by graywolf765 at 10/14/2008 @ 11:38am

14. chip-One of Palin's advisers just resigned because of complaints by the native population that she doesn't hire natives.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 10/14/2008 @ 11:44am

15. Posted by Thrawn at 10/14/2008 @ 10:10am

    Here here.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 10/14/2008 @ 12:06pm

16. <i>Posted by mikecope at 10/14/2008 @ 10:30am </i>

    I actually have to disagree. They have about the same truth-value...I just thought yours was more creative.

    <i>Posted by graywolf765 at 10/14/2008 @ 11:38am </i>

    Source and context, por favor? It really is amazing how blatant hypocrisy can be in political discussions.

    Posted by Thrawn at 10/14/2008 @ 12:07pm

17. "Oh, come on...it's just a co-inky-dink that the ones left out were black, you betcha!"

    Posted by Maskdelta at 10/14/2008 @ 12:08pm

18. Dear "Cow-Chip Thorton"

    Your defense of racism is unsurprising...

    "67.6% of Alaska is White 15.6% is Native Anerican or Native Alaskan, 4.1% is Hispanic, 4.0% is Asian, 3.5% is Black, 5.4% is Mixed Race" (off a blog site, but verified via other means ... some ifo I've found lumps "mixed" with white, but the others are constant.

    Being the total ppl is about 663,000 that makes for about 35,802 blacks. A few more than 14 (and yes, you may use your toes if needed).

    From what I've found thus far, Palin has appointed two Native Americans and one "mixed race" person. Hardly a representative sample of the most racially diverse population in the country.

    http://tinyurl.com/3oowvv

    http://tinyurl.com/3va5bp

    http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-104753 (and everyone oughta see the cartoon on this page ... its priceless)

    Posted by leftofcenter at 10/14/2008 @ 12:11pm

19. Why do you Dumocrats continue to print this endless DRIVEL ?

    Posted by roneco at 10/14/2008 @ 1:24pm

20. I got my first professional job after college because I was a woman (not technically a minority, but a minority in the workforce I guess...). I was qualified for the job, but I know of at least one other white male applicant who was more qualified than I was. I would have turned the job down if I believed they would have given it to him, but there were several other minorities trying to get the same position.

    I'm all for equality for women and minories, but I don't think it's fair to legislate how many minorities one has to hire to meet PC standards. To me, it's not so different from the "legislating of morality" that the left rails against. YMMV

    Posted by jayneslilsis at 10/14/2008 @ 1:27pm

21. jayne-Have to agree with you on this.Affirmative action,like welfare,sounded good, did help some people,but causes more problems than it solves.I'm even against the Americans with disabilities act even though I'm disabled.I feel that the law should be no discrimination based on anything and we get what we get based on merit.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 10/14/2008 @ 1:38pm

22. LEFTOFCENTER

    "Cow Chip?"

    My favorite part of the country is the Dakotas:

    So Please, if you must insult, make it Buffalo Chip :)

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 10/14/2008 @ 1:48pm

23. LL says: '"Well, gosh darnit, doncha know, those black folks are the descendents of Ham, and therefore are cursed by God to be servants, you betcha!"

    Posted by Maskdelta at 10/14/2008 @ 09:00am

    Sorry Mask, but that is Mormonism, not Christianity that holds that belief.'

    The descendants of Ham thing has been around much longer than the Mormon church. It was a major justification for slave holding "Christians" prior to the civil war. I've heard it repeated in churches as recently as the late 1970s.

    Posted by Guiles at 10/14/2008 @ 2:20pm

24. To "i'm nobody", "jayneslilsis" & "roneco", I'd like to know what PLANET you three live on ?? How can you represent your constituents if you don't have a DIVERSE group of representatives ?? Affirmative-Action is a NECCESSARY as well as GOOD policy. This is not "drivel". Of course, a "Repugnantin" might think otherwise !

    Posted by bostoncarmen at 10/14/2008 @ 2:21pm

25. LL you may have confused the Mormon's belief that Native Americans are the 10 lost tribes of Israel which is uniquely Mormon. Joseph Smith plagarized that one (and much of the Book of Mormon) from a historical novel written a few years earlier.

    Posted by Guiles at 10/14/2008 @ 2:27pm

26. bostoncarmen-I dislike to disappoint you,but I'm not a republican,but am non partisan and will be voting Obama/Biden this time around.If you pay attention then you'll notice that it is a woman and a disabled person who are against it even though we can benefit from it.I prefer qualified people regardless of race,religion,disability,sexual orientation,etc and want equality rather than separating people based upon race,religion,sexual orientation,disability,etc

    Posted by i'm nobody at 10/14/2008 @ 2:35pm

27. Posted by lvliberty1 at 10/14/2008 @ 1:45pm

    Yes, LVLIB, I know in your "redacted" history of Christianity it doesn't show up...but if you had an inkling to be intellectually (as well as theologically) honest for a change....

    go look up the excuses for slavery offered by Christian churches in the South in the late 18th and early 19th Century.

    (Or don't and keep your world-view intact!)

    Posted by Maskdelta at 10/14/2008 @ 2:38pm

28. Posted by Guiles at 10/14/2008 @ 2:27pm

    Guiles, LL is a "Mormonophobe"...so vehement in fact that if McCain had picked Romney as Veep?...

    LL would have voted 3rd party!

    (But then again, it probably would have helped him...so ...thanks Maverick John!)

    Posted by Maskdelta at 10/14/2008 @ 2:40pm

29. Governor Palin and John McCain are both elected officials who have committed ethical violations. This is who we want running this country? They don't have to "pal around with" anyone to engage in dirty politics. Palin is an obvious racist bringing out an ugly divide in this country that takes us back too many years, and is NOT what our country is about. We are not our best at war, nor are we our best in culture wars. I wonder why this woman has been arrested for attempting to incite. Others would have been. John McCain is showing his true colors, and it isn't what he wants people to believe. He denied his country in Viet Nam, which he freely admits, has not supported other POW's, MIA's or veterans, is totally against women's rights and supports this racist pig for his running mate. I am surprised anyone would have the guts to put his sign in their yard.

    Posted by mcteach at 10/14/2008 @ 2:42pm

30. Governor Palin and John McCain are both elected officials who have committed ethical violations. This is who we want running this country? They don't have to "pal around with" anyone to engage in dirty politics. Palin is an obvious racist bringing out an ugly divide in this country that takes us back too many years, and is NOT what our country is about. We are not our best at war, nor are we our best in culture wars. I wonder why this woman has been arrested for attempting to incite. Others would have been. John McCain is showing his true colors, and it isn't what he wants people to believe. He denied his country in Viet Nam, which he freely admits, has not supported other POW's, MIA's or veterans, is totally against women's rights and supports this racist pig for his running mate. I am surprised anyone would have the guts to put his sign in their yard.

    Posted by mcteach at 10/14/2008 @ 2:45pm

31. Oh for Lord sake MCTEACH She is no such thing (as a racist)

    You sound like a conservative from the '60's only you're see racists under ever rock and tree instead of communists.

    No offense, but you really do

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 10/14/2008 @ 3:03pm

32. First, It is my understaind that Todd Palin is "mixed", being half native Alaskan.

    Second, If Bishop Thomas is accurately quoted, "We wasn't even able...", I wouldn't have much problem ecluding him. As a Bishop I would think he could at elast learn basic English.

    Posted by egar42 at 10/14/2008 @ 3:03pm

33. Source and context, por favor? It really is amazing how blatant hypocrisy can be in political discussions.

    Posted by Thrawn at 10/14/2008 @ 12:07pm |

    Seriously? It's a well known fact that McSame opposed the holiday. The quote itself is from Wikipedia, but you can check Politifact, or any other source to verify.

    http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/421/

    http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/the-complicated.html

    http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/04/john-mccain-apo.html

    Posted by graywolf765 at 10/14/2008 @ 3:22pm

34. Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 10/14/2008 @ 3:03pm

    CHIP, you better talk to SJCHERMAK and LVLIBERTY...

    they STILL see the Communists!

    LOL

    Posted by Maskdelta at 10/14/2008 @ 4:18pm

35. In fairness to Sarah Palin, she's not that excited about native Alaskans, either. Her (non-native Alaskan) advisor to "rural Alaska" just quit because of this.

    See today's Washington Post. (Link too long to fit.)

    Posted by edallan at 10/14/2008 @ 4:22pm

36. One poster mentioned Miss Alaska didn't hire minorities because maybe they weren't qualified. That's laughable. She's not qualified for any of the jobs she's had. The woman has a brain the size of a pea.

    And while we're at it let's talk about the qualifications of some of the yahoos running this country; like the Federal Reserve chairman, Paulsen and the Treasury Secretary, Bernanke. These brilliant tools, along with our buffoon of a President, sat with their thumbs up their arses and did nothing while the country slide into one of the worst economical crisis since the Depression.

    It's obvious that it's NOT what you know but who you think is attractive or would like to have a freakin' drink with that decides who will run this country.

    Posted by vestokes at 10/14/2008 @ 6:53pm

37. I have a friend who is a female African-American pediatrician.

    She told me that white doctors keep their theromostats at a lower temperature setting than she does.

    I asked why,

    She said, "Black people are sun people and white people are ice people. Don't you know anything about evolution!?"

    She's a trip! But right at the same time.

    Anyway, that might be why there are no Black people in Alaska.

    Posted by bleedingheart at 10/14/2008 @ 7:44pm

38. Wait! I've got it. I've found the silver lining to the Palin VP candidacy! Everyone who agrees with her Pentecostal, anti-abortion, gun-supporting racist stances can move to her country-Alaska- where Todd Palin will then orchestrate the secession of the state and they can live in Palin Country 24-7 without that pesky U.S. constitution! Viva la Palin!

    Posted by jancuisine at 10/14/2008 @ 7:46pm

39. Posted by bleedingheart at 10/14/2008 @ 7:44pm

    It's too damn cold!

    Posted by k330k at 10/14/2008 @ 8:36pm

40. Posted by bleedingheart at 10/14/2008 @ 7:44pm

    Fo' real? A momentary lapse of bs?

    Good for you.

    Posted by winyahn at 10/14/2008 @ 11:51pm

41. Palin is really challenged in so many ways. Out of her multiple talents I have to choose only two: 1)It is not enough that she does not know a subject or have critical thinking about it; she does not realize she does not know, she can't seriously acknowledge (not even 'in pectore')her vast and serious handicaps. Zero in introspection or in serious "made in home" analysis. 2) Her 'ethics' revolves around herself. Never reaches out of herself and her sphere. Her idea of inclusiveness seems to be something like "adapt to me, and then, only then, maybe I will get something for you."

    Intelectually and morally handicapped veep of the nation.

    Posted by Frank42 at 10/15/2008 @ 01:54am

42. Technically it was not Ham that was cursed by Noah but Ham's son, Canaan (Genesis 9:25).

    Art P

    Posted by apreisinger at 10/15/2008 @ 02:54am

43. Governor Sarah Palin is a White Power advocate. She reads John Birch Society literature, worships at a church that believes in witches, uses her power as governor to grease her, her family and friends palms and shoots wolves from a helicopter. She's a nasty piece of work. You betcha!

    Posted by boing007 at 10/15/2008 @ 10:06am

44. Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 10/14/2008 @ 1:48pm

    LOL ... OK then, "Buffalo Chip" it is!

    Posted by boing007 at 10/15/2008 @ 10:06am

    Although oddly Pastor Muthee IS African .. so she's "selectively racist" then.... (You know .... I likes black folks, but wouldn't want my sister to marry one)

    Check this out ... fellow claims to be the real Bristol Palin "babby daddy") http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VELIG92GDXw

    I don't think Palin is so much of an overt racist as a clueless bigot. When presented with two choices - one black, one white - she goes "white" out of antipathy to blacks ad not an actual dislike. A fine detail, but perhaps an insight into her vacuous skull.

    Posted by leftofcenter at 10/15/2008 @ 11:10am

45. Look, I'm not racist, but I'm still somewhat ambivalent about the exclusion of blacks from Palin's government.

    I think it would be much more instructive to examine how Alaskans treat their native population.

    For example, consider that Alaska's already high rape statistics include a disproportionately high number of native Alaskans. Then view Mayor Palin's policy of charging rape victims for their rape kits through that filter.

    It's been my (jaded) philosophy that every group the world over seems to need another group to be the niggers.

    They just aren't always black.

    Posted by drhammer at 10/15/2008 @ 11:18am

46. Alaska has a population of around 25,000 African-Americans, with a total population of around 700,000. Therefore, African-Americans make up around 4% of the overall population of Alaska, with higher percentages in the larger cities like Anchorage.

    We should familiarize ourselves to the history of African-Americans in Alaska:

    http://www.akhistorycourse.org/articles/article.php?artID=233

    For example, African-Americans who built the highway to Alaska stayed to live after it was completed. Taking the position that the people who continue to play a significant role in the building of the infrastructure of Alaska should not be represented on the staff of Gov. Palin is preposterous.

    Gov. Palin's attitude toward Alaska's black population indicates what her feelings might be toward all African-Americans as vice-president and possibly president of the United States. Like Sen. McCain, Gov. Palin shows little or no respect for the observance of Juneteenth Independence Day in America. Juneteenth is an official state holiday observance in Alaska which requires the Governor to issue an annual proclamation. Despite the statute, Gov. Palin did not issue a Juneteenth Proclamation in 2007.

    Gov. Palin still refuses to meet with African-American leaders of the Ministers Alliance to discuss job opportunities for African-Americans during the building of the Alaskan pipeline. Again, in my opinion, if elected to the White House, most likely her actions toward African-Americans will not change. Let African-American leaders in Alaska tell their own story about Gov. Palin. I have spoken to several of them and remain quite concerned about what I am hearing.

    Juneteenth is America's 2nd Independence Day celebration. 29 states and the District of Columbia recognize Juneteenth as a

    Posted by Juneteenth at 10/15/2008 @ 12:53pm

47. Juneteenth is America's 2nd Independence Day celebration. 29 states and the District of Columbia recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday or state holiday observance, as well as the Congress of the United States.

    Together we will see Juneteenth become a national holiday in America!

    "DOC" Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D. Chairman National Juneteenth Holiday Campaign National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF) National Juneteenth Christian Leadership Council (NJCLC) http://www.Juneteenth.us http://www.19thofJune.com http://www.njclc.com http://www.JuneteenthJazz.com

    Posted by Juneteenth at 10/15/2008 @ 12:56pm

48. Posted by bostoncarmen at 10/14/2008 @ 2:21pm

    Let's say a conservative senator has a certain percentage of his/her constituency that is liberal. Should that governor be required by law to hire a certain percentage of liberal advisors? The idea is crazy and solves nothing. The same goes for Affirmative Action. By favoring a person because of race/sex/diability above a more qualified applicant, one only makes the more qualified applicant resent the one that got the job. Through no fault of his/her own, he/she is still unemployed because of a law. You can't change a racist or sexist by making it the law he/she can't be one. It's like saying you can make everyone practice one religion by making it mandatory to do so. It just drives the practice underground and makes the person cling more tightly to his/her beliefs. Telling a racist or sexist he can't be one and that there is a law to stop him, makes him resent those people even more.

    Perhaps during the civil rights movement it did have some value, but today, it really hinders deserving people from achieving what they've worked for. I say all of this as a woman and the mother of a child with a disability.

    Posted by jayneslilsis at 10/15/2008 @ 1:02pm

49. So is there any proof for this? 'Palin stated defiantly that she had no intention to hire any minority staffers. '

    Or is it okay to just base an entire column around third-hand hearsay?

    Posted by JimAK at 10/15/2008 @ 3:13pm

50. *** For example, consider that Alaska's already high rape statistics include a disproportionately high number of native Alaskans. Then view Mayor Palin's policy of charging rape victims for their rape kits through that filter. ***

    A vicious and disgusting lie that ranks right up there - or down there - with 'Obama is a Muslim.' You can't disprove either one so they must be true....

    The rape kit myth has been debunked several times:

    he headline on the Boston Globe-Democrat's editorial page, "Wasilla Made Rape Victims Pay," says it all.

    All wrong.

    The Globe-Democrat yesterday asserted as fact that "during her tenure as mayor of Wasilla, the town started charging rape victims or their insurers for rape kits." Click here to find out more!

    But the truth is that there is no record of a rape victim ever being charged for a rape kit by Wasilla; there's no evidence Mayor Palin knew about the policy or took any action on it either way; and no record of a victim's insurance company being charged by the town.

    --Boston Herald

    The Boston Globe editors opine about Sarah Palin and the rape kit allegations. The only problem is they ignore any facts that are inconvenient to their stated position, which is, apparently, that Palin is akin to the Anti-Christ, but more evil.

    It begins with the headline, "Wasilla Made Rape Victims Pay." Except that there's no evidence that any rape victim was ever charged by the town. In fact, the town has financial records indicating they did pay for rape kits during Palin's time as mayor.

    --National Review Online

    Posted by JimAK at 10/15/2008 @ 3:22pm

51. What does the percentage of Americans of African descent have to do with recognizing a Holiday and/or listening to business proposals? I find it deplorable that people are trying to rationalize her choices with reverse psychology in regards to Affirmative Action. AA was introduced so that qualified individuals could at least get their foot in the door to be considered for employment; not be appointed as the "_____" member of the team. Sure, some companies have interpreted it that way, which is wrong. Just because 'minorities' denounce AA, doesn't make it any less important. If you don't eat at the table, you'll end up with scraps.

    The issue at hand is why Gov. Palin decided to ignore the community. We can argue until the cows come home about her not using Americans of African descent in regards to awarding contracts to businesses. However, her refusal to acknowledge Juneteenth is disconcerting to say the least. Unfortunately, her recent thinly veiled racist remarks at various rallies regarding Senator Obama indicate her true nature.

    Posted by niketalk at 10/15/2008 @ 3:52pm

52. Finally. I was scrolling down the comments to turn the conversation back to the immediate outrage - Palin's decision to not even fake her racism by sending SOMEONE - ANYONE from her office to the Juneteenth celebration, and fer gosh sakes, also, not even posting an official recognition in the event bulletin, and I'd like to send a shout out to all of you Alaskans who are white because you are the only true Alaskans...you betcha! (I'm trying to create a non sentence sentence in her style but it is so hard! That's some talent she has there!) - wink

    I want to add that the people interviewed showed incredible grace and reserve in their response to her complete lack of support. I don't know that I could have been that collected...:)

    Posted by cloudberries at 10/15/2008 @ 7:54pm