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Alaska flag design by Benny Benson.

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Alaska territorial flag competition.

Alaska flag design by Benny Benson.

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Title	Alaska territorial flag competition.
Identifier	ASL-MS14-1
Collection Name	American Legion. Designs by School Children for Alaska's Flag, 1927. ASL-MS-14
Description	The competition was open to Alaska schoolchildren between grades 7 and 12. Benson was a 13 year old student at the Jessie Lee Mission Home in Seward. The competition was organized by the American Legion, who collected a total of 142 entries from throughout Alaska. Physical description: 37 drawings.
Subject.TGM	Flags Children Drawings Competition drawings School children
Subject.LCSH	Flags--Alaska
Corporate Name	American Legion
Location	Alaska
Region	Alaska
Time Period	1913 to 1939
Date.original	1927
Type	Image (Drawings)
Related Materials	Alaska State Library Catalog: http://jlc-web.uaa.alaska.edu/client/asl/search/results?qu=%2242926613%22
Ordering & Use	http://library.alaska.gov/vilda_rights.html
Holding Institution	Alaska State Library - Historical Collections, PO Box 110571, Juneau AK 99811-0571; mailto:asl.historical@alaska.gov

Title	Alaska flag design by Benny Benson.
Display Full Text	IMAGE AND FULL TEXT: http://vilda.alaska.edu/cgi-bin/docviewer.exe?CISOROOT=/cdmg21&CISOPTR=
Identifier	ASM-III-O-410 ASL-MS14-1-1-001
Collection Name	American Legion. Designs by School Children for Alaska's Flag, 1927. ASL-MS-14
Description	At the request of Governor George A. Parks, the Alaska Chapter of the American Legion conducted a contest among the Territory's school children to choose Alaska's Flag Design. The original design for the Alaska territorial flag, painted with blue paint on construction paper. Flag is painted on a separate piece of paper, which has been cut out and glued to the main sheet. The flag represents the constellation Ursa Major (Big Dipper and North Star) against a blue field. Writing in pencil below the flag design states "The blue field is for the Alaska sky and the forget-me-not, an Alaskan flower. The North Star is for the future state of Alaska, the most northerly in the union. The Dipper is for the Great Bear, symbolizing strength." A photo of Benny Benson is attached (probably after the design was submitted) to the upper right corner. Reverse is signed by members of the selection committee. Original design of Alaska Flag by Benny Benson, submitted in 1927 for a design competition for the Alaska territorial flag. The competition was open to Alaska schoolchildren between grades 7 and 12. Benson was a 13 year old student at the Jesse Lee Mission Home in Seward. The competition was organized by the American Legion, who collected a total of 142 entries from throughout Alaska. The American Legion recommended Benson's design to the Territorial Legislature, who unanimously passed an act officially adopting the design. In addition to the watch, the legislature granted Benson $1000 for a trip to Washington DC to present the flag to the President of the United States; however, due to scheduling problems, this was not possible, so the funds were put toward Benson's future education. The flag was dedicated on July 8, 1927, at the Jessie Lee Mission Home, and there Benson received his first place watch.
Creator	Benson, John Ben, 1913-1972
Subject.TGM	Flags Children Drawings Composite drawings School children
Subject.LCSH	Flags--Alaska
Subject.Local	Alaska Natives
Personal Name	Benson, John Ben, 1913-1972
Corporate Name	American Legion
Location	Alaska
Region	Alaska
Time Period	1913 to 1939
Date.original	1927
Type	Image (Drawings)
Related Materials	Alaska State Museums' Collections Search: http://www.museums.state.ak.us/collectionsearch.html; Alaska State Library Catalog: http://jlc-web.uaa.alaska.edu/client/asl/search/results?qu=%2242926613%22
Ordering & Use	http://146.63.87.186/ASMSearch/Agreement?backNav=SearchForm
Holding Institution	Alaska State Library - Historical Collections, PO Box 110571, Juneau AK 99811-0571; mailto:asl.historical@alaska.gov
Transcript	The blue field is for the Alaska sky and the foret-me-not, an Alaskan flower. The North Star is for the future state of Alaska, the most northerly in the union. The Dipper is for the Great Bear, symbolising strenth [strength].

Alaska territorial flag competition.

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Alaska territorial flag competition.

Alaska territorial flag competition.