Alaska Flag

 

On a dark blue background, the state flag of Alaska features eight gold stars forming the Big Dipper and Polaris. The Big Dipper is an asterism in the constellation Ursa Major that represents a bear, which is a native Alaskan mammal. The stars on the flag can be utilized by the inexperienced to locate Polaris and ascertain true north, which differs significantly from magnetic north.

Benny Benson of Seward produced the design, which was chosen from over 700 entries in a 1927 contest. Alaska's flag was voted fifth in design quality out of 72 Canadian province, US state, and US territory flags in a poll performed by the North American Vexillological Association in 2001. It came to a close behind the flags of New Mexico, Texas, Quebec, and Maryland.

The Alaska Department of the American Legion sponsored a territorial flag design contest for Alaskan children from seventh grade (age 12-13) to twelfth grade (age 17-18) thirty-two years before Alaska became a state.

In 1927, the contest committee chose the design of thirteen-year-old orphan Benny Benson to represent the Territory of Alaska's future flag. Benson was a resident at the Jesse Lee Home for Children in Seward, Alaska. Since the area was purchased from Russia in 1867, Alaskans had solely flown the American flag. Benson's artwork was picked from over 700 other submissions from students across the country. The territorial seal, the midnight sun, the northern lights, polar bears, and/or gold pans appeared in the majority of the other entries. Benson was given a $1,000 prize and an engraved watch as a token of his accomplishment.