Editing Flag of Alaska (section)

==Design and origin==
Thirty-two years before Alaska became a state, the Alaska Department of the [[American Legion]] sponsored a territorial contest for Alaskan children from seventh grade (age 12–13) to twelfth grade (age 17–18) to design a flag for the territory.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.netstate.com/states/symb/flags/ak_flag.htm |title=The Contest |website=netstate.com}}</ref> In 1927, the contest committee chose fourteen year-old [[Benny Benson]]'s design to represent the future flag of the [[Territory of Alaska]]. Benson, an [[Alaska Native]], was a resident at the [[Jesse Lee Home for Children]] in [[Seward, Alaska|Seward]]. In many sources Benson is said to have been an orphan, but his father was still alive when he began work on his design. Most other entries featured variations on the territorial seal, the [[midnight sun]], the [[Aurora (astronomy)|northern lights]], [[polar bears]], and/or [[gold panning|gold pans]]. (Previously this article stated "roughly 700 other submissions" but other sources say there were just 142 design submissions.) To celebrate his achievement, Benson was awarded a scholarship worth $1,000 and an engraved watch. Alaskans had flown only the [[Flag of the United States|U.S. flag]] in the period between the [[Alaska Purchase|territory's purchase from Russia]] in 1867 and the selection of Benson's design in 1927.
[[File:Flag of Alaska (Benny Benson Original Design).svg|alt=|thumb|Original design<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://museums.alaska.gov/EightStars/src/multimedia/flag_gazette.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://museums.alaska.gov/EightStars/src/multimedia/flag_gazette.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live |title=The Kids' Gazette for Eight Stars of Gold - flag_gazette.pdf |website=museums.alaska.gov |publisher=[[Alaska State Museum]] |access-date=July 3, 2022}}</ref> by Benny Benson]]
Benny looked to the sky for the symbols he included in his design. Choosing the familiar constellation he looked for every night before going to sleep at the orphanage, he submitted this description with it:
[[File:Benny Benson holding the flag of Alaska that he designed.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Benny Benson holding his flag design.]]

{{cquote|The blue field is for the Alaska sky and the [[forget-me-not]], an Alaskan flower. The [[Polaris|North Star]] is for the future state of Alaska, the most northerly in the Union. The [[Big dipper|dipper]] is for the [[Ursa Major|Great Bear]]&mdash;symbolizing strenth {{sic}}.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.alaska.edu/uajourney/notable-people/kodiak/benny-benson/ |title = Benny Benson &#124; UA Journey &#124; UA Journey |website=alaska.edu}}</ref>}}

The official design of the flag is outlined in the Alaska Statutes by [[Alaska Legislature|The Alaska State Legislature]], which explains the flag's colors and symbolism, along with proper display, folding, presentation, and retirement of the flag.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp#44.09.020 |title=Alaska Statutes 2021 |author=Alaska Legislature |website=akleg.gov |publisher=The Michie Company |access-date=April 4, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right"
|+Colors
! rowspan="2" style="text-align:center" |Name
! rowspan="2" style="width:3em; min-width:3em" |Color
! colspan="4" style="text-align:center" |RGB
|-
! style="text-align:center" |''R''
! style="text-align:center" |''G''
! style="text-align:center" |''B''
! style="text-align:center" |8-bit hex
|-
| style="text-align:left" |Navy
| style="background:#0F204B" title="#0F204B" |
|15
|32
|75
|{{code|#0F204B}}
|-
| style="text-align:left" |Gold
| style="background:#FFB612" title="#FFB612" |
|255
|182
|18
|{{code|#FFB612}}
|}
{{clr}}

===Gallery===
<gallery widths="220px">
File:The United States flag flies above the Alaska State flag at the Kodiak Launch Complex in Kodiak Alaska. The 114th Combat Communications Squadron (CBCS), Patrick AFB, Florida, along - DPLA - 69356cad07c8f3850c1f6b3ec479300f.jpeg|Flag of Alaska flying below the United States flag.
Alaska license plate, 1982.png|Alaskan license plate from 1981 to 1997, which featured the Alaskan state flag on it.
Alaska Bicentennial 13c 1976 issue.jpg|The Alaska state flag as depicted in the 1976 bicentennial postage stamp series.
</gallery>