Editing Flag of Alaska

{{Short description|U.S. state flag}}
{{about|the flag|Alaska's state song|Alaska's Flag{{!}}''Alaska's Flag''}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox flag
|Name = Alaska
|Article =
|Image = Flag of Alaska.svg
|Nickname = 
|Use = 110000
|Symbol = {{FIAV|110000}} {{FIAV|normal}}
|Proportion = 125:177
|Adoption = {{start date and age|1927|5|2}}
|Design = Eight gold stars, in the shape of "the big dipper" on a dark blue field. The North Star is larger than the other 7.
|Designer =  [[Benny Benson]]
}}

The '''flag of the U.S. state of Alaska''' displays eight gold stars, forming the [[Big Dipper]] and [[Polaris]], on a dark blue field. The Big Dipper is an [[asterism (astronomy)|asterism]] in the constellation [[Ursa Major]], which symbolizes a bear, indigenous to Alaska. As depicted on the flag, [[Big Dipper#Guidepost|its stars]] can be used as a guide by the novice to locate [[Polaris]] and determine true north.

The design was created by [[Benny Benson]] of [[Seward, Alaska|Seward]] and selected from among roughly 700 entries in a 1927 contest. In 2001, a survey conducted by the [[North American Vexillological Association]] placed Alaska's flag fifth best in design quality out of the 72 [[provinces of Canada|Canadian provincial]], [[U.S. state]], and [[Territories of the United States|U.S. territory]] flags ranked. It finished behind the [[flag of New Mexico|flags of New Mexico]], [[Texas flag|Texas]], [[Flag of Quebec|Quebec]], and [[Flag of Maryland|Maryland]] respectively.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110606033347/http://www.nava.org/Flag%20Design/State%26Provincial%20Survey%202001/surveyresults.htm Archive.org copy of now-offline NAVA survey results]</ref>

==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>

==History==
===Russian-American Company Flag===
{{main|Flag of the Russian-American Company}}
Between 1799 and 1867 Alaska was governed by the [[Russian-American Company]] (RAC), a state-sponsored commercial company initially headquartered in Irkutsk, then St. Petersburg, Russia. The flag flown by the Company's ships and their shore establishments was Russia's commercial flag (civil ensign). On September 28 (October 10, new style) 1806, Aleksandr I, Emperor of Russia made a notation on the design submitted to him of a new flag for the Russian-American Company; "So be it", and added his [[royal cypher|cypher]], thereby approving the first flag in Russia's history to be used by an Imperial chartered company. After Imperial confirmation, the case was heard in the Senate and on October 19, 1806, was sent for execution to the main office of the Russian-American Company (RAC), and also to the Admiralty and Commerce colleges.

The new Company flag design of 1806 placed the Imperial eagle in the upper left quarter of Russia's commercial flag. In order that the State symbol remain unobstructed and more visible the width of the white stripe was enlarged to cover roughly one half of the flag's width. The normal width proportions of Russia's commercial flag were equal thirds. The Imperial eagle carried a scroll that dipped into the blue stripe, also for more visibility, which read, in abbreviated form "Russian American Company's". The symbolism of the scroll beneath the Imperial eagle complements the official version of the Company's name "Under His Imperial Majesty's Protection Russian-American Company."<ref>[http://www.fortross.org/app/download/6576750104/History+of+the+RAC+flag+coloroptimized.pdf Бытъ По Сему – So be it: 200 years of the history and interpretation of "The flag granted by his Imperial Highness" The flag of the Russian-American Company. By John Middleton, September 2006. Fort Ross Conservancy web site]</ref>

The flag flew over Alaska until October 18, 1867, when all Russian and American Company holdings in Alaska were sold to the United States.

===State flag===
The Alaska Legislature adopted Benson's design as the official flag for the Territory of Alaska on May 2, 1927. The first flag made based on Benny's design was made of blue [[silk]] and [[appliqué]]d gold stars. It was retained as the state flag at [[Alaska Statehood Act|statehood]] in 1959.

The flag's symbolism is described in the state song, "[[Alaska's Flag]]."

===Historical flags===
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
! class="unsortable" | Allegiance 
! class="unsortable" | Governing Body
! class="unsortable" | Design(s)
! class="unsortable" | Dates in Use
|- style="vertical-align:center;text-align:center;"
| Claimed by Russian Empire || N/A|| rowspan="2" | [[File:Flag of Russia.svg|border|126px]] || {{Dts|July 15, 1741 – July 8, 1799
|- style="vertical-align:center;text-align:center;"
| rowspan="3" | Russian Empire || rowspan="3" | [[Russian-American Company]]|| {{Dts|1799|07|8}} – October 10, 1806
|- style="vertical-align:center;text-align:center;"
| [[File:Flag of Russian-American Company.svg|border|126x93px]] || {{Dts|1806|10|10}} – October 18, 1867
|- style="vertical-align:center;text-align:center;"
| [[File:Flag of the Russian Empire (black-yellow-white).svg|border|126x93px]] || {{Dts|1858|06|11}} – October 18, 1867
|- style="vertical-align:center;text-align:center;"
| rowspan="11" | United States of America || rowspan="2" | The [[Department of Alaska]] (United States Army, Navy or Treasury) || [[File:Flag of the United States (1867-1877).svg|border|126x66px]] || {{Dts|1867|10|18}} – July 3, 1877
|- style="vertical-align:center;text-align:center;"
| [[File:Flag of the United States (1877–1890).svg|border|126x66px]] || {{Dts|1877|07|4}} – May 16, 1884
|- style="vertical-align:center;text-align:center;"
| rowspan="6" | [[District of Alaska]]|| [[File:Flag of the United States (1877–1890).svg|border|126x66px]] || {{Dts|1884|05|17}} – July 3, 1890
|- style="vertical-align:center;text-align:center;"
| [[File:Flag of the United States (1890-1891).svg|border|126x66px]] || {{Dts|1890|07|4}} – July 3, 1891
|- style="vertical-align:center;text-align:center;"
| [[File:Flag of the United States (1891–1896).svg|border|126x66px]] || {{Dts|1891|07|4}} – July 3, 1896
|- style="vertical-align:center;text-align:center;"
| [[File:Flag of the United States (1896–1908).svg|border|126x66px]] || {{Dts|1896|07|4}} – July 3, 1908
|- style="vertical-align:center;text-align:center;"
| [[File:Flag of the United States (1908–1912).svg|border|126x66px]] || {{Dts|1908|07|4}} – July 3, 1912
|- style="vertical-align:center;text-align:center;"
| [[File:Flag of the United States (1912–1959).svg|border|126x66px]] || {{Dts|1912|07|4}} – August 23, 1912
|- style="vertical-align:center;text-align:center;"
| rowspan="2" | Territory of Alaska || [[File:Flag of the United States (1912–1959).svg|border|126x66px]] || {{Dts|1912|08|24}} – July 9, 1927
|- style="vertical-align:center;text-align:center;"
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Flag of Alaska.svg|border|126x84px]]|| {{Dts|1927|07|9}} – January 3, 1959
|- style="vertical-align:center;text-align:center;"
| State of Alaska || {{Dts|1959|01|3}} – present
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Alaska}}
* [[List of Alaska state symbols]]
* [[Seal of Alaska]]
* [[Starry Plough (flag)]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110521082006/http://www.museums.state.ak.us/EightStars/src/exhibit_catalog.pdf Catalog of the "Eight Stars" exhibit] at the [[Alaska State Museum]] (PDF)

{{US state flags}}
{{Alaska}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Flag Of Alaska}}
[[Category:United States state flags|Alaska]]
[[Category:Blue flags|Alaska]]
[[Category:Flags of Alaska| ]]
[[Category:Symbols of Alaska]]
[[Category:Flags adopted through competition|Alaska]]
[[Category:Flags introduced in 1927|Alaska]]
[[Category:Flags with stars]]
[[Category:Flags designed by children and students]]