In 1927, Benny Benson, a young orphan living at a boarding school in Seward, made history by creating the official flag of Alaska. But how did this child create a design that still embodies the pride and identity of the 49th American state today?
In 1926, Alaska, still a simple American territory, wanted to strengthen its identity to support its candidacy for statehood. Territorial Governor George Parks, impressed by the flags of the 48 states already recognized during a visit to Washington, DC, decided to launch a competition to give Alaska its own flag. Organized by the American Legion, this competition was open to students in grades 7 to 12, residing throughout the territory. More than 700 schoolchildren respond to the call, sending in their proposals in the hope that their creation will be chosen to represent their region. The competition takes place in several stages, with each city selecting the ten best drawings which are then sent to Juneau for a final evaluation. Among these hundreds of proposals, one drawing particularly attracted the attention of the jury: that of Benny Benson, a student at the Jesse Lee Home boarding school in Seward.
A design full of symbols
Benny Benson, his full name John Ben Benson Jr.was born in 1913 in the small village of Chignik, on the Alaska Peninsula. Born to a Swedish father and an Unangax (Aleut) mother, he lost his mother to pneumonia at the age of 3. Soon after, fire destroys family homeforcing his father to send Benny and his brother Carl to an orphanage in Unalaska, the Jesse Lee Home. Her older sister was sent to another facility in Oregon. In 1925, the orphanage moved to Seward to be more central. It was there that Benny, then 14 years old, discovered the announcement of the competition. This young boy, marked by a difficult childhooddraws on his own experience and the landscapes that surround him to imagine a flag that speaks to all the inhabitants of Alaska.
“The Big Dipper represents strength”
At a time when depictions of polar bears and the Northern Lights were the usual clichés, Benny opted for an approach both minimalist and poetic. Its flag features eight golden stars on a blue field. Seven stars form the constellation Ursa Major, a symbol of strength, while the larger North Star evokes the promising future of Alaska as the future northernmost state in the Union. Blue, for its part, represents the Alaskan sky and the forget-me-notemblematic flower of the region. In his official explanation accompanying his drawing, Benny writes: “The blue field is for the Alaskan sky and the forget-me-not, an Alaskan flower. The North Star symbolizes the future of Alaska, the northernmost Union Territory. The Big Dipper represents strength.” This simple but deeply evocative design is unanimously adopted by the jury and formalized by both houses of the territorial legislature in May 1927. To reward his work, Benny received a watch engraved with the image of his flag and a scholarship of 1,000 dollars to finance his studies.
Pride of indigenous peoples
The flag is first hoisted on July 9, 1927 during a ceremony in Seward. This event is particularly significant for Alaska Native people, who had gained American citizenship and the right to vote only four years agoin 1924. Benny Benson became a hero for indigenous communities, inspiring collective pride in a period when they faced systemic discrimination. At this time, signs prohibiting entry to dogs and natives were still common in public establishments. Benny himself, by son origine Unangax̂ and through its triumph in a context of institutionalized racism, embodies the hope and resilience of these communities. He becomes a model for younger generations, demonstrating that a child, whatever their past, can contribute to shape history.
A young person who had “an impact”
After leaving the orphanage, Benny uses his scholarship to study diesel mechanics in Seattle. He then worked as an airplane mechanic in Kodiak and led a low-key life. Despite his historic contributions, Benny remains humble, avoiding the spotlight. He died in 1972at the age of 58, following a heart attack. Today, Benny Benson's legacy is celebrated across the state. Its flag is preserved at the Alaska State Museumand many places are named after him, such as Benson Boulevard in Anchorage or Benny Benson Drive in Kodiak. In 2002during the exhibition commemorating 75 years of the flagLieutenant Governor Fran Ulmer declared: “Benny Benson’s story is a wonderful example of how one young person can make an impact.” When Alaska officially became the 49th state of the United States in 1959, Benny Benson's flag was adopted as the state symbol. Since then, it has proudly flown in public institutions and during official events. Every year, the Flag Day in Alaska celebrates this story, recalling how an orphan child, thanks to his creativity and imagination, offered an entire territory a symbol of unity and hope.
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