Alaska State Museum, American Legion Collection, Designs by
School Children for Alaska's Flag, 1927. 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. Benny Benson's original design
for the Alaska territorial flag was painted with blue paint on
construction paper. The 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 foret-me-not (sic), 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]." 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 selectio