Alaska State Flag

What does the flag of Alaska look like? The Alaskan flag is dark blue with eight gold stars total: seven that form the shape of the Big Dipper constellation and one gold star as Polaris in the top right corner. Alaska's flag was officially adopted on July 9, 1927.

Meaning of the Flag

Alaska has a very simple but also very unique state flag. The blue field of the design represents the Alaska sky and the forget-me-not flower that is found throughout the state. The flag also features stars designed to represent the Big Dipper, which represents the symbol of a bear, which is not only indigenous to Alaska but also represents the strength of the state. There is also a star that represents Polaris. This is a symbol of determining true north and was included in an original design before Alaska became a state to symbolize Alaska’s future as a state.

Colors of the Flag

Just two colors are used in the flag of Alaska. The field is dark blue, and the six stars that make up the Big Dipper and the additional star representing Polaris are gold.

History of the Flag

What’s unique about Alaska’s state flag is that it was designed before it even became a state. In 1927, a contest was held by the American Legion. The contest was for children, and the goal of the contest was to design a future flag to represent Alaska. The winner of the contest was a 13-year-old named Benny Benson, beating out approximately 700 other designs.

Prior to this, however, the original flag that was flown was the flag of the Russian-American Company, which governed Alaska. This flag was flow from 1806 through 1867. After this, versions of the national flag were flown. The next flag to be used was the modern version designed by Benson. This flag was officially adopted on May 2, 1927 and was inaugurally flown later that year on July 9. After Alaska was designated as a state in 1959, it retained the flag as its state flag.