Benny Benson is a schoolboy in Seward’s Territorial School during Alaska’s flag contest circa 1926. This picture book story uses sketch-like drawings depicting Benny’s story in creating what would later become Alaska’s state flag. ( )

Krasilovsky, Phyllis. Benny’s Flag. Illus. by Jim Fowler. Lanham, MD; Roberts Rinehart Publishers. 2002. Unp. Primary.

Prior to Alaska’s statehood, the territory had a competition for a flag design. Benny Benson was a young Aleut boy who grew up in a Seward mission/orphanage school. Realistic acrylic paintings showcase the life of a young boy who seems much like any other child growing up in Alaska. Then, in 1926, the competition began and Benny’s idea to create the blue-and-gold flag featuring the Big Dipper, alluding to forget-me-not flowers and the Great Bear. His design won, completing this simple tale of how a regular boy drew inspiration from his Alaskan life and established Alaska’s flag.

Alaska Content: This is based on a true story and the facts aren’t exaggerated. During my student practicum in ED222, my host teacher read this to her 4th grade class (and me) during the Alaska history unit, and I enjoyed it now just as much as I did then. The background information on Benny and the inclusion of his caption for the flag are imperative to the connection the flag has to Alaska and the people of Alaska.

Activity: Ask children if they have seen the Big Dipper. Would they have thought of including the Big Dipper on the flag? How would they have made the Alaska flag?

Keywords: Historical, picture book, Alaska, Benny Benson, Flag, Statehood

Historical Fiction: Picturebook
Krasilovsy, Phyllis Benny’s Flag. Illust. by W.T. Mars. World Publishing, 1960. Unp. Upper Elementary
Benny Benson was a pupil at the Territorial School at Seward when the Alaska Flag contest was announced in 1926. Easy-to read, based on a true story, told in the third-person narrative, this has a thoughtful tone. Theme is how the Alaska State Flag was created. Realistic pen and ink illustrations accompany the descriptive text.
AK: Seward, Alaskan life, AK History, AK flag
Activity: Ask children if they have seen the Big Dipper. Do they think that is a good thing to have on our flag? What would they put on the flag if they could design it? ( )

FROM BOOK COVER:
Benny Benson, a Red Indian boy, was a pupil in the Territorial School at Seward when the Alaska Flag Contest was launched in 1926. This is the true story of how Benny's design, based on his love of the stars and forget-me-nots and blue sky of his homeland, came to be chosen as the official flag of Alaska.