at one point or another you have learned about Benny Benson and the creation of the Alaska state flag. If you are like me, the details of the story became a little faded over the years.

A drawing contest became a life-changer for 13-year-old Benny Benson. The year was 1927. The Alaska ­American Legion sponsored a ­design-the-Alaska-flag contest for children in the seventh ...