Robert B. Atwood

Chairman, Alaska Statehood Committee

Publisher, Anchorage Daily Times

• Publisher of the Anchorage Daily Times, the most prominent pro-statehood newspaper in Alaska.
• Arranged and travelled with the "Statehood Flight" to Washington D.C., where he personally lobbied President Eisenhower to support statehood for Alaska.
• Unsuccessful candidate for "Alaska-Tennessee Plan" Congressional Delegation.

Name Robert B. Atwood
City Anchorage
Occupation Newspaper Owner and Publisher Born March 31, 1907 - Chicago, Illinois Died January 10, 1997 - Anchorage, Alaska Alaska Resident 1933-1997 Honors

• "Alaskan of the Year" - 1967
• Director, National Municipal League - 1969
• Norweigian Consul - 1959

E.L. "Bob" Bartlett

Delegate to Congress

US Senator

Secretary of Alaska

Member, Alaska Statehood Committee

• Introduced the Alaska Statehood Act, which successfully passed Congress and was signed into law in 1958.
• Constant advocate for statehood throughout his tenure as Delegate

Name Edward Lewis Bartlett
City Fairbanks
Occupation Politician and Newspaperman
Born April 20, 1904 - Seattle, Washington
Died December 11, 1968 - Cleveland Ohio
Alaska Resident 1910-68
Honors

• "Alaskan of the Year" - 1968
• Honored with statue in US Capitol - 1969
• Various honors throughout state, including Bartlett High School in Anchorage & Bartlett Residence Hall at the University of Alaska Fairbanks

Ernest Gruening

Territorial Governor of Alaska

Alaska-Tennessee Plan Senator

US Senator

Member, Alaska Statehood Committee

• "Father of Alaska Statehood"
• Authored "The State of Alaska," a national bestseller that advocated statehood for Alaska
• Constant advocate for statehood throughout his tenure as Governor

Name Ernest Gruening
City Juneau
Occupation Politician and Newspaperman
Born February 6, 1887 - New York
Died June 26, 1974 - Washington D.C.
Alaska Resident 1939-74

Honors

• Honored with statue in US Capitol - 1977
• Mount Ernest Gruening in Juneau named in his honor
• Gruening Building on UAF Campus named in his honor
• American Jewish Hall of Fame Inductee

B. Frank Heintzleman

Territorial Governor of Alaska

Member, Alaska Statehood Committee

• Widely considered a lukewarm supporter of statehood, Heintzleman successfully swayed national Republican leaders to support Alaska's admission to the Union
• Proposed the widely derided "partition plan," which would have created the State of Alaska from Southeast, Southcentral and Interior Alaska, while leaving Western and Arctic Alaska as a territory.
• Signed the bill establishing the Alaska Constitutional Convention

Name Benjamin Franklin Heintzleman
City Juneau
Occupation Forester
Born December 3, 1888 - Fayetteville, Pennsylvania
Died June 24, 1963 - Juneau, Alaska
Alaska Resident 1918-63

Honors

• Superior Service Award - US Dept. of Agriculture
• Sir William Schlich Award - American Society of Foresters
• Juneau's "Man of the Year" - 1959
• "Outstanding Alaskan" - State Chamber of Commerce

Mildred R. Hermann

Delegate to Alaska Constitutional Convention

Temporary President, Alaska Constitutional Convention

Secretary, Alaska Statehood Committee

• As a radio personality was a tireless advocate for statehood.
• Served as elected Secretary of the Alaska Statehood Committee for ten years.

Name Mildred Robinson Hermann
City Juneau
Occupation Educator, Attorney
Born February 28, 1891 - Indiana
Died March 16, 1964 - Juneau, Alaska
Alaska Resident 1919-64 

Percy Ipalook

Member, Alaska Statehood Committee

Territorial Legislator

• First Inupiat elected to the Alaska Legislature
• Member of the Alaska Statehood Committee from 1949-59

Name Percy Ipalook
City Barrow
Occupation Clergyman
Born April 2, 1906 - Barrow, Alaska
Died December 15, 1990 - Kotzebue, Alaska
Alaska Resident Lifelong

Honors

• First Inupiat chaplain in the US Armed Forces
• Attained rank of Captain in the Alaska Scout Battalion

Andrew Nerland

Member, Alaska Statehood Committee

Territorial Legislator

Member, University of Alaska Board of Trustees (1929-56)

Mayor, City of Fairbanks (1915)

• Sat on Statehood Committee from 1949-56
• Passed away on February 6, 1956 - the day the Alaska Constitutional Convention adjourned. His son, Leslie Nerland, had been a delegate. Leslie presented his father with a copy of the constitution shortly before he passed away.

Name Andrew Nerland
City Fairbanks
Occupation Merchant
Born April 18, 1870 - Molda, Norway
Died February 6, 1956 - Fairbanks
Alaska Resident 1904-56

Honors

• Andrew Nerland Residence Hall at UAF named in his honor
• Honorary Doctorate of Laws - University of Alaska 1952

Frank Peratrovich

Member, Alaska Statehood Committee

Delegate & Vice President, Alaska Constitutional Convention

State & Territorial Legislator

Mayor, City of Klawock

• Only Alaska Native elected to the Constitutional Convention
• Served on Alaska Statehood Committee from 1949-59
• President of the Alaska Native Brotherhood

Name Frank Peratrovich
City Klawock
Occupation Merchant
Born April 2, 1895 - Klawock, Alaska
Died January, 1984 - Ketchikan
Alaska Resident Lifelong

Honors

• Honorary Doctorate of Public Service, University of Alaska - 1973
• 49er Hall of Fame
• President, Alaska Native Brotherhood

Ralph Rivers

Second Vice President, Alaska Constitutional Convention

Territorial Attorney General

Territorial Legislator

Alaska-Tennessee Plan Congressman

US Congressman

• Used the office of the Attorney General to conduct research on the feasibility of Alaska Statehood
• Served two years as the Alaska-Tennessee Plan Congressman prior to being elected Alaska's first Congressman

Name Ralph Julian Rivers
City Fairbanks
Occupation Lawyer
Born May 23, 1904 - Seattle, Washington
Died August 1976 - Chehalis, Washington
Alaska Resident 1906 - 1967

Honors

• Honorary Doctorate, University of Alaska - 1974

Michael Stepovich

Member, Alaska Statehood Committee

Governor, Territory of Alaska

Territorial Legislator

• Active advocate for statehood throughout his tenure in office
• Last Territorial Governor of Alaska

Name Michael Anthony Stepovich
City Fairbanks
Occupation Lawyer
Born March 12, 1919
Alaska Resident 1919-?

Warren Taylor

Member, Alaska Statehood Committee

State & Territorial Legislator

• Member of the Alaska Territorial Legislature that authorized the Constitutional Convention
• Elected as one of seven territory-wide delegates to the Constitutional Convention
• Served on the Alaska Statehood Committee from 1949-59

Name Warren Arthur Taylor
City Cordova, Kodiak, Fairbanks
Occupation Lawyer
Born April 2, 1891 - Chehalis, Washington
Death August 1980 - Fairbanks, Alaska
Alaska Resident 1909-80