National - Federal Officials
The inhabitants of the proposed new State of Alaska are imbued with and sympathetic towards the principles of democracy as exemplified in the American form of government. A majority of the electorate wish statehood. The proposed new State of Alaska has sufficient population and resources to support State government and at the same time carry its share of the cost of the Federal Government. Alaska is ready and qualified for statehood now.
-Report of the House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee of the US Congress following a fact-finding mission to Alaska. The report, filed as part of the Alaska Statehood Act, was made public on June 25, 1957.
Wayne Aspinall
US House of Representatives (1949-73)
State Legislator - Colorado
- Public advocate for Alaska statehood
- Chairman of the House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee (responsible for reporting legislation dealing with Alaska Statehood)
- Floor sponsor of Alaska Statehood Act
Name Wayne Norviel Aspinall
Occupation Farmer, Lawyer
Born April 3, 1896 - Middleburg, Ohio
Died October 9, 1983 - Palisade, Colorado
Honors Received:
- Honorary Doctorate - University of Alaska, 1962
Oscar Chapman
US Secretary of the Interior (1949-53)
- Public advocate for Alaska statehood
- As Truman's Secretary of the Interior, advocated for Alaska Statehood, reflecting the views of the Truman Administration
Name Oscar Littleton Chapman
Occupation Public Official
Born October 22, 1896 - Omega, Virginia
Died February 8, 1978 - Colorado
Frank Church
US Senator (1957-81)
Delegate, United Nations General Assembly
- Public advocate for Alaska statehood
- Floor sponsor of Alaska Statehood Act
Name Frank Forrester Church
Occupation Lawyer
Born July 25, 1924 - Boise, Idaho
Died April 7, 1984 - Bethesda, Maryland
Claire Engle
US Representative (1943-59)
US Senator (1959-64)
- Public advocate for Alaska statehood
- Chairman of House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs (responsible for reviewing legislation dealing with Alaska statehood)
Name Claire Engle
Occupation Lawyer
Born September 21, 1911 - Bakersfield, California
Died July 30, 1964 - Washington D.C.
Spessard Holland
US Senator (1946-71)
Governor, State of Florida (1941-45)
State Legislator (Florida)
- Public advocate for Alaska statehood
- Introduced the members of the Alaska-Tennessee Plan Congressional Delegation to the US Senate
Name Spessard Lindsey Holland
Occupation Lawyer, Judge, Politician
Born July 10, 1892 - Bartow, Florida
Died November 6, 1971 - Bartow, Florida
Henry "Scoop" Jackson
US Senator (1953-83)
US Congressman (1941-53)
- Public advocate for Alaska statehood
- Floor sponsor of the Alaska Statehood Act in the US Senate
Name Henry Martin "Scoop" Jackson
Occupation Lawyer
Born May 31, 1912 - Everett, Washington
Died September 1, 1983 - Everett, Washington
Honors Received:
- Honorary Doctorate - University of Alaska, 1949
Hubert Humphrey
Estes Kefauver
William Knowland
US Senator (1945-59)
State Legislator (California)
- Public advocate for Alaska statehood
- Travelled to Alaska to address the Constitutional Convention
Name William Fife Knowland
Occupation Newspaperman
Born June 26, 1908 - Alameda, California
Died February 23, 1974 - Guerneville, California
Honors Received :
- Honorary Doctorate - University of Alaska, 1955
Nathan F. Twining
General, US Air Force
Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
- Endorsed Alaska Statehood as a General and later as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
- Testified before Congress in support of Alaska Statehood
- First Chief of the Alaska Command - US Air Force
Name Nathan Farragut Twining
Occupation US Military Officer
Born October 11, 1897 - Monroe, Wisconsin
Died March 29, 1982 - Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
Honors Received:
- Honorary Doctorate - University of Alaska, 1951
Wayne Morse
James Murray
Richard Neuberger
Joseph O'Mahoney
Fred Seaton
US Secretary of the Interior (1956-61)
US Senator (1951-52)
Nebraska State Legislator
- Public advocate for Alaska statehood during tenure as US Senator
- Served as Secretary of the Interior during Alaska's admission to the Union
- Was largely responsible for developing Eisenhower Administration's support for Alaska Statehood
Name Frederick Andrew Seaton
Occupation Publisher
Born December 11, 1909 - Washington, D.C.
Died January 16, 1974 - Minneapolis, MN
Honors Received:
- Honorary Doctorate - University of Alaska, 1958
Harry Truman
President, United States of America (1945-53)
Vice President, United States of America (1945)
US Senator (1935-45)
- Only President to actively support Alaska statehood throughout tenure
Occupation Merchant, Farmer and Politician
Born May 8, 1884 - Lamar, Missouri
Died December 26, 1972 - Kansas City, Missouri
Quotes on Alaska Statehood:
We should also consider our obligation to assure the fullest possible measure of civil rights to the people of our territories and possessions. I believe that the time has come for Alaska and Hawaii to be admitted to the Union as States.
-President Harry Truman's third State of the Union Address, January 7, 1948
Thomas Kuchel