Creators of the Alaska Constitution gather at UAF

Submitted by Marmian Grimes
Phone: (907) 474-7902
01/26/06

Alaskans will have the opportunity to meet some of the people who crafted the foundation for the state Saturday, Feb. 4. Participants in Alaska’s constitutional convention will return to the University of Alaska Fairbanks for events celebrating the completion and signing of the constitution at the campus 50 years ago.

The weekend celebration will include two free public events Feb. 4. A symposium from 1-4 p.m. in UAF’s Schaible Auditorium will feature participants in the 1955-56 constitutional convention and offers a rare opportunity to hear personal accounts of Alaska history. In the evening, KUAC-TV will host the debut screening of its hour-long documentary, The 49th Star: Creating Alaska, which chronicles the road to statehood and the constitutional convention. A public reception will follow. The documentary is to air for the first time on public television throughout Alaska Monday, Feb. 6 at 8 p.m.

In addition to the free events, tickets to a Saturday dinner honoring the constitutional convention participants are available for $50 by calling (907) 474-7581. Following is a schedule of the weekend’s events:

Saturday, Feb. 4, 2006 at UAF

1-4 p.m.--Alaska’s constitution: A public symposium and discussion. Free. UAF Schaible Auditorium. The symposium will feature moderated discussions with constitutional convention participants, historians and others who have contributed to Alaska’s history as a state.

5:30-7:45 p.m.--Creating Alaska dinner community celebration. $50 per person. UAF Wood Center Ballroom. Tickets are limited and can be purchased by calling 474-7581. RSVP by Jan. 27; ask for Mildred. Honored guests at the dinner will include participants in Alaska’s constitutional convention.

8-9 p.m.--Debut showing of KUAC’s The 49th Star: Creating Alaska. Free. UAF Davis Concert Hall. This new documentary, produced by KUAC-TV, presents original interviews with creators of Alaska’s constitution and historical footage from the statehood era.

9:15 -10 p.m.--Documentary reception. Free. UAF Regents Great Hall. An opportunity to meet creators of the Alaska Constitution, as well as to see a museum display of the Alaska Constitution timeline and artifacts from the convention. Cake and coffee will be served.

Monday, Feb. 6, 2006

8 p.m.-- The 49th Star: Creating Alaska, a new documentary about Alaska’s constitutional convention and the statehood effort, produced by KUAC-TV, will be broadcast for the first time on KUAC.

These events are part of the University of Alaska’s Creating Alaska project. For more information about the Creating Alaska project and Alaska’s constitution, visit www.alaska.edu/creatingalaska.

For more information, contact Patti Harper at (907) 786-1169 or patricia.harper@alaska.edu .