State corrects birth certificate for teen who designed Alaska flag in 1927

JUNEAU (AP) — The state has issued a corrected birth certificate for the teenage designer of the Alaska flag, after researchers who were looking into his heritage found records indicating he was born more than a year earlier than previously believed.

The change means John Ben Benson Jr. — believed to be the only Indigenous person to design a state flag — did so when he was 14, not 13.

Alaska Superior Court Judge Adolf Zeman last week ordered the state to issue a birth certificate for Benson with the birth date of Sept. 12, 1912, and for his mother’s maiden name to be corrected.

The order follo...

 
 

Reader Comments(0)