Official and Traditional Colors of Alaska
Alaska state colors are Blue and Gold, drawn from the 1927 state flag. Find HEX, RGB, CMYK, and Pantone codes plus the history and meaning.
Official color palette of Alaska
State color reference
- Official colors
- Blue and Gold
- Official since
- Traditional (based on 1927 state flag)
- Primary use
- State Flag, state branding, University of Alaska system colors
- Known for
- Blue representing the Alaskan sky and forget-me-not flower; gold representing the North Star, the midnight sun, and the state's mineral wealth
Color Specifications
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Blue
Represents the Alaskan sky, the forget-me-not state flower, and the vast open wilderness of the Last Frontier; the deep blue conveys endurance, loyalty, and the Arctic night sky
Gold
Represents the North Star (Polaris), the midnight sun, and Alaska's mineral wealth including gold discovered during the Klondike Gold Rush; gold symbolizes prosperity and the state's vast natural resources
WCAG Contrast Checker
Accessibility compliance for Blue and Gold
Gold
on Blue background
Blue
on Gold background
WCAG 2.1 Standards:
- AA Normal Text: 4.5:1 minimum
- AA Large Text: 3:1 minimum
- AAA Normal Text: 7:1 minimum
- AAA Large Text: 4.5:1 minimum
Developer Export
Copy-paste ready code snippets
CSS Variables
/* CSS Variables for Alaska */
:root {
--alaska-blue: #003087;
--alaska-gold: #FFB81C;
}Tailwind CSS Config
// tailwind.config.js
module.exports = {
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
'alaska': {
'blue': '#003087',
'gold': '#FFB81C',
}
}
}
}
}SCSS Variables
// SCSS Variables for Alaska
$alaska-blue: #003087;
$alaska-gold: #FFB81C;
Number of flag design submissions from Alaskan schoolchildren in the 1927 contest, won by 13-year-old Benny Benson whose blue-and-gold design defined the state's colors
Official Designation and History
Alaska does not have officially legislated state colors designated by a separate statute. However, the colors blue and gold have become the de facto state colors through their prominent use on the Alaska state flag, which was adopted on May 2, 1927, while Alaska was still a territory, and retained upon statehood in 1959. The flag features eight gold stars arranged as the Big Dipper and Polaris (the North Star) on a field of deep blue sky, as codified in Alaska Statute 44.09.010, and this legal continuity complements Alaska's state motto.
The flag's design was created by 13-year-old Benny Benson of Chignik, Alaska, who won a territorial flag design contest in 1927. His entry was selected from 142 submissions by schoolchildren across the territory. Benson's written description specified 'blue for the Alaska sky and the forget-me-not, an Alaskan flower' and 'gold for the future State of Alaska and the valuable mineral it stores.' These two colors have since unified Alaska's governmental and cultural visual identity.
The 1927 Flag Design Contest
The Alaska Territory held an official flag design contest in 1927 open to all students in grades 7 through 12. Benny Benson, a seventh-grade student of Swedish and Alutiiq descent, submitted the winning design from the Jesse Lee Home Mission School in Seward. The territorial legislature adopted his design by passage of the Alaska Flag Act on May 2, 1927. When Alaska achieved statehood on January 3, 1959, the flag design was retained unchanged and codified into Alaska state law.
Statehood and Codification
Upon Alaska's admission to the Union as the 49th state, the blue-and-gold flag was formally incorporated into Alaska Statute 44.09.010, which describes the flag as 'eight gold stars in a field of blue.' The statute does not specify precise Pantone or HEX values, but the University of Alaska system and state government agencies have standardized PMS 281 for the blue field and PMS 116 for the gold stars in official print and digital communications.
Key milestones
Klondike Gold Rush begins, cementing gold as a defining symbol of Alaska's identity and mineral wealth
The forget-me-not (blue petals) is adopted as the Alaska territorial flower, connecting the color blue to Alaska's natural landscape
Benny Benson wins the territorial flag contest; Alaska Flag Act adopted on May 2, establishing blue and gold as the territory's traditional colors
Alaska achieves statehood as the 49th state on January 3; the blue-and-gold flag is retained and codified in Alaska Statute 44.09.010
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What the Colors Represent
The blue and gold color combination carries profound geographic and cultural meaning rooted in Alaska's natural environment. Blue directly references two elements specific to Alaska: the vast, clear Alaskan sky that dominates the state's dramatic landscape, and the forget-me-not (Myosotis alpestris), which became the official state flower in 1917 and is documented on Alaska's flower page. Gold references Polaris, the North Star that has guided Arctic navigators and Indigenous peoples for centuries, as well as the mineral wealth that has defined Alaska's economic history from the Klondike Gold Rush through modern resource development.
Blue in Alaska History
The selection of blue as the dominant field color for the Alaska flag was a deliberate choice by designer Benny Benson to capture the essence of Alaska's geography. The deep navy blue of PMS 281 evokes the midnight sky visible during Alaska's long winters, the color of glacier-fed lakes, and the petals of the forget-me-not. The forget-me-not was already an established symbol of Alaska by 1927, having been adopted as the territorial flower a decade earlier by the Alaska Pioneer Women's Association in 1917.
Gold in Alaska History
The gold color in Alaska's flag carries a dual symbolism with deep historical resonance. Most prominently, gold represents Polaris (the North Star), which holds special navigational and cultural significance in Arctic regions. Equally important is the reference to Alaska's mineral wealth: the Klondike Gold Rush of 1896-1899 transformed Alaska and the Yukon into a world-famous destination and is a cornerstone of the state's economic and cultural identity. The bright, warm tone of PMS 116 gold also evokes the midnight sun, the remarkable phenomenon of continuous summer daylight unique to Alaska's high-latitude geography.
Usage in Flags, Seals, and Insignias
The blue and gold colors appear on the Alaska state flag, which flies over all state government buildings and is displayed at official state functions. The Alaska state seal, adopted in 1913, uses a broader palette including green for forests and white for snow, but the state flag's blue and gold remain the primary colors associated with Alaska's official identity. These colors are incorporated into Alaska state highway signage, the University of Alaska system's branding across all three campuses (Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Southeast), and official state tourism marketing materials. The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development maintains the flag's specifications for use in educational settings throughout the state, including context around The Last Frontier nickname.
At a national level, Alaska's visual identity is often compared with other large states in U.S. states by land area.
Timeline
Klondike Gold Rush begins, cementing gold as a defining symbol of Alaska's identity and mineral wealth
Klondike Gold Rush begins, cementing gold as a defining symbol of Alaska's identity and mineral wealth
The forget-me-not (blue petals) is adopted as the Alaska territorial flower, connecting the color blue to Alaska's natural landscape
Benny Benson wins the territorial flag contest; Alaska Flag Act adopted on May 2, establishing blue and gold as the territory's traditional colors
Benny Benson wins the territorial flag contest; Alaska Flag Act adopted on May 2, establishing blue and gold as the territory's traditional colors
Alaska achieves statehood as the 49th state on January 3; the blue-and-gold flag is retained and codified in Alaska Statute 44.09.010
"Benny Benson's design is remarkable for its simplicity and symbolic depth. The blue field and gold stars represent not just a flag, but the entire geographic and cultural soul of Alaska in two colors."
Quick Answers
What are the official colors of Alaska?
What is the HEX code for Alaska Blue?
What is the HEX code for Alaska Gold?
Who designed the Alaska state flag?
Why did Alaska choose blue and gold?
Sources
- Alaska Statute 44.09.010 - State Flag
- Alaska Division of Community and Regional Affairs - State Symbols
- Alaska State Library - Benny Benson and the Alaska Flag
- University of Alaska Brand Identity Guidelines
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