Constitutional Convention
A sense of both history and of destiny sat with the 55 delegates throughout their deliberations at Constitution Hall on the campus of the University of Alaska at College, just a few miles west of Fairbanks. Many factors contributed to this: the number 55, chosen in emulation of the 55-member Philadelphia convention of 1787; the belief of Alaskans in the limitless future of their vast land and their pride in being the last of the pioneers of the old tradition; the personal dedication evidenced by the members of the convention; and the university setting which was conducive to the remarkable industry and concentration which they devoted to their work.
-Dr. John Bebout, Alaska Constitutional Convention Consultant & Professor at the New York University School of Administration
Delegates
Looking back to those events that preceded and prepared the way for statehood, Alaska's constitutional convention of 1955-56 stands out as perhaps the final major milestone presaging the end of a long and sometimes bitter struggle for self-determination.
The story of the 1955-56 Alaska Constitutional Convention is a good one and is a pleasure to tell. The main difficulty in telling it lies in passing on to those who were not there the dedication, the vitality, the exhilaration and the idealism that in 1955-56 characterized Alaska's constitution-making process.
-Victor Fischer, Constitutional Convention Delegate, Author of Alaska's Constitutional Convention