Alaska’s Constitution: A Citizen’s Guide: Katie Hurley

In Alaska's Constitution: A Citizen's Guide, Dr. Gordon S. Harrison writes:

"The Alaska Constitution was written during the winter of 1955-1956 at a convention that was held in Fairbanks on the campus of the University of Alaska. The academic setting was chosen to inspire reflective deliberation and to escape the "smoke-filled rooms" of Juneau. Statehood was still three years away, and at the time the prospects were not bright for quick congressional action. Writing a constitution at that time, rather than after Alaska was admitted to the Union, was a [strategy] in the battle for statehood: stalwarts hoped that a good constitution written and acclaimed by the people of the territory would help rally skeptics to their cause and promote statehood in Washington, D.C."

In fact, Hawaii -- the 50th state -- had created their constitution before Alaska.