Links

• Full text of Ernest Gruening's April 11, 1955, speech to the Convention delegates, titled "Let Us Now End American Colonialism!"
• Full text of George H. Lehleitner's speech to the Convention delegates, titled "The Tennessee Plan: Admission of the Bold"
• Address of Constitutional Convention President William S. Egan
• A Brief History of Alaska Statehood, by Eric Gislason
• More about the Constitutional Convention
• Alaska Statehood Act
• More about Ernest Gruening:
  First article;
  Second article
• More about E.L. "Bob" Bartlett:
  First article;
  Second article
• More about Ralph Rivers
• Constitutional Convention delegate Ada Wien interview regarding pro- and anti-statehood advocates, including Austin "Cap" Lathrop

Audio and video about statehood

	Johansen, Woodrow interview (04/17/1985) 06 of 27	Road construction; Statehood; Johansen, Woodrow, (Henry Woodrow), 1919-1991; Schneider, William S., 1946-., Ph.D.; O'Neill, Dan (Daniel T.); Richardson, W. P. (Wilds Preston), 1861-1929; United States. Army; Alaska Road Commission;	(7:03 min.) (06 of 27) Alaska Road Commission II Commission members lived in Alaska, but had to get funding from Congress. Later got funding from the Departments of Commerce and Interior.
	Nerland, Leslie interview (08/31/1981) 02 of 09	Statehood; Constitutional conventions; Fishing industry; Mining; Political activity; Nerland, Les (Arthur Leslie), 1902-1992 Fairbanks (Alaska);	(4:49 min.) (02 of 09) 2. Important issues. Les was interested in statehood and getting a fair share for Alaska; he was less interested in specific issues.
	Nerland, Leslie interview (08/31/1981) 03 of 09	Coal mining; Politics & government; Statehood; Constitutional conventions; Political activity; Egan, Bill (William A.), 1914-1984; Nerland, Les (Arthur Leslie), 1902-1992 Fairbanks (Alaska);	(03 of 09) 3. Coal; constitutional convention Coal was needed in Fairbanks and was shipped to Korea. Les believed that he was in the middle in terms of political knowledge.
	Nerland, Leslie interview (08/31/1981) 04 of 09	Statehood; Constitutional conventions; Political activity; Nerland, Les (Arthur Leslie), 1902-1992; Fairbanks (Alaska);	(3:00 min.) (04 of 09) 4. Statehood issues Taxes need to be fair and equal. Money should not be raised except to fund services for the state. Church and State need to be kept separate.
	Nerland, Leslie interview (08/31/1981) 05 of 09	Statehood; Constitutional conventions; Winter; Political activity; Nerland, Les (Arthur Leslie), 1902-1992 Fairbanks (Alaska);	(5:20 min.) (05 of 09) 5. The convention It was a cold winter. Les drove some of the delegates to the University, where the convention was held. Sessions lasted most of the day.
	Nerland, Leslie interview (08/31/1981) 06 of 09	Statehood; Constitutional conventions; Political activity; Nerland, Les (Arthur Leslie), 1902-1992 Fairbanks (Alaska);	(06 of 09) 6. Consultants and committees There were consultants at the convention to offer advice and assistance, including some consultants who were pushing an agenda.
	Nerland, Leslie interview (08/31/1981) 07 of 09	Statehood; Constitutional conventions; Political activity; Nerland, Les (Arthur Leslie), 1902-1992 Fairbanks (Alaska);	(4:27 min.) (07 of 09) 7. Most wanted statehood A majority in Fairbanks and Anchorage wanted statehood. Southeast was the only part of the state with reservations.
	Nerland, Leslie interview (08/31/1981) 08 of 09	Statehood; Constitutional conventions; Political activity; Nerland, Les (Arthur Leslie), 1902-1992 Fairbanks (Alaska);	(3:45 min.) (08 of 09) 8. Rural/Urban divide The borough concept might have been an error. There are some problems between the city and the Borough.
	Nerland, Leslie interview (08/31/1981) 09 of 09	Statehood; Constitutional conventions; Political activity; Nerland, Les (Arthur Leslie), 1902-1992 Fairbanks (Alaska);	(4:20 min.) (09 of 09) 9. After the convention. Les played a very valuable role in bringing people together. There was great camaraderie among the delegates.
	Nome Statehood Parade	Parades & processions; Statehood; Crowds; Business districts; Floats (Parades); Nome (Alaska);	32 second film clip, color/silent, of the statehood parade in Nome, Alaska. The parade includes marching soldiers, children on bicycles, and cub scouts. One of the floats depicts Hawaii.
	Wien, Ada interview (08/06/1982) 01 of 12	Statehood; Constitutional conventions; Wien, Ada B.; Schneider, William S., 1946-., Ph.D.; Fairbanks (Alaska); Nome (Alaska);	(2:37 min.) (01 of 12) Ada's Background and Statehood Nome -- born; education -- Nome; Boston Tea Party -- learned in fourth grade; "taxation without representation"; Statehood; married -- aviati
	Wien, Ada interview (08/06/1982) 02 of 12	Statehood; Constitutional conventions; Wien, Ada B.; Schneider, William S., 1946-., Ph.D.; Fairbanks (Alaska);	(2:20 min.) (02 of 12) Toast Mistress Club and the Statehood Issue debating committee; debate -- Statehood issue; rules; politics, religion; appoint a committee to study issue of Statehood;
	Wien, Ada interview (08/06/1982) 03 of 12	Statehood; Constitutional conventions; Treaties; Wien, Ada B.; Schneider, William S., 1946-., Ph.D.; Fairbanks (Alaska);	(3:01 min.) (03 of 12) Ada studying Statehood Packets Hawaii -- Statehood for Constitutional Convention; State Constitutions -- compared all articles; Treaty -- Russia and the US; purchase of Alaska
	Wien, Ada interview (08/06/1982) 04 of 12	Statehood; Constitutional conventions; Petroleum industry; Wien, Ada B.; Schneider, William S., 1946-., Ph.D.; Fairbanks (Alaska);	(2:08 min.) (04 of 12) Benefits of Statehood Territorial days -- governed by the Department of the Interior; policies constantly changed; no money -- exploration and development; no set regulations
	Wien, Ada interview (08/06/1982) 05 of 12	Statehood; Constitutional conventions; Wien, Ada B.; Schneider, William S., 1946-., Ph.D.; Fairbanks (Alaska);	(3:53 min.) (05 of 12) Experiences working towards Statehood; Senate of the United States; arguments for and against Statehood; Statehood Bill passed -- June 30th, 8 pm 1958; American -- Alaskan;
	Wien, Ada interview (08/06/1982) 06 of 12	Statehood; Constitutional conventions; Natural resources Wien, Ada B.; Schneider, William S., 1946-., Ph.D.; Fairbanks (Alaska);	(2:39 min.) (06 of 12) Types of development in Alaska after Statehood and the Resource Article development -- resources; 33 -- strategic minerals; undeveloped minerals -- Alaska; oil on Arctic Coast
	Wien, Ada interview (08/06/1982) 07 of 12	Statehood; Constitutional conventions; Lawyers; Wien, Ada B.; Schneider, William S., 1946-., Ph.D.; Fairbanks (Alaska);	(3:50 min.) (07 of 12) Appropriate balance between outside experts and long time Alaskans good balance; 11 attorneys; Judicial Article -- aware of attorneys;
	Wien, Ada interview (08/06/1982) 08 of 12	Statehood; Constitutional conventions; Wien, Ada B.; Schneider, William S., 1946-., Ph.D.; Fairbanks (Alaska);	(3:11 min.) (08 of 12) Pork-Barrel appointment to judgeships and reactions to Ada being a part of the Constitutional Convention Fairbanks -- before Statehood;
	Wien, Ada interview (08/06/1982) 09 of 12	Statehood; Constitutional conventions; Politics & government; Airline industry; Wien, Ada B.; Schneider, William S., 1946-., Ph.D.; Lathrop, Cap (Austin Eugene), 1865-1950; Fairbanks (Alaska);	(2:53 min.) (09 of 12) People's lack on interest in Statehood and politics; airplane business; dedicated mother; Toast Mistress Club; education; Alaskans -- not interested in regulations or laws;
	Wien, Ada interview (08/06/1982) 10 of 12	Statehood; Constitutional conventions; Wien, Ada B.; Schneider, William S., 1946-., Ph.D.; Fairbanks (Alaska);	(3:05 min.) (10 of 12) Ideas discussed at the Convention; common wealth; discussions -- Convention; counties versus boroughs; counties -- corrupt form of government; double taxation;
	Wien, Ada interview (08/06/1982) 11 of 12	Statehood; Constitutional conventions; Wien, Ada B.; Schneider, William S., 1946-., Ph.D.; Fairbanks (Alaska);	(3:05 min.) (11 of 12) Working behind the scenes -- behind the Convention and the effects of the Constitution on Alaska inexperience -- parliamentary law; rules; behind the scenes;
	Wien, Ada interview (08/06/1982) 12 of 12	Statehood; Constitutional conventions; Wien, Ada B.; Schneider, William S., 1946-., Ph.D.; Fairbanks (Alaska);	(2:12 min.) (12 of 12) Final comments for the record -- proud of Alaska; working within the government; obtained Statehood -- without revolution; Alaska -- finest state in the Union;
	Tillion, Clem interview (07/16/1981) 01 of 08	Malaria; Politics & government; Conservatism; Statehood; Tillion, Clem R.;	(3:23 min.) (01 of 08) 1. Clem's history in Alaska. Clem came to Alaska to recover from malaria contracted during WWII in the South Pacific.
	Tillion, Clem interview (07/16/1981) 02 of 08	Statehood; Constitutional conventions; Fishing industry; Political activity; Tillion, Clem R.;	(4:03 min.) (02 of 08) 2. Statehood convention Issue revolved around who should be in control of Alaska's resources, the territory or the Federal Government.
	Tillion, Clem interview (07/16/1981) 03 of 08	Politics & government; Statehood; Fishing industry; Tillion, Clem R.;	(2:30 min.) (03 of 08) 3. Outside [non-Alaskan] control Still thinks at time of interview that becoming a commonwealth would have been better. Sees a major problem with control in Washington
	Tillion, Clem interview (07/16/1981) 04 of 08	Politics & government; Legislators; Tillion, Clem R.;	(3:03 min.) (04 of 08) 4. Statehood changes Should be locals in control rather than those in Washington. Clem states we were given control over the natural and biological resources in the state
	Tillion, Clem interview (07/16/1981) 06 of 08	Statehood; Country life; Tillion, Clem R.; Tillion, Diana	(5:35 min.) (06 of 08) 6. Urban-rural divide The divide was not an issue until the majority of population moved to the city. Clem sees states outside Alaska as being willing to take advantage