Legislation1959
Alaska Admitted as 49th State
President Eisenhower signed the proclamation admitting Alaska as the 49th state of the Union. Alaska had been a U.S. territory since its purchase from Russia in 1867, and statehood came after decades of advocacy by Alaskan residents who sought full representation in Congress.
Why It Matters
Alaska's admission expanded American democracy to new frontiers and underscored the principle that territorial residents deserved equal representation in the federal government.