For those that were actually alive at the time, what was the general opinion in the existing 48 states when Hawaii/Alaska were admitted into the union? Were people overwhelmingly for or against it or was there just indifference? I do remember seeing a US flag design contest to find the best design for 50 stars so there had to be a little hype about this.
It was a big deal for Alaska was admitted, since it was the first new state since 1912. Hawaii took an extra year partly because the white supremacists in Congress didn’t like the idea that they were multiracial. But I don’t recall any particular opposition.
More like 6 months actually. Jan 3 and Aug 21 both in 1959. It probably felt like a year because stars are added to the flag on July 4th so Alaska got its in 1959 and Hawaii got its in 1960. I was 10-11 at the time. About the only thing I recall is my parents wouldn’t buy a new flag for the 4th in 1959 as they said it would be a waste because we’d need a new one the next year. Based on this, I’d say it was probably obvious that Hawaii was going to be admitted by at least late June 1959.
I never heard a racial issue at all, but then I’d not likely have done so from my parents.
I’ve always wondered if, subconsciously at least, people wanted Hawaii to join simply because of our affinity for nice round even numbers (i.e. 50 sounds & feels so much nicer then 49)!
Aren’t original 49-star flags worth a little something now? 
Looks like **OldGuy **and I are about the same age. I remember in 5th grade we had some kind of class festival for Hawaii as the 50th state, which is the first (and last) time I tried poi. I don’t remember if we also had one for Alaska, but since it was the previous school year maybe the 5th grade did when I wasn’t in it yet.
I don’t remember much else about it, school was the only place I remember it coming up. The general sense I remember is a vague kind of pride that the country was still growing; also a certain satisfaction that Texas was no longer the biggest state.
But 49 is a perfect square! And 51 is prime!
All I can really remember about this was thinking it meant that new flags would have to be made up. I do not remember any opposition about either state. In 1959 I would have been 12.
I was pretty young so I had no impression of the general opinion. I remember seeing 49 star flags at school. It all happened at once to me, I became aware of how many states there were at 50. The only states I could have named were Maryland and Virginia where I lived, and then Alaska and Hawaii because of the news.
A perfect prime! If not for 17 and 3, that is…
I was a teenager at the time, and I don’t recall any objections . . . except, maybe, from Texans.
How were the stars arranged on the short-lived 49-star flag - just a 7x7 square? Or did we mostly just not bother?
AIUI, Hawaii had been waiting for statehood since right after Sanford Dole’s coup overthrowing Queen Liliuokalani, but was kept out due mainly to anti-Asian racism and concern for tipping the party balance in the Senate. Hawaii statehood only became viable in the Senate when Alaska, and its Republican orientation, became statehood-ready.
I was in school at the time & just remember a generally positive reaction.
The *did * have to change the lyrics of “Texas Our Texas” from “largest & grandest” to “finest & grandest”. But that didn’t affect the general lameness of Our State Song, so nobody really cared…
The two states were added at almost the same time because it was known that one would be mostly Republican and the other Democratic. However, if I recall correctly, it was assumed that Alaska would be Democratic and Hawaii would be Republican!
Isn’t it “Boldest and grandest”?
My first introduction into how petty and insecure Texans are came from hearing over and over for many years about how Alaska shouldn’t really count as a state.
I sometimes heard people arguing that making Hawaii a state meant that the US was committed to going to war if it was ever attacked. Nevermind Dec. 7, 1941.:smack:
I thought it was “finest & grandest” but research shows you’re right.
The main point of my post remains–“Texas Our Texas” is a lame song for a state that’s produced so much great music. It’s not as though anyone sings it voluntarily…
(I remember Weekly Reader being enthusiastic about both new states.)
I was all of 11 at the time, and all I can remember is me thinking “but they’re not even connected to the rest of the states!”
One out of two ain’t so bad.
It was mostly indifference. I was 22 in 1959 and to me it was, “It’s about time”. Yes, some southern congressmen were unhappy about the racial mix in Hawai’i, but I don’t think they tried to block.
As for flags, well most of us had lived with a 6 by 8 rectangular array all our lives and expected to see a 7 by 7 square and were surprised at the staggered flag. But 5 by 10 is just the wrong aspect ratio for the stars, so we were not surprised by that. I imagine that if there is a 51 star flag, it will be alternate 8 and 9 length lines, although other patterns are certainly possible.
I just realized that it was only 47 years from 1912 to 1959, while it is 55 years from 1960 to now. That hit me in much the same way as the fact that Roger Maris held the single season home run record for a longer time than Babe Ruth (34 years vs. 38).
I was born in the Alaska Territory and we were living in Anchorage when Alaska became a state. The only people who were really against it were the business and political interests in Seattle, who had a choke hold on commerce into and out of Alaska, and on the fishing industry there. Alaska was basically governed from Seattle and Washington State profited greatly as a result. One of the first acts of the new state was to bounce Seattle out of Alaskan affairs and to stop the ruination of the salmon fisheries through seine netting at the mouths of rivers.