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It was on July 9, 1927, almost a hundred years ago, that Benny Benson ran the very first Alaska flag up a flagpole. He was the 14-year-old Alaska Native student, who won a statewide contest for the flag’s iconic design –- eight stars of gold on a field of blue.

In this episode of “Island Interviews,” KUCB's Sofia Stuart-Rasi spoke with God's Closet Manager Deb Rhodes and Elder Marty Diaz about the history of the mission and what the current clothing needs are, like receiving winter clothing even during the summer.

In this episode of "Island Interviews," Historian Dr. Michael Livingston, who recently wrote a paper about Benson, discusses the state flag contest and some challenges Benson faced while competing. He also shares how Benson's Unangax̂ heritage might have influenced his design for the state flag and that some say the design originated in Unalaska.

On July 9, Alaska celebrated its state Flag Day. In 1959, Alaska was the second-to-last state to join the Union, and while the territory of Alaska didn't…