Hearings had been held in Congress on statehood, and a statehood measure had been approved unanimously by a committee of Congress.
The main task of the Alaska Statehood Committee was to publicize and educate the public in Alaska and Outside on what statehood would do.
It was at 2 p.m. on Monday, June 30, 1958, that Alaskans learned about their statehood. A huge bonfire would be lit in celebration of the event.