Today commemorates the transfer of the Alaska territory from Tsarist Russia to the United States on October 18, 1867 in Sitka, Alaska. This year’s Alaska Day Festival has an aviation theme, “Celebrating Alaskan Aviation,” highlighting the importance of aviation to Alaska economically and culturally, as well as the courage and skill of the many pilots in the past and currently, flying and maintaining aircraft.
United States Senator Lisa Murkowski is scheduled to speak about Alaska Day on the Senate floor at 2:30 AKDT today, October 18, 2011. C-SPAN2 will carry a live broadcast of the speech.