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Junior
Chamber International History
The
origin of Junior Chamber can be traced as far back as 1910 to the city of
St. Louis, Missouri, in the United States
of America. A young man named Henry Giessenbier and his friends formed the
Herculaneum Dance Club with the main objective being the preservation of
conservative dance styles.
Five
years later, in 1915, Colonel H.N. Morgan, a prominent St. Louis citizen,
inspired the members of the dance club to become more involved in civic issues.
Giessenbier and 32 other young men formed the Young Men's Progressive Civic
Association (YMPCA) on October 13, 1915. This organization grew to a membership
of 750 in less than five months.
THE
BIRTH OF JUNIOR CHAMBER
The
very next year, 1916, saw another change of name as the YMPCA became Junior
Citizens, commonly called JCs, which later became Jaycees. The year 1918 marked
another change as the JCs were affiliated with the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce
and officially became the St. Louis Junior Chamber of Commerce.
After
WWI, Giessenbier contacted other cities in the United States with similar young
businessmen's groups, and, subsequently, 29 clubs from around the nation formed
the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce. Henry Giessenbier was elected the
first President of the national organization.
CROSSING
THE ATLANTIC
The
international chapter of the organization began in 1923 with the Winnipeg Board
of Trade's becoming the first Junior Chamber outside the United States. By 1928
the idea of an international body crossed the Atlantic Ocean to England.
In
1940 a resolution was passed by the United States Junior Chamber approving a
program to further mutual interests among countries in Central and South
America. This lead to the establishment of Junior Chambers in Mexico City,
Guatemala City, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama City in
1943.
The
realization of Junior Chamber International had
THE
FIRST WORLD CONGRESS
Two
years later, in February of 1946, the first World Congress was held in Panama
City. This congress was attended by 44 delegates from 16 different countries.
The international organization was formally constituted, a temporary
constitution was approved, and the word "Commerce" was omitted from
the official name.
Erasmo
Chambonnet of Panama was elected the second JCI President at that Congress, and
Australia and Canada were officially affiliated.
In
1948 the JCI Creed was officially adopted at the IV JCI
World Congress in Rio de Janeiro, and in 1952 a permanent Secretariat was
established. In 1972 the name was changed to Jaycees International; however, in
1988 the name was changed back to Junior Chamber International.
U.S.
Junior Chamber History
Henry “Hy” Giessenbier visualized an organization that would allow
young men to develop their business skills and reputations in the community. In
his era, most young men were out of school and working by the age of 15. Their
first jobs were most likely the jobs they held throughout their lives. With luck
and hard work, some might reach executive positions by their forties.
Giessenbier felt that young men were not receiving the opportunities necessary
to develop their skills at a younger age, thus depriving our nation of an
important resource, and so he formed the founding ideals of the U.S. Junior
Chamber.
1920s
1920 - The United States Junior Chamber of Commerce (USJCC) was formed in
St. Louis, Missouri, with 3,000 members.
1923 - Get Out The Vote was the first Jaycee program to receive national
endorsement.
1925 - Beginning of national projects Know America First and Fire
Prevention. Birth of EXPANSION, the first USJCC national magazine.
1926 - Development of aviation adopted as national project.
1927 - Jaycee Charles A. Lindbergh made the first solo flight between New
York and Paris. Jaycees worked with Lindbergh to develop the U.S. Air Mail
Service.
1930s
1931 - Distinguished Service Awards program established at the chapter
level.
1935 - Death of founder Henry Giessenbier.
1936 - National Wildlife Federation established with guidance of USJCC.
1937 - Programs begun at state and national level to inform public of
need for diagnosis and treatment of venereal disease.
1938 - Future Magazine established. USJCC name Ten Outstanding Young Men
for the first time.
1939 - Safety with Light campaign gained national attention as thousands
of street lights were donated to communities by Jaycees.
1940s
1940 - USJCC endorsed the principle of a military draft.
1944 - Junior Chamber International (JCI) formed at Pan American Congress
in Mexico City.
1946 - USJCC established permanent headquarters in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Junior Golf program begun.
1947 - Official approval of Jaycee as synonym of organization. Adoption
of Jaycee Creed.
1950s
1951 - War Memorial Headquarters in Tulsa dedicated. At urging of Andy
Mungenast, the reference to “Faith in God” was added to the Jaycee Creed.
1953 - Jaycees sponsored stops on Professional Golfers’ Association
tour for first time at
Greensboro, North Carolina, and Hartford, Connecticut.
1954 - First Outstanding Young Farmer and Junior Tennis programs held.
1959 - Jaycees supported statehood for Alaska. Hawaii gained statehood
the following year due to Jaycee efforts.
1960s
1961 - First Governmental Affairs Leadership Seminar conducted.
1962 - Jaycees urge adoption of Uniform Vehicle Code, with emphasis on
state action resulting in adoption nationally.
1963 - Clean Water Program launched to improve water quality in
communities across America.
Shooting Education adopted as a national program.
1964 - Project Concern adopted as International Relations activity.
Program raised money and
equipment for clinics providing medical care to Chinese refugees in Hong Kong.
1965 - Jaycees presented first annual National Award of Distinction from
National Clean Up-Paint Up-Fix Up Bureau.
1966 - Name of organization officially changed to U.S. Jaycees.
1970s
1970 - Do Something campaign sparked national interest in volunteerism.
Jaycees’ cooperation with other service organizations resulted in the founding
of the National Center for Voluntary Action.
1971 - More than 3,000,000 volunteer hours were provided by Jaycees to
help administer seven million doses of rubella measles vaccine.
1972 - Jaycees undertook model Operation Identification program to combat
burglaries and aid crime prevention efforts. Five million stickers were
distributed nationally through Operation Red Ball to reduce fire fatalities.
Bylaw change admitted 18-year-olds as regular members.
1973 - The United States Jaycees’ Center for Improved Child Nutrition
opened in Bloomington,
Minnesota.
1977 - Operation Threshold, a program dedicated to reducing alcohol
abuse, reached more than 23 million Americans. Muscular Dystrophy Fund Raising
adopted as national program.
1980s
1980 - Daisy/U.S. Jaycees Shooting Education program honored with
National Safety Council Award for Youth Activities.
1982 - Healthy American Fitness Leaders adopted as national program.
1984 - Bylaw change admitted women as full and regular members. Sign Up
America campaign
collected 1.5 million signatures supporting America’s Olympic athletes.
1985 - The U.S. Jaycees endorsed Campaign for Liberty to encourage public
support for restoration of Statue of Liberty. St. Jude Fundraising adopted as
national program.
1986 - First woman honored by Congress of Ten Outstanding Young
Americans.
1987 - Bylaw change established membership age as 21 through 39. Name of
U.S. Jaycees’ official publication changed to JAYCEES MAGAZINE.
1990s
1990 - Name of organization officially changed back to The U.S. Junior
Chamber of Commerce.
1992 - National Wake Up America program urged communities to get involved
in politics by coordinating voter registration campaigns, hosting debates, and
embracing pertinent community issues. Jaycees responded to devastating
hurricanes in the southeast with national support.
1993 - GreenWorks! environmental education and community action program
adopted by USJCC. Jaycees Against Youth Smoking (JAYS) adopted as national
program. Junior Chamber members were instrumental in bringing relief to the
flood-stricken Midwest.
1994 - Junior Chamber Mission Inn Foundation created to build a
nationwide network of care facilities for children and adolescents affected by
HIV/AIDS.
1995 - The Jaycee Alliance was formed as a non-partisan, educational,
grassroots governmental advocacy organization to give young Americans a voice in
government. The Jaycee KidCare I.D. Program was organized to provide
identification to aid in the recovery of missing children.
1996 - The Jaycees Wake Up America Tour bus began a journey through the
48 contiguous states promoting programs and membership. Social Security Reform
Town Hall Meetings program initiated.
1997 - Junior Chamber Center for Entrepreneurship and Career Advancement
begun — a program designed to train young entrepreneurs and improve local
economies.
1998 - Junior Chamber Center for Entrepreneurship and Career Advancement
name changed to Junior Chamber Center for Business Advancement. Two new
programs, National Business Network and Virtual Networking, added to encourage
Junior Chamber members to business network via the Internet both nationally and
internationally.
1999 - JAYS program reintroduced as an educational program that informs
children about the dangers of smoking. Value Investing and Career Advancement
added to the Junior Chamber Center for Business Advancement.
2000s
2000 - First female elected National President. Junior Chamber Center for
Business Advancement develops web-based video seminar training.
For more insight on how the Junior Chamber has affected the lives of its
members, the following book is recommended: A Legacy of Leadership, by
John W. Clark, USJCC Historian. This book can be obtained by contacting The
Junior Chamber Products Department. You can e-mail them at: salesjci@aol.com
or visit them at www.juniorchamber.org
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