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The
U.S. Junior Chamber founder Henry Giessenbier’s vision
of providing young people with leadership through community
service can be broken down into four Areas of Opportunity:
Business, Individual, Community, and International.
Business: embodying
the line of the Jaycee Creed, which states “Economic justice
can best be won by free men through free enterprise,” this
area provides an opportunity for individual members to contribute
to the development and enhancement of the economic infrastructure,
prosperity, and well-being for their community as well as all
nations.
Individual: embodying
the line of the Jaycee Creed which states “Earth’s
great treasure lies in human personality,” this area provides
an opportunity for individual members to realize their personal
potential through training programs.
Community: embodying
the line of the Jaycee Creed which states “Service to humanity
is the best work of life,” this area develops the sensitivity
of individual members to societal problems and community dynamics
by providing experience in community problem solving.
International: embodying
the line of the Jaycee Creed which states “That the brotherhood
of man transcends the sovereignty of nations,” this area
provides an opportunity for individual members to contribute
to the development of goodwill, understanding, and cooperation
among all peoples.
The
Junior Chamber organization is: “a constructive
action organization of young persons who devote a portion of
their time
to community service in the public interest, developing young
persons as leaders in their communities.” (Taken from The
U.S. Junior Chamber Bylaws Manual.)
The
purpose of the Junior Chamber is: “to promote and foster
the growth and development of young persons’ civic organizations
in the United States, designed to inculcate (to teach and impress
upon) in the individual membership of such organization a spirit
of genuine Americanism and civic interest, and...to provide them
with opportunity for personal development and achievement and
an avenue for intelligent participation...in the affairs of the
community, state, and nation, and to develop true friendship
and understanding among young persons of all nations.” (Taken
from The U.S. Junior Chamber Bylaws Manual.)
Simply
put, the purpose of the local chapter is to become a force for
good in the community, determining community needs and providing
solutions by planning and facilitating community service projects.
In the act of serving, members receive hands-on experience, which
translates to the enhancement of personal growth and the development
of valuable leadership skills. This is the total Junior Chamber
Concept.
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.
United
States
Jaycees Timeline
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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 USJC 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 USJC.
1937 - Programs begun at state and national level to inform public of need
for diagnosis and treatment of venereal disease.
1938 - Future Magazine established. USJC 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 - USJC endorsed the principle of a military draft.
1944 - Junior Chamber International (JCI) formed at Pan American Congress in
Mexico City.
1946 - USJC 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.Gun Safety/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. |
1970s continued
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 Gun Safety/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 USJC. 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.
2001 - Name changes to The United States Junior Chamber
2004 - Bylaw change established membership age as 18 through 40. |
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, USJC Historian.
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