History of the Jaycees
The United States Junior Chamber of Commerce (USJCC) was founded on January 21, 1920 in St. Louis, Missouri, with the aim of providing opportunities for young men to develop personal and leadership skills through service to others. The idea originated from Henry Giessenbier Jr., who formed the Herculaneum Dance Club in 1910 as a way for young men to socialize and improve their community. The club later changed its name to the Young Men’s Progressive Civic Association and then to the Junior Citizens, which was shortened to Jaycees.
The USJCC grew rapidly in the 1920s and 1930s, expanding its membership and activities across the country. Some of the projects initiated by the Jaycees during this period included promoting safety, education, health, housing, parks, recreation, Americanization of immigrants, and public markets. The Jaycees also adopted their creed in 1946, which expressed their beliefs in God, brotherhood, free enterprise, democracy, human personality, and service to humanity.
The USJCC became involved in international affairs in the 1940s and 1950s, joining the Junior Chamber International (JCI) in 1944 and hosting the first JCI World Congress in 1946. The Jaycees also supported various causes such as world peace, human rights, economic development, and cultural exchange. Some of the notable Jaycees who emerged during this era included Warren E. Burger, Gerald Ford, Wendell Ford, and Bill Gates.
The USJCC faced a major challenge in the 1980s when it was sued by women who wanted to join the organization. The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled in 1984 that the Jaycees could not exclude women from membership based on sex discrimination laws. As a result, the USJCC opened its doors to women and changed its name to the United States Junior Chamber (USJC) in 1988. The following year, it also changed its name to JCI USA to align with the global JCI brand.
The USJC/JCI USA continued to pursue its mission of developing leaders and serving communities in the 1990s and 2000s. Some of the programs and initiatives launched by the organization during this period included Project Breakthrough (a youth empowerment program), Nothing But Nets (a campaign to fight malaria), Operation Hope (a disaster relief effort), and Active Citizen Framework (a model for creating positive change). Some of the prominent Jaycees who emerged during this era included Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Larry Bird, and Cal Cunningham.
Today, JCI USA has over 20,000 members in more than 600 chapters across the country. It is part of a global network of more than 200,000 members in over 100 countries. It continues to uphold its vision of being “the leading global network of young active citizens” and its mission of “providing development opportunities that empower young people to create positive change”.