Henry Giessenbier founded the Jaycees in 1920, with 3,000 members, in St. Louis, Missouri. It was Henry’s vision to provide young people with opportunities which they had little or no access to otherwise attain. He believed that young people could change the world. He was right.

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.

His theory was simple – to offer leadership opportunities to young people, giving them hands-on experience through serving the community. That concept has never wavered.

"From within the walls of the soul of this organization wherein the foundation of character and good citizenship are laid, I hope a message will come in the sometime of tomorrow that will stir the people towards the establishment of a permanent and everlasting world peace."
- Henry Giessenbier (1892-1935)

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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 the first international conference, Pan American Congress, in Mexico City on December 1. Raul Garcia Vidal from Mexico was elected as the first president.
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.
1952 – The JCI Senate was formed through the efforts of Phil Pugsley, the 1951 JCI President, at the 7th JCI World Congress in Melbourne, Australia. The granting of a Senatorship is the highest honour within JCI and awards life-long membership to an individual member.  
1953 – Jaycees sponsored stops on Professional Golfers’ Association tour for first time at Greensboro, North Carolina, and Hartford, Connecticut. The first permanent World Headquarters was established at the United States Jaycees War Memorial Headquarters Building in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Philip Van Slyck was hired as JCI's first full-time Secretary General. The first JCI European Conference was held in Paris.
1954 – First Outstanding Young Farmer and Junior Tennis programs held.
1955 – The rapidly growing World Headquarters moved to its own building in Miami Beach, Florida, USA. 
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.
1969 – The World Headquarters was built in Coral Gables, Florida, USA to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Junior Chamber International.

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 – At the 38th JCI World Congress in Taipei, the organization's name was changed from Junior Chamber International to Jaycees International. Also in 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 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.
1988 – At the 39th JCI World Congress in Sydney, Australia, the organisation's name was again changed from Jaycees International to Junior Chamber International (JCI).
1989 – 1989 was an historic year for JCI as membership was extended to the Eastern Block countries of Estonia (USSR), Poland and Hungary. 

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.
2002 – JCI Head Quarters was relocated to St. Louis, Missouri.
2003 – JCI rebranded so that worldwide, national organisations began with Junior Chamber International, followed by its geographical area and adopted at local level too with local chambers adding JCI before their town or city name.
2004 – Bylaw change established membership age as 18 through 40.

2015 – JCI celebrated 100 years since Henry Giessenbier launched JCI.

The Future

• From the beginning, JCI members drive toward the vision of a better world. Throughout JCI’s history, this vision has adjusted to the needs of the global community at any particular time, yet active citizens have continued to create positive change. As JCI members around the world celebrate the impact created during the past century, it is also important to prepare for the next 100 years of impact.

• The collaborative ownership of challenges and solutions by all community stakeholders is what produces sustainable impact. JCI will be the organization that unites all sectors of society, from government to business to civil society, for sustainable impact.

• JCI projects are creative and unique; and are ahead of their time. Collaborate and connect with JCI, an organization that has inspired 100 years of impact and that will continue to empower and activate young people across the globe for another 100 years.

Asides activities by Jaycees to create impact local community level worldwide, notable international achievements include being the first multi-racial organization recognized by the government in apartheid South Africa and introducing democracy into Japan following World War II. Young active citizens continue to unite across the world, fuelling the JCI movement and creating positive change, sustaining our legacy of impact