Jaycees are organizations that stress individual development through leadership training and civic involvement. About 100 countries and territories have Jaycees organizations. The organization in the United States is called the United States Jaycees. Jaycees learn to be leaders by working in community improvement programs. They sponsor programs on such matters as personal improvement, youth development, government affairs, health, safety, and foreign relations.
Membership in the United States Jaycees is open to all people 18 through 40 years old. Until 1984, women could join the organization but could not vote or hold office. But in that year, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in a Minnesota case that the Jaycees could not deny women voting privileges and other rights of full membership. As a result, the Jaycees dropped all restrictions against women.
The United States Jaycees was organized as the Young Men’s Progressive Civic Association in 1915 in St. Louis. In 1916, the name was changed to Junior Citizens. A national organization was formed in 1920, and the name became the Junior Chamber of Commerce. It became known as the United States Jaycees in 1965, though some chapters still call themselves Junior Chambers.
Junior Chamber International is the worldwide Jaycees organization. It was founded in 1944. Both the United States Jaycees and the Junior Chamber International have headquarters in Chesterfield, Missouri.
