History

1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | Today

1920s

A sportsman's paradise, a showcase for hospitality and tourism, a social facilitator and an opportunity to promote the city of Los Angeles... these are just a few of the ideas which formulated the vision of the Junior Chamber of Commerce's founders Howard Miller, A.R. Anderson, Jr., Harry Lamport and Paul Samuelson. Setting out to place Los Angeles on the map as a premiere travel destination, the founders fostered a relationship with the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and presented a plan to form a Junior Chamber of Commerce as an extension of the Junior Chamber. In January 1924, the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce received its articles of incorporation and support from the Area Chamber and was on its way to 75 years of rewarding community service.

Benchmarking the first decade of the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce was the L.A. Open golf tournament as well as other sports events and activities such as tennis and yachting. Offering an unheard of purse of $10,000, the L.A. Open set a precedent for other golf tournaments around the nation and became the largest tournament in the West. This historic tournament is still owned and managed by the Junior Chamber.

    

The Junior Chamber also took flight during this decade with its support of the aviation industry. Approached as a means to publicize and promote travel to Los Angeles, the Junior Chamber produced aerial shows and supported the development of Los Angeles International Airport. The span of this ten-year period afforded the city of Los Angeles to become recognized as a desirable, year-round tourism and hospitality destination.

1930s

Depression hit hard and the L.A Open purse dropped proportionately, but Junior Chamber founders and members persevered and forged into new territory. Seeking to revitalize and improve communities impacted by the Depression, the Junior Chamber took steps to foster civic responsibility by supporting International Fire Prevention week, community cleanup operations, creating a Traffic and Safety and Civic Planning Committee and creating a Junior Chamber Music Foundation to advance the expansion of culture.

Simultaneously, the Junior Chamber remained active in promoting Los Angeles as a tourism mecca by creating winter sports events including a regatta and carnival. Branching out even further into the sports realm, the Junior Chamber supported football, established a Sports Fishing Bureau, created the Southern California Sportsman's Association and presented an annual Aquatic show.

Key to the success during the 30's despite the Depression was the continuation of work in the aviation industry. The Junior Chamber helped dedicate the Los Angeles Municipal Airport and gave the acclaimed Colonel Charles Lindbergh an honorary membership for his leadership in aviation.

 

As the 30's drew to an end and the prospect of War loomed in the future, the Junior Chamber received reinforcement and validation of its mission and efforts from President Roosevelt, transforming the Junior Chamber into a dominant community based organization.

Excerpt from President Roosevelt's letter to the Junior Chamber:

"It gives me great pleasure on the occasion of the celebration of the twelfth anniversary of the organization of the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce to extend hearty felicitation to all the members with best wishes that the Chamber will long direct its activities of the upbuilding of the community in which it has become such an important factor."

1940s

The 1940's ushered in the War and the country faced a host of new social challenges. Responding to the effects of the War, the Junior Chamber set itself apart from other community organizations with a fourteen point epigraph outlining civic goals needed to enhance surrounding communities through healthy living, prospering business, improvement of infrastructure, and promotion of hospitality in Los Angeles. Activities supporting these goals included continued support of fire prevention week, creation of the Junior Chamber Golf Foundation, advocating Los Angeles International Airport bond initiatives and the development of more sport and recreational activities.

As one third of the Junior Chamber's membership perished in the War, the Junior Chamber reinforced its community War efforts by providing disaster training, assisting Army recruitment, organizing entertainment for GI's and encouraging part-time war jobs for those who wanted to do more for their community and country.

As the decade closed and the country rebounded from the War, the Junior Chamber commenced its historic journey in working with at-risk youth with the first annual "Orphan" Christmas Party and establishment of the Junior Chamber Charity Foundation whose purpose is to "educate, train, care for and advance children of every race and creed".

    

1950s

The country continued to rebuild itself during the 1950's and so did the Junior Chamber by focusing on establishing a better community in which to live. Projects, goals, mission and focused from the previous three decades coalesced the efforts of the Junior Chamber in this decade as it achieved a true balance between civic responsibility and promotion of tourism and hospitality.

Sports activities continued to be a vehicle to promote Los Angeles as the L.A. Open reached enormous proportions with the largest purse in its history. More importantly, however, 1957 marked the first year women were allowed to volunteer in the L.A. Open. Although women still could not hold membership, they joined the L.A. Open Wives Club to provide hospitality during the tournament and added a new dimension to the face of the Junior Chamber.

Maintaining continuity, the Junior Chamber was active in fire prevention week, harbor day aviation and other community events. The 2,500 mile cross country air route was dedicated the "Will Rogers Skyway" and the first Award of Merit was established and awarded to 1953 Police Chief, William Parker.

The 1950's concluded as turbulent times emerged on the distant horizon of Vietnam and the Watts riots, however, the Junior Chamber was poised to respond to social change as it transformed into a community based organization with more than half of it history grounded in civic, social and recreational development of Los Angeles.

1960s

Radicalism, freedom and peace were at the forefront of the clash between conservative and liberal platforms in the 1960's. The Junior Chamber approached this period with a stronger focus and sense of mission to positively influence the communities most affected by this period of social transition.

The 1965 Watts Riots and Vietnam War divided families and communities through destruction, violence, hostility and prejudice. The Junior Chamber responded to the community by holding L.A. Watts Summer Games who's mission is to "build bridges of understanding" between the youth of the communities at odds with each other. The Watts Games fostered interaction between different cultures, backgrounds and perspectives and were used as a tool to rebuild communities starting with the youth that could make a difference with an open mind.

    

Although social reform was the main focus of the Junior Chamber, this was also the first period during which the Junior Chamber actively branched out into the political realm by creating a speaker series which includes Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Bob Hope as guest speakers.

    

1970s

As the political climate shifted in the 1970's and the country once again rebounded from war trials and tribulations, the Junior Chamber re-energized itself with a concentrated interest in community based sports activities and events, an expanded focus on youth affairs, development of music and fine arts and promotion of business and governmental affairs.

Milestones for this decade included a change in Junior Chamber by-laws which permitted women into membership for the first time in the Junior Chamber's history. Among the first women to join included prominent city and civic leaders: Pat Russell, L.A. City Council 6th District; Pat Delaney, Commissioner of the LA Board of Recreation & Parks; and Joan Flores, Administrative Deputy to LA City Council President.

        

In addition the inclusion of women in membership, the Junior Chamber extended its reach across the globe in the form of the World Affairs Committee who's purpose was to encourage world trade for the Los Angeles area and work toward improvement of the commercial, cultural and social relationships with other nations.









1980s

The beginning of the 1980's decade saw a focus on development and civic involvement encompassing a threefold approach: professional development, personal enrichment and community service. Junior Chamber Committees included business affairs, environmental affairs, management development, governmental affairs, world affairs, and corporate sponsorship of membership. The interest in world affairs from the 70's also spilled into the 80's with the "Century of the Pacific" initiative which enabled the Junior Chamber to develop long-term relationships with Pacific Rim countries and dignitaries throughout the decade.





Cultural enrichment, education and civic responsibility were also a highlight of this decade: the proceeds of the first LA Marathon were used to refurbish Fire Station 23, an historical museum; art, music and dance activities included a Dance Kaleidoscope project, Musical Encounters project with the Young Musicians Foundations, and the Future Masters Art Program. Efforts were also focused on education and senior projects such as "Adopt-A-School" Programs, partnership with Belmont Community Adult School, English As A Second Language Program and Senior Companions Program.

    


1990s

The 1990s were a decade of significant change in the organization. The Champions Foundation was founded through contributions from Marukin Corporation, owners of the Riviera Country Club. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in charitable contributions towards community service projects such as Hollenbeck Youth Center, Inner-City Arts, Heart of Los Angeles, and Art Center College of Design. Additionally, Richard Riordan jointly established with the Junior Chamber the Riordan Volunteer Leadership Development in November 1990 - a program which teaches young professionals nonprofit and board governance.

In an effort to encompass the entire Los Angeles community and promote positive achievement and interaction amongst young people in areas other than athletics, the Games established a scholarship program for young people dedicated to serving the community through volunteerism, and has awarded more than $295,000 in scholarships since its inception in 1992.

The mid-90s saw the beginning of construction on the new home of the LAJCC - the 63,000 square foot Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce building. Responding to the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, the Junior Chamber along with L.A.'s Best opened an after school enrichment program at Napa Street Elementary School. Richard Riordan was in attendance at the opening and presentation of $62,500 to the school from the Junior Chamber and Riviera Country Club.

The following years focused on structuring the Junior Chamber by instituting a Projects Committee and updating all Policies and Procedures. The Junior Chamber also decided to focus funds in specific areas, and worked on building long-term external partnerships and volunteer opportunities.

The late 90s marked the beginning of the Give-A-Day To LA program, which helped the mission of the Junior Chamber reflect individual community service by having members give 24 hours of service. A partnership with neighboring Evelyn Thurman Gratts Elementary school began with projects including a Winter Wonderland Carnival, Back To School Festival, and Art Fest.

   

The end of the decade has demonstrated the progress of the Junior Chamber: the acquisition of the stewardship of the Urban Youth Golf Program, the 35th Annual Foster Family Picnic, the 32nd Annual L.A. Watts Summer Games, with the institution of the Florence Griffith Joyner Award for outstanding contribution to athletics, and the incredible growth of the Nissan Open purse from $10,000 in 1924 to $2,400,000 in 1999. The LAJCC now consists of more than 600 members, thousands of volunteers and 22 full-time staff.

        


Today

The success of the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce is dependent on its membership of young professionals volunteering countless hours to the betterment of the Los Angeles community, and providing enriching opportunities to at-risk youth.



As we commemorate the past seven and a half decades we will continue to fulfill and expand upon this mission into the next century. We hope you will join us on our next journey into the millennium.