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The
year was 1946; the place, Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
U.S.A.; the event, the United States Junior Chamber
National Convention. Visitors came from Canada,
Mexico, South America, Europe and the Philippine
Islands. It was here that the idea of a JCI Creed was
born.
Past President of the Ohio Junior Chamber and
National Vice President of The United States Junior
Chamber Charles William Brownfield realized at
this convention that the organization did not have a
Creed. He was inspired by the devotion of Junior
Chamber members "to the purpose of serving man
kind in a thousand different ways, right down at the
grass roots where freedom lives or dies."
Brownfield saw Junior Chamber as "the potential for
a new force in the world, one capable of changing the
balance between victory or defeat for our chosen way
of life in a time of crisis."
The actual writing of the Creed took place in July
1946 during a drive from Brownfield's hometown of Columbus, Ohio, to his coal
mine in New Lexington, a journey of about 75 minutes. He started that journey
with a firm conviction in his mind to work on the Creed. It was during that trip
that the following words came to mind and were put on paper:
The brotherhood of man transcends the sovereignty of nations. Economic justice
can best be won by free men through free enterprise. Government should be of
laws rather than of men. Earth's great treasure lies in human personality.
Service to humanity is the best work of life.
In 1950 the first line, "We believe that faith in God gives meaning and purpose
to human life." was added.
Since it was written, Junior Chamber members all over the world recite the Creed
at local, state, national and international meetings and functions. During that
time there has been much discussion of the interpretation of the Creed. The
author himself said, "Every Member is free to interpret the Creed in the light
of his own conscience."
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