Ramsey County History – Spring 2017: “A Legacy of Civic Engagement: The Junior League of Saint Paul, 1917–2017”

A Legacy of Civic Engagement: The Junior League of Saint Paul, 1917–2017
Authors: Yvonne Hundshamer and Abby Sugahara Moeller

In the spring of 1917, Elizabeth Ames Jackson and two other young women founded the nineteenth official Junior League in St. Paul, thereby beginning what has become the organization’s century of civic engagement in the local community. The JLSP is a charitable civic organization of volunteers led by women and made up of women. For most of its history, the JLSP lacked a true headquarters, but, today, its many varied programs and activities are directed from a single office. Initially, membership criteria were very narrowly defined, but the JLSP has changed with the times and, now, membership is based on a residency requirement, paying dues, and completing specific training. Over past century, the JLSP has not only collaborated with more than ninety different local charities, foundations, businesses, and other organizations to complete projects that benefit the St. Paul area, but it also has actively promoted and developed the potential of women leaders in the community. This article summarizes many of the JLSP’s achievements and demonstrates how, as a platform for change, the organization has contributed to the betterment of St. Paul.
PDF of Hundshamer & Moeller article