What is American Legion Boys State?
As a program of The American Legion, Boys State developed from the concept that youth should discover that the individual is an integral part of and responsible for the character and success of the American form of government.
Boys State was developed to counter the Young Pioneer Camps of the 1930s, where boys of high school age were being taught that democracy had outworn its usefulness and should be replaced by Fascism.
Boys State was created by Hayes Kennedy and Harold Card, both educators and both members of The American Legion of Illinois. The format for Boys State was laid out by Card and based on exercises used to properly organize a Boy Scout camp. Shorthanded on staff, he permitted the boys to govern themselves, hold an election and elect a mayor and a city council. Appointments were made to cover positions like police, fire, health and sanitation officials. Card quickly found that the boys became so enthused in carrying out their 'city' duties, they almost neglected their Scout assignments. The boys were learning by doing.
The first Boys State was conducted at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Illinois, in June, 1935. Each Boys State program, generally, is fashioned after the government structure of the respective state. Political offices and agencies that serve the people of a state would also exist within a Boys State. Every Boys State operates under a two-party system with instruction provided in the organization and operation of political parties at different levels of government. On the average, a Boys State program covers a period of seven days. Enrollments vary from as few as 25 to well over 1,400 in a single program.
Upon arrival at Boys States, the citizens are assigned to one of two political parties, the 'Nationalists' or the 'Federalists'. Though some states may use other labels, such as the Whigs in New Hampshire, they are in no way reflections of the two major political parties in American government, but are established to allow instruction and participation in the two-party system of government.
Who is The American Legion?
Chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic, mutual help Veterans organization, the American Legion is a community service organization that now numbers nearly 3 million members - men and women - in nearly 15,000 American Legion Posts, worldwide. These Posts are organized into 55 Departments - one each for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico, and the Philippines. A great deal of volunteer work is also completed annually by subsidiary organizations, The American Legion Auxiliary and the Sons of The American Legion.
The American Legion's National headquarters is in Indianapolis, Indiana, with additional offices in Washington, DC. In addition to the thousands of volunteers serving in program leadership capacities in local communities to the Legion's standing National Commissions and Committees, the National organization has a regular full time staff of about 300 employees. Each state is autonomous in its organization. Each state has a number of American Legion Posts, the smallest unit within The American Legion. The work of The American Legion is performed in the local Posts. Many of the National American Legion programs, are parts of each local American Legion Post's activities.
A few of the local programs are Flag Education, School Medal Awards, Education Assistance "Need A Lift", The Samsung American Legion Scholarship, Boys State, Boys Nation, Jr. Shooting Sports, American Legion Baseball, National High School Oratorical Contest, Boy Scouts of America, Uniformed Groups Competitions, Children and Youth Programs, Financial Assistance, and the Child Welfare Foundation. Other Programs that may be found within The American Legion Post are, ROTC, Police Cadets, Blood Donations, Crime Prevention, Foreign Relations, Jobs-Veteran's Employment Opportunities Act supports, Veterans Affairs, GI Insurance, and Veterans Rehabilitation Programs. For more information please contact your local American Legion Post.
Boys Nation
Every year each Boys State program across the country selects two outstanding citizens to represent them at American Legion Boys Nation held in Washington, D.C. where they are introduced to the structure and function of the federal government.
The first American Legion Boys Nation (then called Boys Forum of National Government) was held on the campus of American University, Washington, D.C., August 4-9, 1946.
From 1946 through 1951, and from 1969 to 1985 the Boys Nation program was conducted at American University; from 1952 through 1967, Boys Nation was held at the University of Maryland. The site of the 1968 program was Georgetown University. In 1986 the program was moved to its present site at Marymount University.
At Boys Nation, each Delegate represents his State as a Senator. The week of government training in the Nation's Capitol combines lectures and forums with visits to federal agencies, institutions, memorials and historical spots in and around Washington. During a visit to Capitol Hill, Boys Nation Senators meet with elected Representatives and Senators from their home states. Delegates visit Fort McHenry and other historic sites near Baltimore, Maryland, and participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. Some of the other visits made during the week-long session are to the FBI, the Department of State, the Lincoln, Vietnam, Jefferson and Korean Memorials, and The White House.