In 1925 Mrs. Victor Jacomini (Katherine Thomas), Mrs. Harold Braly (Henriette Janss), and thirty-two other original members formed a group known as the Convalescent Children’s League (CCL).  Having researched the community needs, CCL piloted the operation and support of a twelve-bed children’s convalescent home on Ingraham Street, which became part of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.  This original founding group was admitted to The Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI) in 1926 and became the Junior League of Los Angeles (JLLA).

• 1925

  The Convalescent Children’s League is formed – this group operated and supported a twelve-bed children’s rehabilitation home.

  

• 1926Becoming JLLA

  The Convalescent Children’s League is admitted into the Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI) and becomes The Junior League of Los Angeles.

• 1927

  League members form the Players Group — over the years, the group performs for over 9,000 children in Los Angeles.

  

• 1932

  JLLA hosts the 12th Annual Conference of the Association of Junior Leagues
  International, welcoming delegates from across the world.

  

• 1939

  JLLA’s Radio and Television Committee produces the “Tell Me a Story” network radio program in connection with the Public Library and Board of Education.

  

• 1945

  The “Young America Speaks” radio program on KFI wins the Peabody Award for outstanding student participation programming.

  

• 1945

  JLLA co-sponsors the Veteran’s Psychiatric Clinic with the Southern California Society for Mental Hygiene.

  

• 1947

  JLLA establishes the Volunteer Bureau, placing volunteers in the community, It becomes an integral part of the Welfare Planning Council, Los Angeles Region.

• 1948

  League members write and star in a seven-week live talent show for radio station KMPC. The project is developed into the Free Radio and Television Committee, presenting local Christmas and Easter telecasts.

  

• 1949

  The Puppets Committee performs for hospitals, schools, underprivileged, and physically and developmentally disabled children. Later, the committee co-sponsors a Puppeteers Festival of America at UCLA and also initiates a project for the Speech Hearing Clinic at USC and Speech Division of Psychological Outpatient Clinic at UCLA.

  

• 1950

  JLLA co-sponsors Symphony Previews with the Junior Philharmonic Committee at the L.A. Philharmonic, later presenting lectures preceding the afternoon concerts at the Music Center. 600 people attended each lecture.

• 1953

  Along with the Junior Leagues of Long Beach, Pasadena and Santa Barbara, JLLA produces a thirteen-
  week television series, “Voluntarily Speaking,” which aired on KTTV.

  

• 1954

  With JLLA’s assistance, a Girls’ Club is added to the existing Salvation Army Red Shield Youth Center. This addition included major financial responsibilities of the new building, program maintenance, staff salary and volunteer assistance.

• 1958

  JLLA forms the Larks, a singing group comprised of and directed by members that performed for children and seniors in hospitals and homes. The Larks recorded 3 albums on the RCA and Disney labels. With help from the Los Angeles County Art Museum Association, JLLA starts Art Views to provide free lectures in conjunction with major exhibitions.

  

• 1959

  Twenty-three league members help create the Docent Council for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) to help educate children on art. “Around the Town” is first published as a directory of summer activities available to children. Later editions highlight popular tourist attractions and accessibility information for visitors and residents with disabilities.

• 1961

  Opportunity Open Door program, designed to broaden the academic and cultural horizons of culturally deprived students, begins at L.A. State College and then at Pacoima Junior High School.

  

• 1964

  League volunteers assist teachers in a Teachers’ Aide program. Volunteers were instrumental in providing the Junior Great Books enrichment program in public and parochial schools throughout L.A. County. JLLA partners with the City of Los Angeles to start a Junior Arts Center and Gallery at Barnsdall Park. The league provided financial and volunteer support until it was turned back to the city in 1972.

  

• 1965

  “Just the Answer” Gift Shop opens its doors in Brentwood. JLLA members staff the shop, with all proceeds going to support league programs and projects.

  

• 1969

  JLLA kicks off a seven-year partnership with the L.A. County-USC Medical Center. Efforts included volunteering at the main admitting and emergency desks and the Family Planning Center and staffing a Child Care Center formed and financed by the League in 1972, which provided an education program for healthy siblings of pediatric patients.

• 1972

  The Performing Tree, co-sponsored with the Performing Arts Council of the Music Center and JLLA in cooperation with the Los Angeles Unified School District, brings cultural performances to elementary and secondary schools with a series of music, theater, dance and opera utilizing paid professional performers. The project was the recipient of several large grants and service awards. In June 1976, Performing Tree, Inc., a non-profit corporation, was formed to carry on the work begun by the league.

  

• 1975

  Operation VD sponsors a public information campaign on venereal diseases and produces public service announcements for both radio and television. Supportive Services for Families, a model treatment program utilizing trained volunteers under the direction of a psychologist, works with actual and potential child abuse and neglect families. The Juvenile Justice Project works with clients of the Department of Public Social Service, providing supportive volunteer services to families in crisis.

  

• 197650th Anniversary

  The Alcoholism project, co-sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism-Los Angeles, provides start-up activities for a woman’s coalition to address the needs of women alcoholics, including a school program, the Alcoholism Information Center, and a downtown information and referral center for alcoholics and their families.

• 1980

  The Victim Assistance project is co-sponsored with the District Attorney’s office to aid victims of violent crime. Expansion to seven DA branch offices increased coverage for innocent victims in our county. A training manual was written by the V.A. Committee and
  was available for use by all victim advocate programs in the state.

  

• 1980

  The Los Angeles Antiques Show opens its doors at the California Mart. Over the years it was also held the Ambassador Hotel, the Biltmore Hotel and the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. Monies raised support JLLA programs and projects.

  

• 1981

  The Crime Prevention Alert project, co-sponsored with the Los Angeles Police Department, develops a program for neighborhood watch seminars. The league also publishes a booklet entitled, “Are You Fed Up With Crime?” along with a training manual.

  

• 1984

  Computers for Non-Profits, co-sponsored with the California Community Foundation, offers hands-on, fundamental micro-computer training to representatives of non-profit organizations.

• 1986Trailblazing Year

  Contemporary ArtStart, in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art, provides a hands-on program to children of the L.A. Unified School District to acquaint them with contemporary art and artists. The AIDS Community Education Outreach project, co-sponsored with AIDS Project Los Angeles, staffed a hotline and a corporate Speaker’s Bureau. JLLA is the first league to establish an AIDS project.

  

• 1988

  JLLA sponsors annual Community Forums that focus on issues relevant to its position statements, such as breast cancer, environment, women in political office, and “Sex, Lies & HIV.”

  

• 1990Trailblazing Year

  The Public Policy Council becomes the first of its kind throughout AJLI. The Women’s Appointment Collaboration is formed with over 80 other organizations to obtain the appointment of women to Los Angeles County and City Boards and Commissions.

• 1991

  Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Education, co-sponsored with Planned Parenthood, Los Angeles, develops a curriculum to teach positive role modeling and skill-building reinforcement to adolescents.

• 1992

  Domestic violence brochures and survivor cards are developed and printed in English and Spanish; JLLA joins the L.A. District Attorney’s Office in launching a city-wide domestic violence billboard campaign.

• 1993A Home of Our Own

  JLLA receives a generous bequest from the Estate of Marjorie Hamlin Rainey, 1943-1944 President, earmarked to build a new headquarters. JLLA officially moves into Rainey House on May 30, 1995.

  

• 1996

  JLLA hosts “At The Table,” a national community outreach effort sponsored by the White House. Participants included women from the political arena, the arts community, law enforcement, senior citizens, and JLLA members.

  

• 2000

  In partnership with the Wonder of Reading, two libraries, Clover Street Elementary School in Culver City and 3rd Street Elementary School in Hancock Park, were completely renovated.

  

• 200175th Anniversary

  Due to the events of September 11, the first General Meeting of the year was cancelled. A donation was sent to the Junior League of New York with funds raised at the September Rainey Friday and from the Community Assistance Funds.

• 2002

  JLLA was honored at National Philanthropy Day L.A. as Outstanding Volunteer Organization. Six community partners nominated JLLA for this award.

  

• 2003

  JLLA’s Board Fellows Program won a third AJLI Best Practice Award and $10,000 grant from Crest Whitestrips for the initiative.

• 2005

  JLLA participates in the inaugural AJLI volunteer week event, “Kids in the Kitchen,” at the Boys & Girls Club of Venice. More than 220 leagues across the country and in Canada, Mexico and Great Britain planned simultaneous events.

  

• 2006

  SRJ22 in support of microbicides is authored and passed through the California Legislature.

• 2010

  As a part of the 85th Anniversary celebration, JLLA donates its archives to the CSUN Oviatt Library’s Urban Archives Center.

  

• 2011

  ACR 53 Perinatal Depression Awareness, known as the Kelly Abraham Martinez Act, is co-sponsored by JLLA. JLLA creates the “Speak Up When You’re Down” campaign to build awareness for maternal mental health.

  

• 2013

  With the help of the entire membership, JLLA selects our future league issues of Literacy and Self Esteem/Empowerment to help bring Issued Based Community Impact to the league and our community.

• 2014

  Membership selects Foster Youth and Families as the populations we will serve with our new focus areas. Membership votes to split our governance structure to divide strategic and management duties between the Board of Directors and the newly created Management Council. JLLA is recognized by AJLI at the Annual Conference in St. Louis, Missouri for its groundbreaking governance plan.

• 2015

  JLLA hosts the 93rd Annual AJLI Conference. More than 600 delegates from the United States, Mexico, Canada and the United Kingdom attend. Along with California SPAC and the Junior League of San Francisco, JLLA wins the first-ever AJLI Award for Public Policy for our joint efforts to promote awareness for maternal mental health.

  

• 2024

  JLLA celebrates 25 years of Harvest Boutique, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars.