Russell B. Cummings - Jaycees President

Jaycees President

Cummings joined the Houston Jaycees, or United States Junior Chamber and in 1960 was elected president of the chapter. Thereafter, he was appointed chairman of the Jaycees Americanism Committee, which sponsored the first "Old Fashion Fourth of July Celebration" was held at Hermann Park in Houston, with a fireworks show, military band, patriotic speaker, and American flags. The Jaycees expected possibly 1,500 people, but 35,000 appeared and created what Cummings remembered as "a terrific traffic jam." He was thereafter appointed a director of the full Houston Chamber of Commerce and of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, then called the "Fat Stock" Show. In 1963, the Jaycees named Cummings "Outstanding Public Official" in Harris County.