Civitan History and Founders

Civitans in the United States 
In 1917, a group of business and professional leaders were meeting in Birmingham, Alabama, as a part of a national civic club. They were concerned about their community and world, but they thought that the club focused too much on personal gain. These men wanted to make a difference, and they believed that their actions could help build a better world.

Giving up the charter they had purchased, they set out to make a more suitable club. On March 17, 1917, these men formed an independent service organization. Eventually, they settled on the name Civitan, coined from the Latin word civitas, meaning citizenship. "Builders of Good Citizenship" was a natural motto for the civic-minded group.

World War I began just one month after the club formed. Civitan continued on a purely local basis during these frantic war years, with many of the club’s early efforts supporting soldiers. Returning veterans were warmly welcomed back into the club after the war, and the Civitan's service activities broadened.

The dream of an international organization began with Dr. Courtney Shropshire, a local surgeon and the club’s third president. He shared his vision with a few close friends in the Birmingham Club, and the proposal was given unanimous approval. The process to incorporate was begun. When the group met at the Southern Club on April 15, 1920, Civitan International was born. Officers elected included Dr. Courtney Shropshire, president; Rev. J. A. MacSporran, vice president; John Fry, treasurer; and John Mix, secretary. Charter Number One went to the Birmingham Civitan Club, later designated as "The Mother Club of Civitan International."

In the following months clubs chartered across the country. By June of 1921, when the first international convention was held in Birmingham, there were 30 clubs and more than 300 delegates in attendance. At the second convention in Chattanooga, Tennessee, delegates from 115 clubs attended. By this time, there were more than 3,300 Civitans throughout the United States. Delegates to the 1925 convention bestowed the title "Founder of Civitan International" on Shropshire, the only person to ever serve two terms as president.

From the very beginning, Civitan encouraged its clubs to seek out and meet needs within their communities. Some truly outstanding projects were undertaken by these early Civitans. Knoxville, Tenessee, Civitans raised $100,000 to build a three story hospital for indigent tuberculosis patients in 1923. When the local school committee was deadlocked, Rogersville, Alabama, Civitans secured $40,000 in funding to build to build a new high school in 1929. Other Civitans paid for operations so that crippled children could walk, built parks, served as big brothers to troubled boys, and registered voters. Their dreams were big, their sights high, and their accomplishments great.

Aid to those less fortunate was a significant factor in early projects. Concern for developmentally disabled children was a natural extension of the early efforts to assist crippled children. By the 1950s, Civitan work in this area had made giant strides. A significant milestone was reached with the decision to adopt the developmentally disabled as a major service focus.

One of Civitan’s signature fundraisers began in 1951. Civitan Earl Carver stopped by a small bakery in Claxton, Georgia. He purchased a loaf of the bakery's fruit cake. It was so good that he purchased others to take home to Florida. He suggested that his club sell the cake to raise money for projects. His club liked the idea—and the sample cakes! Since then, Civitan and Claxton Fruit Cake have become synonymous during the holiday season in the United States and Canada.

In 1960, the Civitan International Foundation was established. When Courtney Shropshire died in 1965, a scholarship fund for deserving college students was established in his memory. Since 1965, hundreds of students have benefited from this program.

An informal ladies’ auxiliary had been a part of Civitan since the late 1920s, but women had never been true members of Civitan. Membership was formally opened to women in 1974, making Civitan the first major, all-male service club to accept women. Soon Civitans were building all-female clubs, and most established clubs began accepting both men and women.

Civitan’s other well-known fundraiser began in 1976. Louisville, Kentucky, Civitans approached the executive board about a project to place candy boxes in restaurants. Patrons would deposit loose change in return for a mint. Since then, the Candy and Coin Box Project has raised over $50 million for Civitan's charitable projects.

Civitan’s flagship project is the UAB Civitan International Research Center. Dedicated in 1992, the Research Center is located at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. It is the first institution of its kind in the United States to focus solely on researching developmental disabilities. Civitans are once again reaching out to those in need in new ways—this time not only by providing treatment but also by searching for ways to prevent mental and developmental disabilities.

International Club Growth

Dr. Shropshire always envisioned Civitan as a truly international organization. Unfortunately, early attempts at international growth were not successful. Civitan's first club outside of the United States was chartered in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1922. In May 1925, the Hamilton Civitan Club was chartered in Ontario, Canada. Both of these clubs failed to survive the worldwide Depression of the 1930s.

The first successful international club was chartered in Toronto, Canada in 1932, when a former president of the Birmingham Civitan Club moved to Toronto for business reasons. Civitan was now in two nations—Canada and the United States. Due to the high cost of maintaining clubs in foreign countries and poor economic conditions worldwide, Civitan would concentrate on these two countries for growth during the next decades. It would take Civitan 37 more years to venture outside North America.

The first club in Europe chartered in Norway in 1969, sponsored by the Mother Club of Civitan in Birmingham, Alabama. The new Norwegian clubs spread the Civitan message to other countries. In 1970, clubs chartered in Germany and Sweden.

Civitan’s growth in Asia began in 1974 when an army officer was transferred from Georgia to South Korea. Before leaving for his new post, the Georgia North District Governor-elect asked him to establish a new Civitan club in Korea. After seeking outstanding Korean business and professional people, he quickly connected with the president of Kyung Hee University. The Seoul Civitan Club chartered in August 1974. The first Japanese club was established after a Coca-Cola executive and Civitan member was transferred back to Japan; the Nippon Civitan Club chartered in June 1975.

Civitan growth has continued around the world. Clubs are now found in dozens of countries, including Bangladesh, Jordan, India, Russia, Nepal, Ghana, and Pakistan. Courtney Shropshire’s vision of an international organization that would create “builders of good citizenship” around the globe has finally become a reality.

Civitan's Mission Statement

The mission of Civitan worldwide is to build good citizenship by providing a volunteer organization of clubs dedicated to serving individual and community needs with an emphasis on helping people with developmental disabilities.

Civitan's Creed: 

I AM CIVITAN: as old as life, as young as the rainbow, as endless as time.

MY HANDS do the work of the world and reach out in service to others.

MY EARS hear the cry of children and the call throughout the world for peace, guidance, progress and unity.

MY EYES search for others to join in the fellowship and service of Civitan.

MY MOUTH utters the call to daily duty and speaks prayers in every tongue.

MY MIND teaches me respect for law and the flag of my country.

MY HEART beats for every friend, bleeds for every injury to humanity and throbs with joy at every triumph of truth.

MY SOUL knows no fear but its own unworthiness.

MY HOPE is for a better world through Civitan.

MY MOTTO: builders of good citizenship.

MY BELIEF: do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

MY PLEDGE: to practice the Golden Rule and to build upon it a better and nobler citizenship

Membership in Civitan is open to anyone who is at least 18 years old and of good character. Every Civitan should understand and appreciate the mission of Civitan International and strive to promote the three principle goals of fellowship with one another, knowledge about the community at large, and service to humanity through the local Civitan club.

Civitans are dedicated to improving their communities through community service. On the international level, Civitan focuses on helping people with developmental disabilities. Civitan funds the UAB Civitan International Research Center, a research and treatment facility for mental and developmental disabilities.

On the local level, clubs are involved in a variety of fund-raising and service projects. Civitan realizes the importance of offering its members opportunities for personal and professional development, as well as the opportunity to meet new friends and develop long-lasting friendships with people who share similar interests.

At club meetings Civitans hear from community, business and government leaders who provide informative and entertaining programs on the issues that affect Civitans and their families the most.