January 9th in Elvis History

It's January ninth, and on this day in 1971... Elvis Presley was named one of the nation's Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Year by the Junior Chamber of Commerce of America. The prestigious Jaycee award, given to men under 35 who demonstrate exceptional achievement in their fields, had previously honored the likes of Orson Welles and Jesse Jackson. Elvis was nominated by former Shelby County Sheriff Bill Morris—whom Elvis had gifted a Mercedes just weeks earlier. Sharing the spotlight that year were figures like Ronald Reagan’s press secretary Ron Ziegler and civil rights activist Tom Atkins. This national recognition marked a rare moment where Elvis was celebrated not just as an entertainer, but as a distinguished American citizen.