Includes bibliographical references (pages 346-352) and index.

"Founded shortly after the dawn of the 20th century, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) championed the forging of a stronger national citizenry by molding the good character of idle Progressive Era youth. But it was not alone as competition loomed from numerous other organizations formed with similar objectives in mind. To escape the pack, BSA officials sought a dramatic national publicity coup. That objective came to fruition in February 1911 when well-heeled BSA managers met with President William Howard Taft in the Oval Office of the White House and garnered his critical personal endorsement and coveted sponsorship as the organization s first honorary president thus beginning BSA's century-long symbiotic relationship with the most powerful executive office in the land. My Fellow Americans reveals the many fascinating Scouting stories behind each U.S. president s association with the Boy Scouts of America from Theodore Roosevelt through Barack H. Obama. And it details each chief executive's important contributions towards the building of the American Scouting movement as the country traveled a path toward historic national inclusionary domestic policies. My Fellow Americans is the perfect companion for every proud citizen who seeks a better understanding of how BSA successfully shaped and developed over 115 million duty-driven and service-oriented young people during the past century through its unique and influential partnership with nineteen consecutive presidents of the United States"--