Jagjit “JJ” Singh (1897–1976) was a transformative Indian-American businessman and lobbyist whose grassroots efforts fundamentally altered U.S. immigration policy. As president of the India League of America, he built a powerful, diverse coalition—including activists, labor leaders, and public figures like Albert Einstein—to challenge the racial barriers preventing Indian naturalization. His relentless lobbying led to the passage of the Luce-Celler Act of 1946, which finally granted citizenship rights to Indian immigrants. President Harry Truman honored his pivotal role by gifting him the pen used to sign the bill into law, a legacy of advocacy preserved by his family today.
