History

Resources

Looking back on our 75 years, it's important to celebrate all aspects of our organization and those who helped us get to where we are today.

New Homemakers of America (NHA) was foundational to FCCLA and this tribute video recognizes and celebrates the organization's legacy and impact it has had on leaders everywhere.

75 years ago, Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), formally known as Future Homemakers of America, was founded at a convention in Chicago, Illinois when 29 Home Economic leaders came together with the idea of creating one national student organization aimed at preparing today’s students to be tomorrow’s leaders in the home and workplace. On June 11, 2020, FCCLA celebrated its 75th anniversary and legacy of making a difference in families, careers, and communities across America.

Since 1945, FCCLA has been addressing important personal, work, and societal issues through Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) education—previously known as Home Economics. At its height, the organization’s membership peaked at 607,175 with members from 53 state associations, including Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, and Bo Jackson are a few of FCCLA’s most nationally recognized alumni.

Today, more than ten million students have been involved in FCCLA and have changed countless lives around the country by participating in National Programs, competing in Competitive Events, exploring Career Pathways, and attending national conferences. FCCLA continues to be the only Career and Technical Student Organization focused on preparing youth for careers that support families and strengthens members employability skills by preparing students to be college-and career-ready.

The organization’s past is foundational to FCCLA’s present. Watch the video below to see how FCCLA has evolved throughout its nearly 75 years to continue to prepare young people for success.

FCCLA Timeline

March 1944

29 Home Economics (presently known as Family and Consumer Sciences) leaders met in Chicago, IL with the idea of creating one national student organization.
June 11, 1945

Future Homemakers of America (FHA) was officially founded at a convention in Chicago, IL.
1966

Future Homemakers of America’s membership peaked at 607,175.
December 1977

Rhode Island was the last of the 53 state associations (including the Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) to affiliate.
July 1980

The National Board of Directors approved the purchase of land on which to build a national headquarters and leadership center in Reston, VA.
September 28, 1981

The official groundbreaking ceremony was held at the building site in Reston, VA.
July 1983

The national headquarters and leadership center was dedicated during the 1983 National Leadership Meeting in Washington, D.C.
Fall 1983

National FCCLA began hosting a series of regional Cluster Meetings across the United States.
1983

STAR Events were introduced. The first three STAR Events developed were Job Interview, Illustrated Talk, and Chapter Activities.
Fall 1984

For the first time, one copy of Teen Times, FCCLA’s national magazine, was mailed to every FCCLA member.
Winter 1985

The Adviser newsletter was introduced for chapter advisers.
June 1995
76 honorees were inducted into FCCLA’s Leadership Hall of Fame at the National Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. in recognition of FCCLA’s 50th anniversary.
50th Anniversary Inductees
July 1999

Voting delegates voted in favor of the proposed name change to Family, Career and Community Leaders of America at the National Leadership Meeting in Boston, MA.
September 2003

“The Ultimate Leadership Experience,” tagline was adopted.
September 2005

The first all four-color Teen Times was sent to all nationally affiliated FCCLA members.
September 2009

FCCLA/LifeSmarts Knowledge Bowl was introduced as a new Competitive Event.
July 2011

FCCLA Leadership Academy was launched to provide national opportunities and recognition to any FCCLA member seeking leadership development.
September 2011

Technology-based, online STAR Events and a new type of Competitive Event, called Skill Demonstration Events, were included in the newly named Competitive Events Guide.
July 2015

FCCLA hosted a “70 Years Strong” anniversary rally on Capitol Hill, drawing thousands of FCCLA members to advocate for strong Family and Consumer Sciences education in schools.
July 2019

33 STAR Events were offered in addition to FCCLA/LifeSmarts Knowledge Bowl at FCCLA’s 2019 National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, CA, in which there was a record number of STAR Events participants (4,744) and teams (2,808) competing.
November 2022

At the 2022 National Fall Conference in Columbus, Ohio, a limited-edition plush llama was introduced as a lighthearted addition to the FCCLA store. Intended as a novelty item, the plush quickly exceeded expectations, selling out within the first hours of the store’s opening and generating significant attention on social media. Following the conference, widespread interest from members prompted FCCLA to launch a naming campaign in February 2023, inviting members to submit and vote on potential names. In March 2023, the plush was officially named Rosie the Llama. While not formally designated as a symbol of the organization, Rosie has since been embraced by members and advisers nationwide as FCCLA’s unofficial mascot.
August 2023

On August 28, 2023, FCCLA reached a historic moment by hosting an Open House celebration and ribbon cutting at its new national headquarters in Herndon, VA. The event marked the official unveiling of FCCLA's state-of-the-art headquarters office, where esteemed alumni, valued partners, and special guests were welcomed to join in the festivities and witness this significant achievement.
April 2025

In April 2025, FCCLA achieved a significant milestone by surpassing 250,000 members nationwide. This achievement reflects the organization’s continued growth, relevance, and impact in preparing youth for leadership and careers in Family and Consumer Sciences and related career clusters across the country.