National History

In 1937; Hamden L. Forkner of Columbia University proposed, to business teachers across the country, that a national organization is needed for the thousands of business clubs in the nation's high schools.


On February 3, 1942 an experimental chapter was chartered in Johnson City, Tennessee. The second chapter was started just two days later in St. Albans, Virginia. By the end of the year, 39 chapters are added and over the next three and a half years, another 38 chapters are added.


In 1947, Iowa became the first FBLA state chapter. Indiana and Ohio quickly followed. Within the next three years, FBLA charters ten more state chapters. After the success of high school FBLA, the college division, Phi Beta Lambda, was created in 1958. The University of Northern Iowa was the first PBL chapter.


Just 50 years after the concept of FBLA was introduced, the 200,000th member joins!