History and Membership

The Florida Conference of Historians began in 1962 as the Florida College Teachers of History (FCTH). FCTH founders included Sister Mary Rice of Barry University, and Maurice Vance and Tom Campbell of Florida State University. They conceived of an organization covering all historical fields that would give historians an opportunity to share their scholarship and develop a sense of collegiality among historians teaching history in Florida's colleges and universities. In 1992, the organization changed its name to the Florida Conference of Historians to encourage participation by historians outside the state's colleges and universities. Since its first conference in 1963, thirty different institutions of higher education have hosted the organization's annual meeting.

Organization and Membership
Membership in the Florida Conference of Historians is open to persons interested in any field of history or any area of study of historical interest. The officers of the organization include a president, a president-elect, a vice president, a secretary, and a treasurer. Each year at its annual business meeting the attending members elect as vice president the individual who will host the annual meeting two years hence. The vice president automatically becomes the president-elect the next year, i.e., the year that he or she hosts the annual meeting. This individual becomes president following the annual meeting that he/she plans. The president is responsible for running the annual business meeting. Offices are transferred at the end of that meeting. The secretary and treasurer serve indefinite terms of office and thus are "permanent" in order to provide some stability to the organization and established points of contact. Officers are advised as needed by an ad hoc "Council of Presidents" composed of former presidents, the treasurer and the secretary.

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