Florida State Poets Association, Inc., was founded in October 1974 by Henrietta Kroah of Deland with the assistance of Hans Juergensen PhD of Tampa, past President of the National Federation of State Poetry Societies. FSPA was affiliated with NFSPS in October 1974 and chartered by the State of Florida in July 1979. FSPA began with one chartered chapter in Deland and has grown to have ten chapters throughout the state. There are also many Members-at-Large, which brings our membership to more than 200 poets.
In 2015 we inaugurated our Chancellor Program. Florida State Poets Association continues to grow and expand by adding esteemed poets as official Chancellors who attend our conventions and share their knowledge. We also have successfully worked with the State of Florida to select our first State Poet Laureate, and began an FSPA Speaker Bureau to provide talented presenters to individual chapters.
In 2015 FSPA accredited the outstanding educational program, The 12 Chairs, started by member Al Rocheleau. The program is a three-year intensive poetry program that has been digitized for adoption by English teachers throughout Florida.