The city was chartered in 1803, starting as a small trading community providing basic essentials for surrounding cotton plantations.

In 1906, Statesboro was selected as the home of the First District A&M School, a land grant college that eventually developed into Georgia Southern University.

The area was developed by white planters largely for cotton plantations that were worked by black slave labor.

[8] In 1866 the state legislature granted a permanent charter to the city, changing the spelling of its name to the present "Statesboro."

During the Civil War and General William T. Sherman's famous March to the Sea through Georgia, a Union officer asked a saloon proprietor for directions to Statesboro.

Two more black men were lynched in August 1904: Sebastian McBride in Portal, another town in Bulloch County, and A.L.

[13][14][11] To escape oppression and violence, many African Americans left Statesboro and Bulloch County altogether, causing local businessmen to worry about labor shortages in the cotton and turpentine industries.

[13] African Americans made a Great Migration from the rural South to northern cities in the first half of the 20th century.

Around the turn of the century, new businesses in Statesboro included stores and banks built along North, East, South, and West Main streets.

In 1908, Statesboro led the world in sales of long-staple Sea Island Cotton, a specialty of the Low Country.

The 1906 First District Agricultural & Mechanical School at Statesboro was developed as a land grant college, initiated by federal legislation to support education.

US 25 and 301 run concurrently through the center of town and split upon their junction with US 80, leading south 12 mi (19 km) to Interstate 16 at exit 116.

[16] The city is in the coastal plain region, or Low Country, of Georgia, so it is mainly flat with a few small hills.

[21] Georgia Southern University is the largest employer in the city, with 6,700 regional jobs tied directly and indirectly to the campus.

Southern Gateway Park is a newly developed 200-acre (81 ha) tract located at the intersection of U.S. 301 and Interstate 16 in close proximity to the Court of Savannah.

[24] GAF, the largest privately owned roofing manufacturer in North America, relocated to Statesboro in the early 21st century.

Statesboro is home to numerous restaurants, bars, live music venues, bookstores and coffee shops that cater to its creative college town climate.

[30] Touring groups appear at the Performing Arts Center, and also featured are shows put on by Georgia Southern students and faculty.

South Georgia Tormenta FC fields a professional team in USL League One, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.

The university facilities include a museum of cultural and natural history, a botanical garden, and a center for wildlife education located within the campus grounds.

The university's Division I athletic teams, the Georgia Southern Eagles, compete in the Sun Belt Conference.

Approximately 3 miles (5 km) outside of Statesboro is the Statesboro-Bulloch County Airport, which can accommodate private aircraft but does not have a control tower or commercial flights.

Most travelers use the nearby Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, which is located 45 miles (72 km) to the east and is served by eight commercial airlines.