[2] The Florida Star was founded in 1951 by Eric O. Simpson, a veteran of national publications, to give Jacksonville its own African-American newspaper.

The Star catered specifically to the city's black community at a time when other local media ignored or downplayed African-American and civil rights stories.

During the 1950s and '60s it was one of the most significant forces championing civil rights in Jacksonville, pressuring the government to adopt reforms, endorsing black political candidates, and keeping its readers apprised of boycotts and sit-ins.

In 1989 the Court overturned the earlier judgement, ruling that punishing a newspaper for reporting accurate, legally obtained material did not accord with the First Amendment.

[3][4][5] In 1977, following telephone threats, The Florida Star headquarters on Myrtle Street was subject to an arson attack that damaged the lobby.