Florida Sentinel Bulletin

A Newspaper Reborn

The Florida Sentinel began in 1919 in Jacksonville, founded by General William W. Andrews. It did not survive the Great Depression. More than a decade later, his son, C. Blythe Andrews, brought the name back to life: in December 1945, he reopened the doors of the Florida Sentinel at 1511 Central Avenue in Tampa.

Two Papers Become One

In 1959, Andrews bought the Tampa Bulletin and merged it with the Sentinel, creating the Florida Sentinel Bulletin. The operation was a family affair, with a staff of seven that included Andrews, his wife, and their two sons, C. Blythe Jr. and W. W. With the merger, the former weekly began publishing twice a week.

In 1962, Urban Renewal forced the paper to relocate, and it moved to the address it still occupies today, on the street now named C. Blythe Andrews Road.

A Family Tradition

C. Blythe Andrews served as publisher until his health failed in 1976. After his death on April 2, 1977, his son, C. Blythe Andrews Jr., became editor-in-chief. In December 1996, Andrews Jr. passed the role of publisher to his daughter, S. Kay Andrews, while his son, C. Blythe III, became president and comptroller, and Gwendolyn Hayes was named editor.

The Voice of the Community

For more than seven decades, the Sentinel has served Tampa, and it has marked its 80th anniversary. According to the paper, it is the only African American publication in Florida that prints twice a week and owns all of its own printing equipment. It reaches readers across the United States through subscriptions and is sold door-to-door and on news racks in Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk, and Pinellas counties.