Ossian B. Hart began his career in public service as a founding member of the St. Lucie County Board of Commissioners. He later served as a Florida State Representative and eventually became a justice of the Florida Supreme Court. Hart's tenure as governor was marked by limited civil rights legislation and efforts to improve state finances. He appointed Jonathan Clarkson Gibbs as Florida's first African-American Superintendent of Public Instruction, showcasing his commitment to civil rights despite the limited legislative progress.

Ossian B. Hart's political career is marked by an intriguing blend of fiscal conservatism and cautious civil rights advocacy. Despite his opposition to secession and his appointment of Florida's first African-American Superintendent of Public Instruction, Hart's tenure saw limited civil rights legislation. His economic policies focused on state financial improvements, yet his legal stances, including representing a lynched black man, reveal a complex approach to justice and equity.