Background color not covering full height of div.

Answer 1

Read that: http://www.quirksmode.org/css/clearing.html

In short, try this:

---HTML

<div id="story">
<div id="individual">
<img src='uploads/1231924837Picture.png'/>

<h2>2009-01-14</h2>
<h1>Headline</h1>
<p>stroy story etc stroy story etc stroy story etc</p>
</div>
<br />
<div id="storynav">
<a href='home.php?start=0'>1</a> 
<a href='home.php?start=1'>2</a> 
<a href='home.php?start=2'>3</a> 
<a href='home.php?start=3'>4</a> 
<a href='home.php?start=4'>5</a>  
<a href='home.php?start=5'>6</a>  
<a href='home.php?start=6'>7</a>  
<a href='home.php?start=7'>8</a>  
<a href='home.php?start=8'>9</a>
<div class="clear"></div>
</div>
</div>

---CSS

#story img{
border: none;
float: right;
display: inline;
padding: 10px;
margin-top: 30px;
}
#story{
width: 600px;
height: inherit;
background-color:black;
margin-left: 34px;
margin-bottom: 3px;
}

#individual{
background-color: #000000;
clear:both;
}

#storynav{
font-size: 10px;
text-align: center;
}

.clear {
    clear: both;
}

Answer 2

You are setting the image to float right which means that the container div cannot work out it's actual height. You need to clear the floated element which essentially lets the container know how large the image actualy is.

You will need to add an element with the style "clear: both;" underneath the img tag in your HTML, preferably at the end of the div like so:

<div id="story">
<div id="individual">
<img src='uploads/1231924837Picture.png'/>

<h2>2009-01-14</h2>
<h1>Headline</h1>
<p>stroy story etc stroy story etc stroy story etc</p>
</div>
<br />
<div id="storynav">
<a href='home.php?start=0'>1</a> 
<a href='home.php?start=1'>2</a> 
<a href='home.php?start=2'>3</a> 
<a href='home.php?start=3'>4</a> 
<a href='home.php?start=4'>5</a>  
<a href='home.php?start=5'>6</a>  
<a href='home.php?start=6'>7</a>  
<a href='home.php?start=7'>8</a>  
<a href='home.php?start=8'>9</a>         
</div>
  <div class="clear"></div> <-- add this here
</div>

And add the class:

.clear { clear: both; }