Urban Film Review (UFR) began Black History Film Festival (BHFF) in 2011 during Black History Month at the Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center in Decatur, Georgia. The purpose of the film festival is to broaden audiences’ narrative of African American contributions to America’s history. The film festival screens documentaries of unsung African American heroes that aren’t often discussed in history books or revered during Black History Month.

As the BHFF grew, UFR hosted it at one of Atlanta’s new premier destinations, the Riverside EpiCenter in Austell, GA next to Six Flags over Georgia. The year after hosting the BHFF at the EpiCenter, in collaboration with Fulton County Commissioner Marvin Arrington, Jr., expanded BHFF’s to the Atlanta Fulton Library System. In 2016, Commissioner Arrington incorporated an essay and film competition to all high school students in Fulton County, Georgia which encompasses 15 cities. Many talented youth submitted their masterpieces on their “Unsung Black History Month Heroes.” The essay and film winners won $500 each.

Public access channels (FGTV and ATL26) aired two of the documentaries screened during the BHFF during the entire month of February. Seeking to expand the BHFF to other metropolitans, UFR hosted the first DC BHFF on February 22, 2016 at Busboy & Poets Café on 14th St., Washington D.C.