Today, many consider Atlanta as the mecca of Black art. However, the art and culture of its Black community was not always given the respect that it so rightly deserves. Dr. Michael Lomax, the first director of Atlanta’s Bureau of Cultural Affairs, fervently sought to address this issue and in 1988 his efforts were rewarded with Atlanta holding its first National Black Arts Festival with funding in the amount of $100,000 from the NEA’s Expansion Arts program.

During Lomax’s time on the Fulton County Commission of Atlanta, the idea for the festival was birthed. As described by Lomax, “There was really no place where African Americans could see themselves and celebrate the traditions of our own creative expression.” The National Black Arts Festival was unlike other arts festivals of the time because of its racial specificity—Lomax asserted that the purpose of the festival was to counter the notion that race is of little importance. The festival was to be a celebration of the African Diaspora and comprised various forms of art, including theater, dance, visual arts, literature, music, and film.

As the planning for the first National Black Arts Festival continued, it soon acquired national attention, gaining the support of big-name celebrities such as Cicely Tyson and Harry Belafonte, who served as its first national spokespeople, and legendary writers Maya Angelou and Amiri Baraka, who were part of the literary segment. With more than 350,000 people attending in 1988, the festival was considered successful enough to become an annual event in 2003, maintaining strong attendance every year.  The festival also holds year-round programs to aid the communities of Atlanta, such as Youth Empowerment Series (YES), which brings art programming to schools as well as multiple workshops, film screenings, and concerts throughout the year.

In keeping with its original mission, the National Black Arts Festival portrays the multifaceted nature of Black art, from South African boot dancing to visual art displays. In reference to the work of the festival, Neil Barclay, the current president of the National Black Arts Festival, makes note of the impact of the festival, saying, “To see [children] turned on to the transformative power of art is always exciting for me…You imagine it's the moment when they go 'Oh wow, art!' That's something that they'll hopefully make a part of their lives."