Serving as its executive director, Hamlin’s goal in creating the Festival was "to unite black theatre companies in America to ensure the survival of the genre into the next millennium.
As he was doing research for a magazine article in the late 1980s, Hamlin discovered a disconnect between the number of black theatre companies at that time.
He concluded that a festival could serve as a method to bring these companies together, and he contacted renowned author and poet Maya Angelou for support.
Angelou served as the Festival's first chairperson, and other prominent African-American performers lent their professional and financial support.
[6] The 2007 festival was the first without the direct guidance of Hamlin, who died on June 6, 2007; organizers continued preparations though his presence was missed.