The Lost Docs
In 2006, Fox 4 News film critic Shawn Edwards pitched an idea to the station’s Vice President of Creative Services — a community outreach project for Black History Month. His proposal was to create a series of on-air segments highlighting the greatest Black films ever made.
When Edwards suggested there were at least 100 classic Black films to choose from, the VP challenged him, doubting that so many great titles existed. Determined to prove otherwise, Edwards spent weeks conducting research and re-watching hundreds of films. He returned with a carefully curated list of 100 exceptional Black movies and a new concept — a documentary chronicling the history of Black film.
Inspired by the American Film Institute’s “100 Years…100 Movies” list, Edwards reimagined it through the lens of the Black experience. The VP, a young Black executive, fully supported the idea, as did the station’s news director. Together, they green-lit what would become the first of four documentaries celebrating the legacy of Black cinema.
Each documentary premiered for free at The Gem Theater in Kansas City, Missouri, during Black History Month, beginning in 2007. Produced on a shoestring budget and edited by station photographer and editor Matthew Hensley, the projects were made possible with additional support from Phillips West, a local public relations firm.
The rest, as they say, is history — Black history.
