The stories of the men and women who were the pioneers of the Black press, newspapers that delivered news to African Americans starting in the 1800s, continue today.

On Sunday, April 23, at 1 p.m., the James River Film Society presents a film about its evolution: “The Black Press: Soldiers Without Swords.” Directed by Stanley Nelson and released in 1998, the documentary was the first to consider the history of African-American newspapers their struggles, triumphs and contributions.

“That story is still very much relevant,” said Wayne Dawkins, an associate professor of multimedia journalism at Morgan State University. “You have to know where you came from.”

He should know. Mr. Dawkins has written two books about black journalists and was a student of Phyllis Garland, a former Ebony magazine editor who is featured in the film.

“Most of that documentary focused on the 1900s, say to the early to mid 1900s, [a] critical period because that was a period we were Black folk entrenched in Jim Crow,” he said, adding that the words and pages of the Black press had a transformative impact on Black America.

Some of the newspapers recalled by the film include Freedom’s Journal, The Chicago Defender, the Pittsburgh Courier and the Baltimore Afro American. The latter three are still publishing today, and the late Raymond H. Boone Sr., founder of the Richmond Free Press, was editor and vice-president of the entire Afro-American newspaper chain, a position he held from 1976 to 1981. The documentary is narrated by actor Joe Morton and features music from jazz bassist Ron Carter, along with interviews with journalists, photographers, publishers and archival footage.

The film is part of the 29th James River Film Festival. The annual event also features “Rewind and Play,” a 2022 documentary about a Paris performance of jazz composer Thelonious Monk on Saturday at 9 p.m. at the Grace Street Theater. Tickets are $8 for each screening.