The H Street Festival was first organized by the Community-Business Action Coalition (COMBAC). COMBAC was created by neighborhood residents and businesses after the riots in 1968. The founders included Mr. Walter Ross, Mrs. Loree Murray, Ms. Doris Clark, Ms. Betty Hart, Mr. Idus Holmes and many others. The H Street Merchants and Professionals Association (HSMA) took responsibility for the Festival in the 1980s.
