Oscar Micheaux, First Major Black Filmmaker in America
Oscar Micheaux is the first major Black American film producer and director. Micheaux’s independent films helped change the perception of Black identity in the film industry He was born January 2, 1884 in Metropolis, Illinois. In the early 1900’s Micheaux worked as a Pullman porter on the railroad trains. By 1906, he had saved up enough money to purchase a farm in South Dakota. His experiences as a Black farmer in S became subject matter for his literary writing. Micheaux was a self-published author of articles and books, One of his first articles was published by The Chicago Defender, and another by Woodruff Press. . Micheaux’s first book, published In 1913, was The Conquest: The Story of a Negro Pioneer. His second book, The Forged Note, was published around 1914. In 1918, Micheaux's novel The Homesteader, attracted the attention of Lincoln Motion Pictures, who offered money for the rights to make the book into a film. Micheaux refused the offer and decided to make the film himself.
Micheaux, Independent Filmmaker ”
Micheaux, launched his career as an independent filmmaker and producer in 1919. His silent film, The Homesteader was the first major independent Black film. It told the story of a Black settler on the South Dakota frontier. Between 1919 and 1948 Oscar Micheaux wrote, produced, directed, and distributed more than 45 silent features and talkie films. Micheaux produced most of his films on a shoestring budget, with the production funds often coming from his own pocket.
Micheaux’s so-called “race” films starred all-Black casts and frequently dealt with racial issues and white prejudice. His films contradicted the negative stereotypes of how Blacks were portrayed in the mainstream film industry . Micheaux’s films appealed to Black audiences and featured gospel, mystery, gangster, and adventure themes. Micheaux’s most acclaimed films were Body and Soul, Harlem after Midnight, and Within Our Gates.
Silent Films To Talkies
Micheaux was one of the few black independent filmmakers to survive the sound era. He was able to make the transition into talkie films largely because of his tenacity, charisma and talent for promoting his work. Although Oscar Micheaux declared bankruptcy in 1928, he continued to find new investors to finance his work. Micheaux would distribute his completed films by hand to waiting theaters to secure financing for his next project. .More than 700 theaters were part of the “ghetto circuit” of Black audiences.