Oscar Micheaux

I do this #blackhistorymonth annual project of drawing, researching, and sharing on my network yearly. That’s how I wrote my first book: Blacks in Portraits. Learn about this year’s collaboration on my Instagram (@commuteartist). Some of them will be animated like this post. Head over to learn about these incredible Black figures, past and present, who shaped and are shaping this nation. Here’s the first one:

One of the most famous independent producers of race films🎬 was none other than Oscar Micheaux. From 1919-1948 he wrote, produced, directed, and distributed more than 45 films for African American audiences. His films focused on the lives of Black Americans dealing directly with racial issues while examining white prejudice, interracial romance, and colorism within the community. However, they also offered an alternative to the stereotyping of Blacks by Hollywood while addressing issues that were important to them. ⠀
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Micheaux was one of eleven children of former slaves. Prior to becoming a prolific filmmaker, he formed his own publishing company to buy his books door-to-house. He used this as a way to tell his stories. The Homesteader, a novel written by him, which he turned into a film made him the first African American to do so. ⠀
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Happy #BlackHistory month!