Oscar Micheaux | |
---|---|
Born |
Oscar Devereaux Micheaux January 2, 1884 Metropolis, Illinois, United States |
Died | March 25, 1951 Charlotte, North Carolina, United States |
(aged 67)
Occupation | Director, author |
Spouse(s) |
Orlean McCracken (m.1910) Alice B. Russell (m.1926) |
Awards |
Directors Guild of America Awards 1986 Golden Jubilee Special Award Hollywood Walk of Fame 6721 Hollywood Boulevard |
Orlean McCracken (m.1910)
Oscar Devereaux Micheaux (US pronunciation: i/ˈɒskə.mɪˈʃoʊ/; January 2, 1884 – March 25, 1951) was an African American author, film director and independent producer of more than 44 films. Although the short-lived Micheaux Book & Film Company produced some films, he is regarded as the first major African-American feature filmmaker, the most successful African-American filmmaker of the first half of the 20th century and the most prominent producer of race films. He produced both silent films and sound films when the industry changed to incorporate speaking actors.
Micheaux was born on a farm in Metropolis, Illinois on January 2, 1884. He was the fifth child born to Calvin S. and Belle Micheaux, who had a total of 13 children. In his later years, Micheaux added an “e” to his last name. His father was born a slave in Kentucky. Because of its surname, his father's family appears to have been associated with French-descended settlers. French Huguenot refugees had settled in Virginia in 1700; their descendants took slaves west when they migrated into Kentucky after the American Revolutionary War.