Oscar Micheaux
(October 2, 1884 – 1951)
Film Producer
Mr. Micheaux was born near Metropolis, Illinois, and was raised in Great Bend Kansas. He was one of the 11 siblings of former slaves. He had a passion for success one of his first business was. He was a prolific writer, director, and film producer of more than 44 films between 1919 and 1948. His films dealt with the African American struggle for equality in a hostile world. His second film, Within Our Gates, is often considered his response to D.W. Griffith’s racist classic, Birth of a Nation.
Micheaux’s film depicts lynchings and the rape of black women by white men…in 1920. Mr. Micheaux was definitely not afraid to stir up controversy and was a ground-breaking artist who paved the way for future black directors. He produced both silent films and “talkies” after the industry changed to incorporate speaking actors. He also had a small shoeshine stand, which he set up at a white suburban barbershop prior to his filmmaking. Micheaux died on March 25, 1951, in Charlotte, North Carolina, of heart failure. He is buried in Great Bend Cemetery in Great Bend, Kansas, the home of his youth. His gravestone reads: “A man ahead of his time