Oscar Devereaux Micheaux (1884–1951) was a pioneering American author, film director, and independent producer who became a central figure in early twentieth-century cinema. Over his distinguished career, Micheaux directed and produced more than forty-four films, successfully transitioning his work from the silent era into the era of sound cinema. He is widely recognized as the first major African-American feature filmmaker in history. Micheaux distinguished himself as a prominent producer of what were known as "race films"—productions created by Black filmmakers for Black audiences. Although the short-lived Lincoln Motion Picture Company was the very first movie company owned and controlled by African-American filmmakers, Micheaux's independent efforts achieved unparalleled reach and longevity. Because of his extensive and impactful body of work, he has been described as the most successful African-American filmmaker of the first half of the twentieth century.
