# 4464 - 2010 44c Black Heritage: Oscar Micheaux
Oscar Micheaux
Black Heritage Series
City: New York, NY
Birth Of Oscar Micheaux
Micheaux was born on a farm, but his parents moved the family to a nearby city to give their children a better education. This was short-lived, however, as money troubles sent them back to the farm. Micheaux became restless and frequently got himself in trouble. As a result, his father sent him back to the city to do marketing.
Micheaux enjoyed his marketing work in the city – it allowed him to meet lots of people and develop social skills that would help in his later career. Micheaux moved to Chicago when he was 17 and worked a series of jobs in stockyards and steel mills. He eventually realized he wanted to be his own boss so he started his own business – a shoeshine stand in a barbershop. Micheaux then got a job as a Pullman porter for a railroad. He greatly enjoyed this job – he got to travel the country, meet lots of people, and make enough money to save a substantial amount.
At a time when most black filmmakers were going bankrupt, Oscar Micheaux thrived. He worked tirelessly to keep his company afloat. To finance his films, Micheaux toured the country seeking advances from theater owners. In order to increase ticket sales, he convinced white theater owners to have special midnight showings for black audiences.
While many of the films he made were based on his own works, he also produced movies based on other writings. He made two movies based on the works of Charles W. Chesnutt – The Conjure Woman and The House Behind the Cedars.
Oscar Micheaux
Black Heritage Series
City: New York, NY
Birth Of Oscar Micheaux
Micheaux was born on a farm, but his parents moved the family to a nearby city to give their children a better education. This was short-lived, however, as money troubles sent them back to the farm. Micheaux became restless and frequently got himself in trouble. As a result, his father sent him back to the city to do marketing.
Micheaux enjoyed his marketing work in the city – it allowed him to meet lots of people and develop social skills that would help in his later career. Micheaux moved to Chicago when he was 17 and worked a series of jobs in stockyards and steel mills. He eventually realized he wanted to be his own boss so he started his own business – a shoeshine stand in a barbershop. Micheaux then got a job as a Pullman porter for a railroad. He greatly enjoyed this job – he got to travel the country, meet lots of people, and make enough money to save a substantial amount.
At a time when most black filmmakers were going bankrupt, Oscar Micheaux thrived. He worked tirelessly to keep his company afloat. To finance his films, Micheaux toured the country seeking advances from theater owners. In order to increase ticket sales, he convinced white theater owners to have special midnight showings for black audiences.
While many of the films he made were based on his own works, he also produced movies based on other writings. He made two movies based on the works of Charles W. Chesnutt – The Conjure Woman and The House Behind the Cedars.