Fort Lee Film Commission honors black trailblazer
FORT LEE, N.J. (AP) — The Fort Lee Film Commission in New Jersey celebrated Black History Month by honoring a pioneering African-American filmmaker with ties to the area.
The Record reports (http://bit.ly/2l7a4Yd) that film and history enthusiasts gathered at the Fort Lee Museum to highlight the works of director Oscar Micheaux on Tuesday night. The film commission has honored the director annually since the group's inception in 2002.
The group discussed Micheaux's opposition of hate groups and his positive portrayals of African-Americans throughout the event.
Micheaux produced and directed five films in Fort Lee between 1920 and 1948. He is also credited with making the first African-American-produced sound film with an entirely black cast.
Fort Lee Film Commission Executive Director Tom Meyers says the group would like to expand the event to discuss more black filmmakers with an entire exhibit.
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Information from: The Record (Woodland Park, N.J.), http://www.northjersey.com
