Black Heritage Month

 "The Symbol of the Unconquered" (1920) is a Western silent film and another major work by Oscar Micheaux, one of the first Black filmmakers in American cinema. The film features performers such as Lawrence Chenault, Walker Thompson, Iris Hall, and other actors connected to the Black stage and early race-film circuit. Like many of Micheaux's productions of this period, it was made specifically for Black audiences and directly confronted racial identity and white supremacy at a time when mainstream Hollywood glorified films such as "Birth of a Nation" (1915) by D.W. Griffith.

Following the success of "The Homesteader" (1919) and "Within Our Gates" (1920), Micheaux continued using cinema as a platform to challenge racial narratives and expand the representation of Black life on screen. "The Symbol of the Unconquered" combines exceptional cinematography and frontier imagery with race-conscious storytelling, placing Black characters within the Western landscape. Through this setting, Micheaux addressed issues of land ownership, migration, opportunity, and the social tensions that followed the Black movement beyond the South.

The film is particularly significant for its treatment of racial passing, colorism, and internalized prejudice, themes that Micheaux explored early in his career. Black newspaper coverage emphasized its political weight. The New York Age highlighted the film's depiction of the Ku Klux Klan being "put to rout," stating it as a timely resistance picture during the wave of organized white supremacist activity. The Kansas City Sun promoted it as an essential "all-star Negro production" and stressed that it presented Black life without the degrading "Uncle Tom" stereotypes. The Chicago Defender publicized the film's exhibition as an influential film, highlighting its dramatic storyline and production scale. These newspapers positioned the movie as both entertainment and socially relevant commentary. It was marketed as a serious, high-quality "Negro production," with Micheaux's reputation and the film's all-Black cast presented as points of racial pride and cultural advancement.

Like many of Micheaux's works, the film's social issues are layered and bold for the era. The production reflects an early effort by Black filmmakers to control their own image, tell complex stories about identity and survival, and counter degrading portrayals common in American cinema. Through "The Symbol of the Unconquered," Micheaux again demonstrated his commitment to portraying Black life through a self-defined lens, making the film a critical and foundational work in early Black film history.

Director: Oscar Micheaux

Writer: Oscar Micheaux

Starring Iris Hall, Walker Thompson, Lawrence Chenault, Mattie Wilkes, Louis Dean, Leigh Whipper, Jim Burris, E.G. Tatum, James Burrough, George Catlin

Storyline

Eve Mason (Iris Hall) learns of her grandfather's death, leaves her small Southern town, and travels west to inspect her newly inherited land. With help from her neighbor, Hugh Van Allen (Walker Thompson), she arrives at her grandfather's homestead. When the self-loathing Jefferson Driscoll (Lawrence Chenault) learns that Van Allen's property sits atop a vast oil reserve, he teams up with a group of unsavory criminals to threaten Mason and force Van Allen off his land.

Available on Blu-ray and streaming services.