South Dakota Celebrates a Black Pioneer

Premiere of Georg Stanford Brown's new film "The Reading Room" at the Hipp Theatre in Gregory during the 2005 Oscar Micheaux Film and Book Festival.

Gregory, South Dakota, isn’t all that different from the small prairie community I first encountered as a child more than 40 years ago. It's a little town of 1,300 people – 99 percent white – in the south-central part of the state, not far from the Rosebud Indian Reservation. But one thing has changed: Some Gregory citizens have put their hearts and souls into something nobody would have imagined back then – an arts festival important to African-American history.

Filmmaker Oscar Micheaux, photographed pre-1923. No copyright.

Local citizens who once took this bit of their heritage for granted now boast about their connection to the first black American filmmaker, Oscar Micheaux, who homesteaded just south of town. They're taking a new interest in film, literature and the historical significance of an innovative and creative black man who came to South Dakota, and once called the Gregory/Dallas area home.

But to understand why this is so amazing, it's important to know who Oscar Micheaux was. Born in 1884, Micheaux arrived in South Dakota at the age of 20 to seek a homestead. He was working as a porter for the railroad when he learned the territory on the eastern edge of the Rosebud Indian Reservation had opened for homesteading.

Micheaux established his homestead in the vicinity of the early town of Dallas, located southeast of the current town of Gregory. Dallas actually relocated to the west of Gregory when it followed the railroad line to higher ground. Thus, Micheaux is part of both community histories.

The homesteading experience led to Micheaux’s first autobiographical novel, "The Conquest," in 1913. Dedicated to Booker T. Washington, the novel is the story of a homesteader, Oscar Devereaux, who wants to cultivate 1,000 acres of land and set a successful example for black people. He tames the land but is overwhelmed by his struggles with drought, loneliness and a troubled marriage.

In 1917, Micheaux published another novel, "The Homesteader," which continues the story of the black pioneer – in this incarnation named Jean Baptiste. In the face of more drought, pestilence and foreclosure, he turns to writing. Micheaux's literary success led him to found the Oscar Micheaux Film and Book Company and produce a film of "The Homesteader," released in 1919. This was the first full-length feature film directed, written and produced by an African American. Shot in Tripp County, S.D., it was also the first to star African Americans.

Micheaux wrote, produced and directed 44 feature-length films between 1919 and 1948. He has been called the most prolific black filmmaker in history, and even history's most prolific independent filmmaker. The Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame and the Producers Guild of America give awards in filmmaking each year in his name and he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It's a history the Gregory/Dallas community appreciates more with the passing years.

Gregory's Oscar Micheaux Film and Book Festival

After a decade of hard work and perseverance, the Oscar Micheaux Film Festival celebrated its 10th anniversary as the Oscar Micheaux Film and Book Festival in August 2005, complete with fanfare, celebrities and a premiere showing of a Hallmark Channel film scheduled for national TV.

Sister Francesca, daughter of Evelyn Preer, who was lead actress in Micheaux's film "The Homesteader." Sister Franscesca accepted Preer's star on the Walk of Fame at the 2005 Micheaux festival.

The Mayor spoke, the Governor sent greetings, state legislators and representatives from the State Humanities Council and the State Arts Council, as well as an auditorium of well-wishers, attended the event. From the historical review of the festival to the concluding Native American blessing, it was a great moment for Gregory and a great one for South Dakota.

Here, on a hot, dusty day in the middle of a prairie state, citizens and guests who probably spent part of the day in the field tending livestock or working at local businesses stopped to dedicate a new center that will help preserve the Micheaux story and extend its influence into the 21st Century.

Actually, the festival is doing more than preserving the Micheaux story. Over the last 10 years, the event has expanded its scope to explore Micheaux’s books and the lives and contributions of other early black artists and the challenges they faced. In 2005, the festival added an independent filmmakers contest and expanded scholarly presentations formerly focused on Micheaux and his contemporaries to include sessions with writers and publishers, and workshops on grant writing. Presentations by black and Native American scholars and artists continue to be a core offering of the festival. Street events in 2005 featured powwow dancers, a tipi-raising, outdoor music jams and carnival rides for the kids, as well as other entertainment, other ethnic dancers and community meals.

There is another interesting side to the festival: It’s changing the face of Gregory. Thanks to a new partner and benefactor, the Micheaux Festival now has its own facility, a beautifully restored and remodeled historic bank building on Main Street, and a new “Walk of Fame” that grew out of a nearby vacant lot. The Oscar Micheaux Center (OMC) has office and business space, and a small film-viewing area on the lower level and two loft areas on the second story. Setting the mood in the new facility are framed posters from Micheaux films and pictures of stars and other celebrities from the era, as well as other period memorabilia and furniture.

This remodel and restoration work was done by Richard Papousek, the local resident who founded the festival and followed his vision for the festival over the past ten years. Jerry Wilske is the new patron. Both were everywhere during the festival and played a major role in the Friday night OMC Dedication and the Walk of Fame Ceremony. After all, by most standards, the festival is still a mom-and-pop operation, and that’s what makes this festival so unique. The people who put it on have a true passion for the topic.

“Every year with the festival is an experiment – just like what Micheaux did – everything he did was an experiment,” Papousek said.

South Dakota Calling

Cover of Oscar Micheaux's 1917 novel "The Homesteader" (U. of Nebraska Press edition, 1994). In 1919, Micheaux made the book into a film, the first by an African-American filmmaker.

A Gregory businessman, Papousek was working with the city, looking for community-development opportunities when LeArlie Barry, who was then the librarian at the Dallas Carnegie Library and a local antique dealer/historian, talked to him about Micheaux and his books. Barry had found a copy of Micheaux’s book in the Dallas library and was very excited about it. She said that Micheaux had "had to go all the way to Sioux City to find a publisher for it." Once it was printed, he had pushed it hard in the area selling it door–to-door. She noted that locals remember that Micheaux was a “great promoter.” She figures that someone who had bought a copy back in 1913 later donated it to the Dallas library, which was built in 1913.

Barry explained all of this to Papousek, noting that the Micheaux books were in a second printing. Barry gave Papousek copies of "The Homesteader" and "The Conquest." As he did further research, he found that historical accounts of Micheaux always ended with the fact that Micheaux went on to become a famous black filmmaker. Papousek wanted to know more.

He went out looking for the original location of Dallas to find the site of the Micheaux homestead. In the process he also found local people who remembered or whose family histories included stories of Oscar Micheaux. Papousek began to put together the oral history. About the same time, Barry gave him a copy of the Duke University Oscar Micheaux newsletter.

Papousek approached Duke University Micheaux scholars Charlene Regester and Pearl Bowser with the phone greeting: “This is South Dakota calling.” He learned that the Micheaux scholars had never talked to anyone from South Dakota and had not researched the homestead period in Micheaux’s life. Papousek convinced them of its importance and how it impacted the filmmaker’s entire life and work.

Local performer as a land surveyor at the site of Micheaux's rebuilt South Dakota homestead

The scholars made the trip to Gregory in 1995 for the first Oscar Micheaux Festival to explore the homestead period of Micheaux’s life and to serve as experts on his films. The first festival was basically bus tours to the country outside of Gregory to see the Micheaux homestead and other local historical sites. It was planned to appeal to the local population, some of whom would share oral histories about Micheaux.

“The locals shared these stories, and Pearl and Charlene shared information on his filmmaking years,” Papousek says. "We couldn’t get people to stop asking questions.” The interaction and exchanges between the scholars and the audience became central to the early festivals. LeArlie Barry was part of these forums, and scholars also stopped by her business to visit with her.

“The festival made local people more aware of what good history we have and more alert to the fact that this information needs to be gathered,” Barry said in a recent interview. “Everyone was enthused about the people who have come in and made a study of the early black people in the area."

In 2005, festival organizers turned another corner and added student and independent films and creative writing.  “It was exciting to see young filmmakers out here doing what Micheaux did. We want to appeal to that filmmaking interest, and we will develop this film competition in the upcoming festivals,” Papousek said.

About 40 film students and interested adults participated in the film competition and sessions with professionals who presented information on film techniques, lighting and scriptwriting. These professionals also critiqued the films and talked to the filmmakers about their films.

“It was exciting to see people come alive with these films. Two high-school kids from Brandon put together a film on teenage suicide that was riveting. It was amazing to me to see kids do these things,” Papousek said.

About 20 writers participated in the initial creative-writing contest won by a local high-school student. Professional writers worked with participants in a variety of writing sessions.

Coming Together

Micheaux festival founder Richard Papousek and Duke University Micheaux scholar Pearl Bowser in front Micheaux's star on the Walk of Fame

Getting the Center and building the Walk of Fame Park in 2005 generated more interest from the community. This year, the City and the Mayor could see the real possibility for economic development. For the first time ever, the Rotary Club donated an entire month of meeting time to help plan for the festival. Two or three churches served meals, and this also involved more local people. The 2005 festival was the first year that the City closed the street to allow for food vendors and children's activities.

According to Papousek, “The mayor now believes that this could be huge for Gregory. The festival has given the town some notoriety, and we need to develop this. Until people figure out a way to make some money from this, they stand back.

“Now, the Center has revitalized Main Street. There are now better presenting facilities in Gregory than they have in Deadwood. With the Hipp Theatre, now community-run, the Dixon Hall and the community center, we have three screening venues. We have all the components; we just have to put some professional marketing in place to make something happen.

“I started this from the ground up. Sometimes it’s a battle of wits to do this in Gregory, S.D., where there isn’t one black person in town. Over the years, we’ve worked hard to involve the community. There was some local criticism, but that just provided more incentive to do it,” Papousek said.

Papousek makes an unusual comparison to describe the future of the festival, but it’s one with which South Dakotans can identify: Gregory now has a lot of hunting lodges, and other related business. Twenty years ago, people didn’t believe that was possible. The festival is where hunting was in the 1980s.

“I can relate to what Micheaux went through. He kept going and I respect that. When I was researching old newspapers, I came across a story about bankers foreclosing on his farm – a horrible period in his life – and in the same issue of the paper, there is information about him writing 'The Conquest.' He had to be quite a fellow to do this. I used to visit the homestead and envision what he went through – it gives you something to keep going during the low periods.”

What’s Ahead?

Filmmakers Tim Reid (l.) and Georg Stanford Brown (r.) with actress Kathryne Dora Brown at the 2005 Micheaux festival. Reid and Brown have stars on the Micheaux Walk of Fame.

Organizers are considering incorporating the music of the Micheaux era. Plans are underway to pursue nonprofit tax status with a board of directors of 10-15 people to help guide the festival and provide new ideas.

The Micheaux festival will garner some new attention if independent New York filmmaker Lisa Collins takes her festival documentary to the Sundance Film Festival. Papousek found her name on the Internet while searching for Micheaux information and invited her to come and speak. At first, she thought it was a joke. But when she saw the festival, she told Papousek, “This is just too crazy, we have to do a film.” Working with Kristin Johnson, Collins has said she hopes to take her final product to Sundance next year or as soon as she thinks her work is complete.

“We have so much going – if you throw a lot of mud at something, eventually, some of it is going to stick. I’m exhausted and exhilarated at the same time. Movie stars like Georg Stanford Brown and Tim Reid would never have traveled to Gregory without the festival. We have to look at the small successes,” Papousek said.

When I left Gregory that weekend, I felt like seen small town America at its best. The festival has led to a greater understanding of local history, a greater appreciation of diversity and cultures, and a greater spirit of community for Gregory. Looking to the future, Papousek went so far as to suggest that one day a professional group might run the film festival. Personally, I hope that doesn’t happen. It might keep events on schedule, but it might lose that intense dedication to local culture that leads Papousek to swear, “It's the thrill of it all that keeps me going.”

The Oscar Micheaux Center on Main Street in Gregory, S.D.; at left, Micheaux Walk of Fame, honoring African-American filmmakers. All photos not credited otherwise courtesy the Oscar Micheaux Center.

Susan Stoneback is a program coordinator at the South Dakota Arts Council in Pierre, S.D., and a former journalist, high-school teacher and governor's constituent-services coordinator.

Thanks to CAN contributing Editor Maryo Ewell for finding this story.

The 2006 Oscar Micheaux Festival will be held August 8-13, 2006, in Gregory. For more information contact the Oscar Micheaux Center, P.O. Box 26, Gregory, S.D. 57533; telephone: (605) 835-9478; email: omcenter@gwtc.net. The Walk of Fame on Gregory’s Main Street is open year-round.

Web Resources:

Oscar Micheaux Film and Book Festival – Gregory S.D.
http://www.oscarmicheauxsd.com

More festival info: http://shorock.com/arts/micheaux/gregory/index.html

Micheaux Home Page – Great Bend, Kansas
http://shorock.com/arts/micheaux/

Oscar Micheaux biography – Producers Guild of America
http://www.producersguild.org/pg/awards_a/oscarbio.asp

Micheaux Society – Duke University
http://www.duke.edu/web/film/Micheaux/

Other Micheaux festivals – There have been and are other U.S. film festivals celebrating the work of Oscar Micheaux. Consult a Web search engine.

Original CAN/API publication: July 2006