Within Our Gates is the oldest surviving film made by an African American filmmaker; it was created by seminal black director Oscar Micheaux, and details the story of a woman (Evelyn Preer) trying to secure funding for a black school. The film is thought to be a response to the W.B. Griffiths film Birth of a Nation, as well as the Chicago Race Riots earlier in the year.
Within Our Gates is a black and white silent film. It is considered an early race film, with its intended audience presumably being all black. The film was barred from featuring in Chicago for two months by the city Board of Censors, who featured the film might incur a riot. Somethings never change.
TW: This film contains acts of racial violence, including assault, lynching, attempted murder of a child, suggested sexual assault, as well as domestic violence.
Full film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtwrCto9az0
Intro music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPZcLhg5fWI
Background score: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoWANgGSGp4
Outro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPu2hrzKzD8
(Please note these are impressions from first time viewings, unless otherwise stated. If my points come across ill-constructed, inane, or otherwise unconvincing, muh bad bruh.)
