The Conquest

By Oscar Micheaux

Book Overview

The Conquest: The Story of a Negro Pioneer (1913) is a novel by Oscar Micheaux. Before he became the first Black movie mogul in American history, Micheaux was a homesteader-turned novelist whose passion for storytelling and business acumen were born from a youth of hard work and struggle. The son of a former slave, Micheaux dedicated his life to countering the dominant narratives of American history while inspiring and empowering Black people around the world. "The heavy rains washed the loam from the hills and deposited it on these bottoms. Years ago, when the rolling lands were cleared, and before the excessive rainfall had washed away the loose surface, the highlands were considered most valuable for agricultural purposes, equally as valuable as the bottoms now are." A Black homesteader named Oscar Devereaux reflects on a life of perseverance. Raised alongside twelve siblings in rural Illinois, he leaves home and family behind to seek a life of fortune and independence. Never one to set limits, Devereaux discovers that no dream is beyond his reach. Dedicated to educator and orator Booker T. Washington, The Conquest was described by its author as the "true story of a negro who was discontented and of] the circumstances that were the outcome of that discontent." This edition of Oscar Micheaux's The Conquest: The Story of a Negro Pioneer is a classic of African American literature reimagined for modern readers.

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 151321117X
• ISBN13: 9781513211176
• Release Date: January 2022
• Publisher: Mint Editions
• Length: 210 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.0" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

oscar micheaux's finest book

Oscar Micheaux wrote seven novels. "The Conquest" was his first novel, and his best. If you can only purchase one book BY Oscar Micheaux, this is the best. Prof. Jayna Brown's introduction is outstanding. Her introduction is tough but fair. The introduction places Oscar Micheaux in his historical context, as a conservative Booker T. Washington follower. This is the first reprint of "The Conquest" that is not a facsimile copy of the original typeset edition from 1913. As a result, the lettering, font and artwork in the book are modern and elegant. The book itself is autobiographical. But the book is about more than the struggle of one African-American. The book is also about a whole variety of topics: homesteading, railroading, rural America, and the urban vs. rural divide. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in homesteading, railroading, farming,or American history. Micheaux was one of a kind. The same thing that was said about writer George Schuyler could also be said about Oscar Micheaux:"He woke up every morning to see which way the world was turning, and he took off in the opposite direction. He loved playing the role of the maverick."