Pearl Bowser
Acting
Biography
Black American author, collector, television director, film scholar, film director, producer, filmmaker, independent distributor and film archivist.
Born: June 25, 1931
Place of Birth: Harlem, New York City, New York, USA
Known For
Midnight Ramble
A documentary chronicling the pioneering efforts of black filmmaker William D. Foster in the early years of the industry and Oscar Micheaux's controversial impact on the subsequent "race movies".
In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema
This documentary captures the sounds and images of a nearly forgotten era in film history when African American filmmakers and studios created “race movies” exclusively for black audiences. The best of these films attempted to counter the demeaning stereotypes of black Americans prevalent in the popular culture of the day. About 500 films were produced, yet only about 100 still exist. Filmmaking pioneers like Oscar Micheaux, the Noble brothers, and Spencer Williams, Jr. left a lasting influence on black filmmakers, and inspired generations of audiences who finally saw their own lives reflected on the silver screen.
Pearl Bowser Looks At Early Black Cinema: The Legacy of Oscar Micheaux
Pearl Bowser (born 1931) is an author, television director, film director, producer, and film archivist. At the time of the program, she was the director of Chamba Educational Film Services. She is the author of a book on the first ten years of the career of Oscar Micheaux and is credited for having helped rediscover some of Oscar Micheaux's rare surviving films. She is the founder of African Diaspora Images, a collection of visual and oral histories that documents the history of African-American filmmaking.
Moses Sisters Interview
An interview with biographer and filmmaker Pearl Bowser, whose work concerns the "race films" of 20th century American cinema.
Filmography
as Self - Archivist