In recent years, Black horror has undergone a remarkable renaissance, driven by the visionary work of filmmakers like Jordan Peele and Nia DaCosta.
While the genre often uses horror as a lens to explore the historical experiences of Black Americans—racism, slavery, and social politics—it is far from a modern invention. Its origins stretch back to the 1920s, long before its surge in popularity during the Blaxploitation era of the 1970s. Over the years, key figures have emerged in Black horror, including trailblazing actors like Duane Jones of Night of the Living Dead. However, for decades, Black creatives behind the camera were lamentably scarce. This raises an intriguing question: what was the first horror film directed by a Black filmmaker?
Amazingly, the first horror movie made by a Black director came out in 1922 during the silent era. During that period, Oscar Micheaux – an author, director, and producer who is regarded as the first African-American feature filmmaker – made his first foray into horror with The Dungeon.
It tells the story of a Black woman who is forced to marry a corrupt politician who has made a secret deal with white power brokers to support segregation in exchange for political influence. She calls him out on this and, in return, is thrown in a subterranean dungeon her husband used to murder his previous wives.
Unfortunately, nobody can watch The Dungeon today because all prints have been lost to history.