Life for African-Americans during the 1920s was not only dangerous but difficult. Slavery had ended only 55 years ago. Racism and violence were rampant and mostly perpetuated by hostile, white Americans. Opportunities for African-Americans to achieve social, economic and political success were scarce. Blacks were, oftentimes, misrepresented due to their lack of power. However, the emergence of black filmmakers, such as Oscar Micheaux, assisted in accurate, thought-provoking portrayals of African-Americans. Oscar Micheaux’s "Symbol of the Unconquered" was historically significant because it was one of the few films written and directed by an African-American solely for African-Americans at a violent and disturbing time in American history. The cultural themes explored within the film remain relevant today and can be used as a reference on how to accurately represent people of color and get a positive reception.

Oscar Micheaux began making films in the 1920s. Micheaux’s fourth film, "Symbol of the Unconquered" followed Eve Mason, a young, fair-skinned African-American woman, whose initial objective is to collect the land she inherited from her grandfather. Eve travels from Alabama to the Northwest. She encounters an African-American, Driscoll, who is a white passing African-American who detest blacks.The female lead then goes on the save her friend, Hugh Van Allen, from a violent mob. The story concludes with Eve and Hugh falling in love. Eve and Hugh are not one-dimensional characters; they are well-rounded. They signify a larger conversation that needed to take place on the big screen.

Oscar Micheaux’s "Symbol of the Unconquered" dismantled racial stereotypes through the portrayal of middle-class, entrepreneurial characters. “Almost a century before directors Spike Lee and John Singleton constructed images of 'blackness' on the silver screen, Oscar Micheaux created positive black cinematic images.” Eve and Hugh are not the mammy and inferior characters white America was prone to at the time, which was Micheaux’s intention since his “primary theme in his art was upward class mobility or uplift for African-Americans.” African-Americans were usually excluded from silent films, and when they weren’t, they were often depicted in subservient roles. Misrepresentation, minstrelsy and blackface were some of the biggest issues African-Americans faced when it came to cinema in the 1920s. At the time of Micheaux’s "Symbol of the Unconquered, Birth of a Nation," was considered a masterpiece and Cleopatra was played by Theda Bara, a white woman. Micheaux sought to challenge the inferior ways blacks were treated and seen. Furthermore, when the spectators first meet Hugh Van Allen, the African-American lead, he rides in on a horse and is neatly dressed. Micheaux’s portrayal of an African-American middle-class lead was encouraging and an escape for a community that for so long had been oppressed.

Micheaux created a world that was rarely seen in the 1920s. African-Americans were in control of their own destiny. In "Symbol of the Unconquered," Hugh gives Eve a gun and tells her to shoot twice if she’s in any trouble. Micheaux is diverging away from the docile and hopeless stereotypes associated with blacks. In silent era pictures, black characters usually had no purpose outside their white counterparts. They were either a villain who needed to progress the story or waiting to assist a white person. Eve and Van Allen Hugh have options, their objectives exist outside of white Americans. Micheaux, creating a world outside of white America, allowed black America to sustain a sense of identity.

Oscar Micheaux’s "Symbol of the Unconquered" is forgotten because it reveals a terrible part of American history that many would rather forget, which is why it’s still very significant due to the cultural implications and social commentary. In one of the very first scenes in the movie, Eve checks into the Driscol Hotel. The overseer of the hotel, Driscoll, is white passing and can tell Eve has African origins. Though he has plenty of room, Driscoll offers Eve a place in the attic. Eve, desperate and tired from her journey, accepts the ludicrous offer. Upon hearing the cold news, Eve sadly looks into the camera. By breaking the fourth wall, Micheaux is inviting the spectators to witness the act but to be a part of the conversation. Eve looks into the camera, and there’s a moment where we as spectators have to ask ourselves, “what would I do?”

Oscar Micheaux’s film "Symbol of the Unconquered" is significant because white writers are still being given the green light to represent black Americans and people of color improperly. "Nina" is the latest film that’s caused a lot of uproar because the film utilizes blackface and a nose prosthetic in order to make a light-skinned actress, Zoe Saldana, look like Simone.

The black community still suffers from colorism and internalized racism. Though his film came out almost 100 years ago, it was significant because it was written and directed by a black man talking about cultural themes that resonate within the black community. Time does not change, and progression is not linear; we should look back at "Symbol of the Unconquered" as a representative that the fight toward equal and proper representation is not linear. People of color must fight to get their voices heard. "Symbol of the Unconquered" significance lies in that it can happen again. We can authenticate our voices, tell our own stories.

"Symbol of the Unconquered" remains historically accurate because it is an honest look at racism and white supremacy told by an African-American. In his world, an African-American woman saves the male lead, the Uncle Tom is seen as a coward and issues of racism and internalized racism are explored. However, today, African-Americans continue to fight against being negative or inaccurate portrayals rooted in stereotypes. Accurate representation is what we should aim for. We should celebrate and inform the public about a culture by allowing those who partake in it to speak on it. Not only will the film in time be historically significant, but the reception will have a better, positive impact on people.