51: Evelyn Preer: The First Lady of the Screen and the Power of a Beginning

Date: April 15, 2026 Legacy Makers: Stories of Black Inventors and Icons Title and Show Info Episode #51. Evelyn Preer: The First Lady of the Screen and the Power of a Beginning Featuring: Toni Davis (Host & Storyteller). Summary Celebrate the legacy of Evelyn Preer, a trailblazing star of the Silent Film Era who helped shape early Hollywood and African American cinema 🎬✨. In this episode of Legacy Makers: Stories of Black Inventors and Icons, we explore her rise as one of the first African American icons on screen, breaking barriers for women in film and redefining representation. Discover how Preer's powerful performances and dedication to authentic African American storytelling left a lasting cultural impact that still resonates today 🌍. Perfect for fans of film history, Black excellence, and historic figures, this episode honors a true pioneer whose influence continues to inspire generations. Tune in and celebrate a legend of cinema history 🎧🔥.   Highlights: 00:57- INTRO.  01:16- EVELYN JARVIS' BIRTH. 01:31- DEATH OF HER FATHER, & THE FAMILY MOVES TO CHICAGO. 01:40- HER MOTHER BUILDS A CHURCH. 01:45- SINGING BEFORE CROWDS. 01:53- ELDEST OF THREE. 02:15- THE LADY AMERICAN MINISTRELS. 02:35- MARRIES FRANK PREER. 02:50- OSCAR MICHEAUX. 02:59- THE HOMESTEADER.   03:46- WITHIN OUR GATES. 03:58- TRAVELING FOR WORK. 04:05- ONE OF THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN IN FILM. 04:14- THE LAFAYETTE PLAYERS. 04:38- DIVORCES FRANK PREER. 04:46- THE CHIP WOMAN'S FORTUNE. 05:12- MARRIES EDWARD THOMPSON. 05:35- THE WHITE PRESS. 05:55- MULTIPLE MICHAEUX FILMS. 06:19- LULU BELLE 06:39- SINGS FOR RECORDING ALBUMS. 06:54- RAIN. 07:32- GEORGIA ROSE. 07:44- MORE TALKIE FILMS. 08:00- PRAISED BY THE CRITICS. 08:15- MOTHERHOOD. 08:39- BECOMES ILL. 09:03- PASSES AWAY. 09:10- FUNERAL. 09:34- ACCOLADES. 10:57- CONCLUSION. Subscribe to the podcast.   Links To Additional Resources: Evelyn Preer - Wikipedia Evelyn Preer - IMDb Evelyn Preer Evelyn Preer, Singer, and Actress born - African American Registry Evelyn Preer, first African American 'Lady of the Screen' - New York Amsterdam News Evelyn Preer (1896-1932) | BlackPast.org Silent Era : People Evelyn Preer: Oscar Micheaux's Black Queen of the Silver Screen – Jackson Advocate Evelyn Preer: The First Lady of Screen – Norman Studios WBSS Media-Evelyn Preer Evelyn Preer Evelyn Preer - Biography - IMDb Evelyn Preer — Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area Evelyn Preer – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB Evelyn Preer (Performer) | Playbill ‎Evelyn Preer Movies and Shows - Apple TV Evelyn Preer (Actor): Credits, Bio, News & More | Broadway World Evelyn Preer Biography, Celebrity Facts and Awards - TV Guide Evelyn Preer and Black female stardom in the silent film era: Feminist Media Studies: Vol 22 , No 5 - Get Access Evelyn Preer in a scene from The Homesteader - NYPL Digital Collections Evelyn Preer Movies List | Rotten Tomatoes | Rotten Tomatoes Evelyn Preer — The Movie Database (TMDB) Artist: Evelyn Preer | SecondHandSongs Evelyn Preer – Movies, Bio and Lists on MUBI Evelyn Preer | American Film Institute Evelyn Preer: Without Peer - WorkWrite - Medium Evelyn Preer on Tumblr Evelyn Preer – Black Cinema Connection Evelyn Preer - Actors And Actresses Of The Harlem Renaissance Little-Known Black History Fact: Evelyn Preer Evelyn Preer, Actress, Blues Singer | Eveleyn Preer (July 16… | Flickr Evelyn Preer - Wikidata Evelyn Preer - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia Evelyn Preer ~ The First Black Star Evelyn Preer Discography: Vinyl, CDs, & More | Discogs Evelyn Preer - TV Guide Evelyn Preer – Norman Studios Evelyn Preer and Black female stardom in the silent film era: Feminist Media Studies: Vol 22, No 5 https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/the-sad-and-short-life-of-black-actress-evelyn-preer.5464840/