100 years ago, Roanoke was ‘the Black Hollywood.’ A new disc collection preserves what’s left of that legacy.

100 years ago, Roanoke was ‘the Black Hollywood.’ A new disc collection preserves what’s left of that legacy.

This year marks a full century since Roanoke ceased to be “the Black Hollywood.” If you never knew that Roanoke once held that title, then we have a lot of catching up to do before we get to why Roanoke’s status is back in the news, at least indirectly. For four years, from 1922 to 1925, Roanoke was the home of Oscar Micheaux, who is regarded as America’s first Black filmmaker — even though he wasn’t, but that’s just one of many things about his…