Oscar Micheaux - Marriage and Family

Marriage and Family

In South Dakota, Micheaux married Orlean McCracken. Her family proved to be complex and burdensome for Micheaux. Unhappy with their living arrangements, Orlean felt that Micheaux did not pay enough attention to her. She gave birth while he was away on business. She was reported to have emptied their bank accounts and fled. Orlean’s father sold Micheaux's property and took the money from the sale. After his return, Micheaux tried unsuccessfully to get Orlean and his property back. Although he had saved while working as a Pullman porter, Micheaux lost his money during this time. After many failed attempts to recover some of his assets, he needed to move into his next career and make some money.