Birth+of+a+Nation

Birth of a Nation

Birth of a Nation, also known as “The Clansman” was an American film released in 1915. The film shows the relationship between two families during the Civil War and Reconstruction Era. One family is pro- Union North, and the other is pro- Confederacy South. In the film there are African-American men who are portrayed to be unintelligent and aggressive towards white women, then there are Klu Klux Klan members who are presented to be heroic. As white citizens flocked to see the film, many African-Americans began to protest. There was an unsuccessful attempt to ban the film, and it was also used to recruit new KKK members. The Birth of a Nation is the first motion picture to be screened at the White House, and is also the first 12-reel film in America.