If you have never watched the original silent film “The Birth of a Nation” (1915), you can watch the entire movie for free below. Before you begin, however, you will want to read on to find out about the history of this monumental silent film.
1. The Clansman
The original name of the film was called “The Clansmen,” directed by David W. Griffith, and it was adapted from a novel, written by Thomas Dixon.
You can read the original book, The Clansman: An Historical Romance of the Ku Klux Klan online at Google Books.
2. Twelve Reels
Most films during the silent film era were one-reel films. These short single reel movies lasted approximately ten minutes. The Birth of a Nation, however, was twelve reels and approximately three hours long. In 1915, it was the longest movie to ever been made.
3. The White House
While movies were still fairly new, The Birth of a Nation was the very first movie to be viewed inside the White House. Supreme Court judges and congressmen watched it.
4. K.K.K. as Heroes
The film portrays the K.K.K. as heroes. As the story goes, a Republican politician was trying to enforce equality among the races and break apart the white families. Black men became aggressive towards white females and wanted to marry them. In response, the K.K.K. was formed to help protect white women and the white family from black men.
5. Carpetbaggers are the Villains
In spite of the disgusting racism within the story, the true evil villains are the carpetbaggers. These vile white men from the North had come to take away the valuables belonging to the Southern Whites.
6. Reinvigorated the K.K.K.
Before the release of The Birth of a Nation, the K.K.K. were beginning to dwindle. After this movie began making its rounds across the U.S. the K.K.K. had a resurgence. Their numbers grew and their memberships were full of eager white men who suddenly believed that violence was the only way to protect their white skin.
7. Banned
Some cities were able to ban the movie. For example, the mayor of Chicago in 1915 said that the film would not be shown in his city while he was in office. [1]
If you want to learn more about this film, there is only one book you need to read: D.W. Griffith’s the Birth of a Nation: A History of the Most Controversial Motion Picture of All Time by Melvyn Stokes.
