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Birth of a Nation

2 hours 33 minutes 19 seconds
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Black and white film still of a man in a dark suit, top hat, and curled mustache, walking outside and in front of a smiling woman with a fashionable dress and white parasol.

Note: Teacher preview recommended. This 1915 black-and-white silent film directed by D.W. Griffith is historically significant. Considered by many to be the one film that transformed cinema into an art form, it remains a controversial piece due to the subject matter. This film has a pro-Ku Klux Klan message, and depicts white men in blackface portraying African Americans in a negative manner. It is the story of two Southern families during the Civil War and Reconstruction. Adapted by Thomas Dixon, Jr. from his proracist writings "The Clansman" and "The Leopard's Spots." This piece should only be used as a teaching tool to demonstrate the results of propaganda and racism, or to demonstrate early silent film techniques.

Media Details

Runtime: 2 hours 33 minutes 19 seconds

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Viewer Comments

  • Tiny default profile photo
    Gerard G. (Oceanside, NY)
    February 7th, 2019 at 11:43 AM

    Great Copy of this classic film. Closed captioning is perfect.

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