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Summary: The Birth Of A Nation

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The Birth of a Nation, by D.W. Griffith, in my belief, is a prime example of why the present world is so ignorant of the past. Because the techniques in the movie were so exceptional at the time, this misinterpretation of the reconstruction period was widespread. When the movie came out, I believe many people were not well enough informed to distinguish between the truth and the distorted. Due to stereotypes and misleading information, it could have been simple to portray African-Americans as distasteful, ill-mannered beings and, contrarily, the Ku Klux Klan as gallant protectors, resulting in the audience misconceiving the truth. As I watched The Birth of a Nation, I was able to compare the misconstrued idea of Reconstruction to what I read in chapter fifteen of our textbook, by Eric Foner. As said in the short essay by Craig D’ooge about The Birth of a Nation, found in the Library of Congress, “Griffith depicted a tide of corrupt black rule in Southern legislatures after the civil war.” This depiction, created by the producer, is by all means false and it …show more content…

I believe more people get their history from Hollywood films than from a history book, because for most is easier to understand events when they are shown visually and it is more appealing to watch films about history than to read history books for most, even though many films are inaccurate. I do not believe The Birth of a Nation should have been shown in the twentieth century, when segregation was still at large and the impact of stereotypes against African Americans were still so influential. However, I do believe The Birth of a Nation should be shown to the public today and to classes who are learning about history, because it shows how films can depict an entirely false view of historical events and that people should not just believe what they

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