Birth of a Nation

Definition

"Birth of a Nation" is a controversial 1915 silent film directed by D.W. Griffith that portrayed the Ku Klux Klan in a positive light and African Americans negatively, reinforcing racial stereotypes.

Related terms

D.W. Griffith: An influential American film director, best known for his groundbreaking but controversial film "Birth of a Nation."

Ku Klux Klan: A white supremacist group that emerged during Reconstruction after the Civil War, known for terrorizing African Americans and promoting white supremacy.

Silent Film Era: The period from around 1891 to 1927 when movies were primarily without synchronized recorded sound or spoken dialogue.