D. W. Griffith's Birth Of A Nation
D.W. Griffith’s Birth of a Nation is a film based on the Civil War. It features two families The Stonemans, from the north, and the Camerons, from the south. This movie is known to be one of the most controversial, racist movies ever created. It accurately depicts how Africans in America would later be treated by whites. In this paper, I will discuss the background of the Civil war, how the characters in this movie connects to previous and current, black and white controversy, as well as its connection to class material.
For background purposes, the purpose of the Civil war was for Southern states fight to uphold slavery and for the Northern states to preserve the Union, not to free slaves. The Emancipation Proclamation was proposed in September
1862 as Lincolns warning to the South to stop their rebellion, or, their slaves would be freed. In result of the South’s constant rebellion, the Thirteenth Amendment was ratified on December 6, 1865 and abolished slavery. Griffith uses these actual events in the film to build his plot.
One of the slavery debates that Griffith portrays in the film, is the Camerons’ slaves were happy working in the fields and pleasing their masters. It is almost to say that slavery was not an issue and that African Americans should be glad to be in that position.
The film also depicts sexual exploitation of African American men and women. There are at least two instances this movie this occurred. One instance is when Flora Cameron Jumps off a cliff to avoid being raped by Gus, an emancipated slave. Black men were viewed as a threat to white women. Another instance was when Honorable Austin Stoneman began having an affair with his mulatto housekeeper, Lydia. The way that Lydia behaved in the film was in a promiscuous This film in itself shows how blacks would later be treated in the American society. Ben Cameron “birthed” the Ku Klux Klan in this film by getting an idea from white kids dressing in sheets to scare black children.
For background purposes, the purpose of the Civil war was for Southern states fight to uphold slavery and for the Northern states to preserve the Union, not to free slaves. The Emancipation Proclamation was proposed in September
1862 as Lincolns warning to the South to stop their rebellion, or, their slaves would be freed. In result of the South’s constant rebellion, the Thirteenth Amendment was ratified on December 6, 1865 and abolished slavery. Griffith uses these actual events in the film to build his plot.
One of the slavery debates that Griffith portrays in the film, is the Camerons’ slaves were happy working in the fields and pleasing their masters. It is almost to say that slavery was not an issue and that African Americans should be glad to be in that position.
The film also depicts sexual exploitation of African American men and women. There are at least two instances this movie this occurred. One instance is when Flora Cameron Jumps off a cliff to avoid being raped by Gus, an emancipated slave. Black men were viewed as a threat to white women. Another instance was when Honorable Austin Stoneman began having an affair with his mulatto housekeeper, Lydia. The way that Lydia behaved in the film was in a promiscuous This film in itself shows how blacks would later be treated in the American society. Ben Cameron “birthed” the Ku Klux Klan in this film by getting an idea from white kids dressing in sheets to scare black children.