D. W. Griffith (and The Birth of a Nation) on This Day in History

 

This day in history: D. W. Griffith died on this day in 1948. David Wark Griffith was an American film director. Considered one of the most influential figures in the history of the motion picture, he pioneered many aspects of film editing and expanded the art of the narrative film. Griffith is known to modern audiences primarily for directing the film The Birth of a Nation (1915). The Birth of a Nation is one of the most financially successful films of all time and it made investors enormous profits. The film held the mantle of the highest-grossing film until it was overtaken by Gone with the Wind (1939), another film about the Civil War and Reconstruction era. The film also attracted much controversy for its glorification of the Ku Klux Klan. Historians frequently cite The Birth of a Nation as a major factor in the KKK's revival in the 20th century, and it remains a polarizing work to this day.

"We shouldn’t forget that during this period racism and segregation were promoted by the president of the United States, 'progressive' Woodrow Wilson. During his administration, black postal workers across the country lost their jobs, and federal agencies adopted segregation. Wilson even hosted a screening at the White House of D. W. Griffith’s pro-KKK film The Birth of a Nation—and boasted afterward about how good it was." Source

"All of this was consistent with the Progressive era in general, when supposedly "scientific" theories of racial superiority and inferiority were at their zenith. Theodore Roosevelt was the exception, rather than the rule, among Progressives when he did not agree with these theories." Source

You can watch this 3-hour-plus long movie on Youtube for free.

See also: Democrats’ Racist Roots

Buy on Amazon for only 99 cents by clicking here - see a local listing for this here