Essay Sample on The Birth of a Nation by D.W. Griffith

Introduction

In 1915, the filmmaker D.W. Griffith produced and directed the film, The Birth of a Nation. The three-hour film archives the association between two families during the famous American Civil War and the Reconstruction Era for several years. The years covered the eras of pro-Confederacy South Cameron's and the pro-Union Northern Stoneman's. There is a well-dramatized killing of Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth (Melvyn 326). Although the film made extraordinary profits, its plot was filled with great controversy. The film portrays black men, the majority of whom are white people wearing black faces, as unwitty and exhibiting a lot of sexual aggressiveness to the black women while representing the infamous Ku Klux Klan (KKK) as a force of heroism (Melvyn 423). Although there were uproars amongst the black Americans against the film campaigning for its banning, their efforts were not successful. They motivated Griffith to produce another film, Intolerance, in the subsequent year.

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The film, The Birth of a Nation, has been credited as one of the greatest inspirations to the formation of the Ku Klux Klan movement in the same year of its release. The government recording highly embraced the film as the first motion picture made by Americans to get screened in the White House as requested by the then POTUS, President Woodrow Wilson. Griffith glorified the Klan terrorist group and believed it was needed to serve its purpose. The primary role of the racist movement was to intimidate, scare and damage the people of color, particularly the ones that were of African origin. By taking into action, the movement aspired to return similar conditions that existed before the Civil War: a time when slavery was widespread and the marginalized had little or no civil rights.

President Woodrow Wilson supported the KKK movement and felt that The Birth of a Nation represented the views of the American asserting that it wrote the history right. One of the reasons he said so was the fact that the KKK movement supported the Democrats and fought sternly fighting the states and former slaves who belonged to the Republican. President Woodrow is well remembered for segregating the federal offices when he agreed and supported the request by the politicians from South. After watching The Birth of a Nation inside the State House together with his cabinet, he was convinced that the film was 'writing the history right' since it treated the Americans of Africa origin as savages who needed to be scared, punished and executed. Such treatment was supposed to sound a stern warning to the black people as well as discouraging their mixing with the whites. The Africans were supposed to remain in their rightful positions of being servants of the Caucasian Americans.

In my supposition, such an extremist and racist move by the then president of the United States was a disgrace. The leader who was supposed to build America in the foundation of unity and indiscrimination was the one perpetrating the heinous act. The same president was in the forefront of advocating safety and democracy for everyone in the world when he led the United States to the World War 1. He called for liberalism and internationalism. It is therefore ironical for the same person to watch a racist movie and ascertain it to be a basis of making a political decision-a choice that denied the same democracy and safety he was advocating for. It is so depressing that he later adhered to the racist Jim Crow segregation of government to limit liberalism. It is therefore clear in my opinion and his principles that he was utterly wrong.

Oscar Micheaux

Oscar Micheaux (1884-1951) was an African-American film producer, director, and author of more than 40 movies whose work challenged racial based segregation and acted as a channel where Africans could make and learn about the film industry. In 1913, he had his first self-published autobiographical novel named The Conquest: The Story of a Negro Pioneer. By 1917, he had released three books namely, The Forged Note, The Homesteader, and The Conquest. He marketed The Homesteader in small towns door to door at people's businesses and homes. In the realm of losing his deal in the industry, he decided to convert his publishing organization to Micheaux Film and Book Company where he sold his belonging to produce the Homesteader.

Within the American market, Micheaux's films were seen as provocative and dubbed 'race films' because they were made by the produced, cast and watched by black people. The projects under his label created a necessity at a time when there was gross segregation even in the Hollywood industry. Despite emulating appealing genres for the black such as the gangster flicks, mysteries, and westerns, he also touched on issues that were not appealing to his peers.

1920, Oscar produced his second movie, Within Our Gates as a response to Griffith's Birth of a Nation. Oscar's film was a challenge to the national theme of segregation where it highlighted real issues regarding the white supremacy. One scene in the movie draws Sylvia Landry, a biracial teacher who approaches the Northern side of America to raise money in support of an African-American school where he seasoned it with a subplot filled with romance. The film was full of disturbing issues that showcased the lynching of innocent Africans, an incident where the main character was almost raped, and a docile pastor who cries that he is betraying his race.

Re-Birth of a Nation - D.J. Spooky

In the moment of dark situations, The Birth of a Nation may still be viewed devotedly as it was perceived in 1915. In the mix done by D.J Spooky, the film is mixed in a soundless drama showing the killing of the president Abraham Lincoln and the upsurge of the racist movement, Ku Klux Klan. This was the first American produced motion picture film to be viewed at the White House. The historical event featured President Woodrow Wilson and his cabinet. A similar incidence of Wilson's era has come back in the reign of President Donald Trump. As the show begins, D.J. Spooky dedicates the event to all Americans who do not support Donald Trump.

The show is hosted at the center for performing arts dedicated to John R. Kennedy. The film is mixed to contain live soundtracks as presented by the Spooky to commemorate the second rise of white supremacy as signified by president Donald Trump in his campaigns. The show clearly shows the academic admiration in the D.J. Spooky as well as the whole team who came up with the trajectory of the ancient film to signify the current situation.

Nate Parker Speaks on The Birth of a Nation: The Inspired By Album

The video starts with a hard rock song inspiring a future with a Martin Luther philosophy. A group of black people is seen energized and charged shouting, "prepare". Parker is the director, producer, and writer of The Birth of a Nation. He narrates a story about Nat Turner who was an enslaved man and a preacher who runs a successful slave revolt in 1831. According to Nate, his inspiration came from the desire to teach the young generation about the American hero as well as to have a connection to what is required from an artist. His film is a representation of what an artist in their capacity can do to inspire and deliver people from oppression.

He insists on the importance of rebellion to fight the injustices and other systemic crisis in America. He explains the rebel attitude as the reason why they reached out for real artists such as 2 Chainz, Gucci Mane, Nas, Lil Waye, Trey Songz, Pusha T, The Game, Wale, and others, who had a direct feel of the life in the streets and the young people. Unlike Griffith's narration, the production by Nate empowers the Africans on the importance and how to fight the injustices and oppression happening in their lives.

The Birth of a Nation Official Teaser Trailer #1 (2016) - Nate Parker Movie

The official trailer of the Nate Parker directed, The Birth of a Nation is a rather disturbing short trailer showing how the actual movie will look like once released. It starts by showing a pyrethrum farm followed by a cross in a timber church. A black preacher leads the prayers in a congregation but consistently appears vehement and influential throughout the trailer.

The women are however seen to face oppression, especially from their white masters who assault them sexually. As the preacher gives a sermon, he emphasizes on the importance of slaves submitting to the masters; a theme well embraced, "You listen to Him, and you might make it to heaven...submit to yourself to your masters with all respect". Religion is therefore seen to be a strong platform for perpetrating oppression. The Africans are therefore convinced to withstand abuse especially having a preacher who is black. The preacher, who turns out to be Nat Turner, silently runs the greatest revolution in the history of America.

In a nutshell, all the videos highlighted here are stressing on a similar theme; fleeing the black man from oppression. All of them have a similar title at some point, "The Birth of Nation". This title traces its roots back in History, starting from the ancient filmmaker, D.W. Griffith. This film's director is motivated to oppress the black Americans at all costs - his ideas adopted by the racist movement, the Klan, as well as the then POTUS, Woodrow Wilson. Their ideology is to segregate people on race. During the same era, an African American, Oscar Micheaux, rises who starts by writing books and later diversifies with the filmmaking industry. He writes many books and produces movies about Africans at the time of segregation.

Today, the theme of "The Birth of the Nation" is lively as ever. In 2016, when another POTUS, who seemed inspired by racial segregation rose into power, modern fighters against oppression rose into the occasion. Among them is D.J. Spooky who mixed the old film and dubbed it "The Rebirth of a Nation at the Millennium Park". Similar works have been created especially the film written, directed, and produced by Nate Parker. In the movie, he puts particular emphasis on a preacher, Nat Turner, whose immense role to start a revolt against the white oppressors is still regarded as the greatest in American history. The creation of the Modern film, The Birth of a Nation, commemorates history as well as bringing the modern oppression into sight.

Works Cited

Atlantic Records. "Nate Parker Speaks on The Birth of Nation: Inspired by the Album" YouTube. 7 October 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsLhkr47uck

Miller, Paul."DJ Spooky Rebirth of a Nation at Millennium Park (6/20/2016)" YouTube. 20 June 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQNp-VHAueEStokes, Melvyn.

DW Griffith's the Birth of a Nation: a history of the most controversial motion picture of all time. Oxford University Press on Demand, 2007.