“We do not fear censorship, for we have no wish to offend with improprieties or obscenities, but we do demand, as a right, the liberty to show the dark side of wrong, that we may illuminate the bright side of virtue – the same liberty that is conceded to the art of the written word – that art to which we owe the Bible and the works of Shakespeare.”
These are the opening words seen on the original 1915 silent film, Birth of a Nation. The film was based on Thomas Dixon’s second book in his trilogy Klan, titled, The Clansmen. Thomas Dixon, born in Shelby, North Carolina was a strong believer that social equality led to miscegenation which in his opinion was unseemly. D.W. Griffith’s film, Birth of a nation followed this mentality. In the film, African Americans were associated with treachery or incompetence, portrayed by offensive stereotypes and bestial terms. The film was an attempt to show the South’s enduring spirit.
There is a scene from the film where a man saddened over the “degradation” of his people (the rape of white women by black men) is watching children at play. Two white children are seen hiding under a white sheet as four black children run up to them, the black children laugh and run away from the kids hiding under the sheet who in turn chase after them and the game continues. This scene observed by the gentleman inspires the idea of the Ku Klux Klan. In the film, the KKK is portrayed as an institution of chivalry, humanity, mercy, and patriotism that seeks to protect helpless women and children, uphold the U.S. constitution and to restore order to the South. Hence, the title Birth of a nation, it was to be the resurgence of an honorable South. The film was held to such high regards that the President at the time held a private screening of the movie in the White House and it led to the momentum behind the KKK group.
Now, let’s face forward to Nate Parker’s 2016 film, Birth of a nation.
Nate Parker’s film focuses on Nat Turner’s slave revolt that took place in 1831. The film follows the life of Nat Turner from birth up until his death. There are gruesome scenes of life as a slave with beatings and killings, justification of slave master’s actions by use of the bible, and the rape of slave women by white men. The atrocities faced by the slaves is what ultimately leads to the rebellion which Nat Turner felt God called him to do. The movie ends in Nat Turner’s very public death and blacks on the front line fighting for America in the Civil war.
In each of the films, perspective is key. In the original film, it was told from the viewpoint of the typical Southern of that time period. The film having been produced well after the rebellion in 1831, the emancipation proclamation in 1863, and the civil war which lasted from 1861 to 1865 seems to be in direct response to the freeing of the slaves. There was a real fear at the time of cohabitation or interbreeding of races, ignorance and hate were very prevalent and despite the film being silent, it’s message was loud and clear. Nate Parker’s film being produced almost 100 years later than the original gave a voice to what slaves may have felt at the time. Their rebellion was a direct result of the struggles of their time period, however, there were very modern nuances in the film.
In the film, there is a scene where numerous black bodies of varying ages were seen hanging from trees as Nina Simone’s, Strange Fruit plays. Nat Turner’s wife, Cherryanne says, “They are killing people just for being black,” alluding to the various deaths, incarcerations, policing and profiling of black bodies that have been happening in African American communities everywhere in America, calling into question whether or not anything has really changed. Have we moved into a form of modern slavery? What nations have we or are we birthing? Think about it. Whatever your response, these two films are definitely something to be taken into account.
HCXO!