Birth of a Nation
Plot Summary

Birth of a Nation is a long, complex film with many twists and turns of plot but here is a quick summary of the essential plot points:

Part One

1) There are two families: the Northern Stonemans and the Southern Camerons. The key dramatis personae are:

Austin Stoneman (head of family and US Congressman)
Ellie Stoneman (his daughter and the eventual wife of Ben Cameron)
Philip Stoneman (his son and eventual husband of Margaret Cameron)

Dr. Cameron (head of Cameron Family)
Ben Cameron (older son, eventual husband of Ellie Stoneman, and eventual organizer of the Klan)
Margaret Cameron (older daughter, eventual wife of Phillip Stoneman)
Flora Cameron (younger daughter eventual suicide)

Silas Lynch (biracial protege of Austin Stoneman, Lieutenant Governor)
Lydia (Austin Stoneman's biracial housekeeper/lover)
Gus (a "renegade negro," will attempt to "marry" Flora Cameron)

Numerous others including a younger Stoneman son and older Cameron son (both of whom die in the war).

2) The opening establishes relationship between Stoneman and Cameron families. Stoneman sons visit Camerons in "the Piedmont" in the antebellum South. Philip Stoneman and Margaret Cameron's courtship begins.

3) A relationship between Austin Stoneman and evil biracial housekeeper is shown and described as "the great leader's weakness that is to blight the nation."

Note that Austin Stoneman is loosely based on Thaddeus Stevens, who, like Stoneman, was from Pennsylvania. Stevens, one of the most staunchly abolitionist elected officials, was widely believed to have had a long running affair with his African American housekeeper, Lydia Hamilton Smith. Today, Stevens is remembered for his egalitarian views and for being on the right side of history. In the early 20th century, he was frequently vilified.

4) Civil war breaks out and both Stoneman and Cameron boys join their respective sides.

5) The younger Stoneman son and older Cameron son both die in war. The Camerons impoverished by the war, sell their possessions for the Southern cause. Elsie Stoneman becomes a nurse. Ben Cameron is captured after valiantly leading his men to attack Union troops (presumably at Gettysburg, at Pickett's Charge). Ben Cameron and Elsie Stoneman meet and resume their courtship as she nurses him to health at a prison hospital.

6) The war ends and south begins to rebuild under Lincoln's "fostering hand" but Lincoln is assassinated. Stoneman's evil housekeeper/lover tells him he is now the greatest power in the land. Dr. Cameron says "Our greatest friend is gone."

Note that the film is never critical of Lincoln. Note the absurdity of the claim that Lincoln was the greatest friend of the South. This move is logically key to rewriting history and overturning Reconstruction.

Part Two

7) Austin Stoneman is introduced to Silas Lynch by his housekeeper. Stoneman swears that Blacks shall be raised to full equality with whites. Stoneman sends Lynch to be Lieutenant Governor in the Piedmont.

Note that Lynch is the key villain of the movie and that this is set by his heredity. Lynch's great crime is ultimately that he is bi-racial, a great evil in the minds of Griffith (and Dixon, the original author).

8) In a series of scenes, the Stonemans go to the Piedmont, Lynch extends his rule over the Piedmont enfranchising Blacks and disenfranchising whites, Philip Stoneman begins courtship of Margaret Cameron, Ben Cameron's courting of Elsie Stoneman becomes more active (if depressing).

Note the total falsification of history through this part of the film. Griffith makes a series of false claims about both the South Carolina legislature and the oppression of white people. He tells the audience that the claims are factual but they are total fabrication. Keep in mind that the idea that Black people oppressed white people after the Civil War is absurd.

9) At elections, Blacks take control of legislature and a series of "outrages" are committed against whites.

10) "Gus" a "renegade negro" is introduced and begins to stalk the Cameron family. Ben Cameron orders him to stay away but Silas Lynch defends him.

11) Ben Cameron organizes the KKK to "save the south from the anarchy of black rule" but Elsie Stoneman, unhappy, breaks off her relationship with him and they pine for each other. Silas Lynch attempts violent repression of the KKK. Austin Stoneman supports Lynch.

12) Flora Cameron, disobeying instructions goes out "to the spring" and meets Gus who tells her he wishes to "marry" her. She refuses and runs from him. He gives chase, eventually cornering her on a cliff top from which she jumps to her death. Ben Cameron, hearing that she has gone out, follows her but arrives too late to prevent her jumping. She dies in his arms.

Of course, when Griffith says "marry" he means "rape." The audience would have understood this.

13) Ben Cameron assembles the KKK which hunts down, "tries," and kills Gus. KKK members leave Gus on Silas Lynch's door. Lynch discovers him and orders his soldiers to further repress the KKK, issuing the death penalty for any of its members who are found. Ben Cameron prepares the KKK for action against Lynch.

14) Lynch's spies discover Ben Cameron's KKK uniform in the possession of "the kindly" Dr. Cameron. Lynch orders him arrested. Margaret Cameron goes to Elsie Stoneman to ask her to intervene and she agrees to do so.

15) Dr. Cameron along with Philip Stoneman and Margaret Cameron, aided by their loyal Black servants (all of whom are played by white actors in black face) escape in horse cart. However, in the process of escape, Stoneman kills a Black soldier (who is NOT a white actor in black face).

After this point, the remainder of the movie (about a half hour) alternates between three viewpoints: 1) Elsie Stoneman and Silas Lynch, 2) The fate of Dr. Cameron and those fleeing with him, 3) Ben Cameron's "heroic" use of the KKK to ultimately free both Elsie Stoneman and the Dr. Cameron group. The action is intense (for a film of this era) and these scenes were considered extremely exciting when the movie was released.

16) The cart breaks down and Dr. Cameron and his party seek refuge at a cabin inhabited by Union veterans who welcome them and promise to fight for them. Inter-title: "The former enemies of North and South are united again in common defense of their Aryan birthright."

17) Elsie Stoneman goes to Silas Lynch to ask him to intervene. Instead he asks to "marry" her. She refuses and he holds her prisoner. Elsie is able to signal to sympathetic whites who tell Ben Cameron who, with KKK brethren, rides to the rescue.

18) Austin Stoneman returns. Lynch informs him that he wishes to marry Stoneman's daughter and Stoneman reacts with horror. There are scenes of "helpless whites" given over to black crowds.

19) Lynch's troops have followed Dr. Cameron to the cabin and a desperate fight ensues as the Camerons, Stonemans, and Union Veterans try to repel the troops.

20) The KKK, led by Ben Cameron, rides to town and after a brief battle the Blacks are expelled from town, Lynch is taken captive and Elsie Stoneman released.

21) Elsie tells the KKK about the people trapped at the cabin. The KKK rides to the cabin, arriving in the nick of time, freeing the captives and vanquishing Lynch's soldiers.

22) In a series of brief scenes, the Blacks are disarmed, there is a celebration parade, Blacks are shown being kept away from voting at the next election.

23) Finally, there is an closing in which the two couples (Philip Stoneman and Margaret Cameron, Ben Cameron and Elsie Stoneman) are seen at the seashore. In an allegorical ending, the scourge of war is replaced by Jesus and unity and freedom (for whites) is proclaimed.

NEXT: The Stars of Birth of a Nation