Scenes from
Birth of a Nation

1) Scenes of the South Carolina Legislature (about 4 minutes, starting at 1:53). This scene is preceded by an inter-title that claims that the scene is an historical facsimile from a photograph. In fact, it's a systematic falsification of history based on a racist political cartoon. The picture on the left shows you what the members of the reconstructionist party actually looked like. (YouTube: https://youtu.be/ebtiJH3EOHo?t=7187)

2) From "defending Aryan birthright" to Elsie Stoneman saved by the Klan (about 20 minutes from 2:39). (YouTube: https://youtu.be/ebtiJH3EOHo?t=9887)

This scene follows three plot lines:

First, Dr. Cameron has been arrested as a KKK sympathizer (a crime punishable by death the inter-titles tell us). He has escaped his captors, and, along with members of his family, the Stoneman families, and the "faithful souls," (Griffith's term for Black people who have remained loyal to their white masters) fled in a wagon. They take shelter at a cabin occupied by Union veterans who swear to defend them. As the scene opens we see Cameron and company welcomed at the cabin and then, at various times, see them sheltering and under attack.

Second, the main plot line follows Elsie Stoneman, the heroine played by Lilian Gish) and Silas Lynch, the villain "mulatto" lieutenant governor installed by Elsie's father, Austin Stoneman (based on the real life abolitionist legislator and Thaddeus Stevens). Elsie goes to Lynch to plead for Dr. Cameron. Lynch agrees to intercede with Cameron, but demands that Elsie marry him. When she refuses he holds her prisoner. Her father arrives and becomes his prisoner as well.

Third, numerous scenes show "The town given over to crazed negros" (the inter-titles say), the assembly of the KKK under the leadership of Ben Cameron (based on the real life Leroy McAfee, a KKK leader*), the eventual triumphant capture of the town by the KKK and subsequent freeing of Elsie and Austin Stoneman.

At this point, there are fewer than ten minutes left in the movie. In those minutes, the KKK frees the Camerons and others trapped at the veterans' house, disarms Black people, and prevents them from voting in the next election.

In a final sequence, Ben Cameron and Elsie Stoneman (as well as Phil Stoneman and Margaret Cameron, who play minor roles throughout) are shown having an extremely somber honeymoon at the sea. This is replaced by an allegorical image of war, which is then replaced by an allegory of peace with Jesus giving his blessing to the whole thing (image on the left). There are no black people in the Jesus scenes! At the very end of the movie, an inter-title declares: “Liberty and union, one and inseparable, now and forever!” and the band plays the Star Spangled Banner.