Film History: The Birth of a Nation

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Film History: The Birth of a Nation
The movie The Birth of a Nation, called The Clansmen initially, is a 1915 film whose central theme is racism. David Wark Griffith directed the film. The film is divided into two sections, with the first section concentrating on the American civil war while the second one is on reconstruction. The movie explores how the black race is discriminated against by the whites. When the civil war broke out, the black race men were accused of lusting with white women. The blacks were also sold and used as slaves in the farms of white people. In the film, Ku Klux Klan is praised as the heroes, while blacks are condemned for disrupting the peace when it is clear the blacks are being oppressed. The theme of love and how it does not know any boundaries is evident when Ben and Elsie and Phil and Margret fall in love despite opposing sides. They end up married at the end of the film. President Abraham Lincoln gave hope to all the races until his death when those who took over decided to avenge and punish the black race The Birth of a Nation YouTube video file).
The reading on In living color: Race and American culture by Omi Michael also talks about racism in the United States and the place and effects of media in racisms. Michael Omi highlights an African American man killed in Howard Beach and the Ku Klux Klan on civil rights marchers in Georgia as racism cases. Assistant Attorney General William Bradford Reynolds, who was the enforcer of civil rights, said that racism cases were reduced drastically in the US (Omi, 1). Omi goes ahead to highlight other discrimination instances the blacks go through, like exclusion from front offices. Omi (5, 6, 7) highlights the scripting of films, which are often done in the line of racism to drive home the themes. The white race is often portrayed as the brave race, while blacks are given roles where they do not prosper. Omi explicitly explores racism and pop culture throughout his work.
Similar social issues are addressed in both the film and the reading of Omi Michael. Blacks do not have a peaceful life. For a long time, the blacks in the 1800s to 1900s were used as slaves. They were also not allowed to fall in love with the whites.
The theme of racism relates to the racial discrimination witnessed in the US for a long time. The recent case of racism includes the brutal killing of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police officers that sparked demonstration gl...