An American Inheritance: Pop Culture Film
Share
Explore Our Galleries
Breaking News!
Today's news and culture by Black and other reporters in the Black and mainstream media.
Ways to Support ABHM?
Popular fiction often portrayed Klansmen as heroic white vigilantes who fought against African Americans who were falsely depicted as seeking political and sexual power. Klan novels were widely distributed across the country. Their popularity led to stage productions and, eventually, the 1915 feature film The Birth of a Nation.
Young men sometimes used violent or pretendviolent rituals and a threatening attitude to stand out from their peers and show that they were powerful. When asked why they took part in these activities, they often responded, “We were just having fun!”
The Birth of a Nation, produced by Wisconsin movie moguls Harry and Roy Aitken, was the first American 12-reel feature film. The film was based on the novel The Clansman. Harry Aitken was determined to bring this book to film, and he handpicked director D. W. Griffith. Its story, which mixed fiction and history, followed two families during the Civil War and Reconstruction over several years. The film used new techniques for its time. It was the first to include an orchestral musical score, close-up shots, and fadeouts. It also included staged battle scenes, using hundreds of extras to make the battles appear to involve thousands of people.
The NAACP called for the film to be banned because of its racist portrayal of African Americans and the Ku Klux Klan. One reader wrote to a newspaper that the film was so “hideously insidious” that if any other group had been targeted in the same way, the theater showing it might have been attacked.
The Birth of a Nation was shown around the world, including at the White House. However, it was reportedly never shown in Milwaukee. During this period, the City of Milwaukee created a film production committee to review films before they were shown in the city. The committee prevented The Birth of a Nation from being shown within Milwaukee city limits.
The Birth of a Nation, a famously racist silent film, might never have been made without the financial support of Harry and Roy Aitken.
Popular fiction often portrayed Klansmen as heroic white vigilantes who fought against African Americans who were falsely depicted as seeking political and sexual power. Klan novels were widely distributed across the country. Their popularity led to stage productions and, eventually, the 1915 feature film The Birth of a Nation.
Young men sometimes used violent or pretendviolent rituals and a threatening attitude to stand out from their peers and show that they were powerful. When asked why they took part in these activities, they often responded, “We were just having fun!”
The Birth of a Nation, produced by Wisconsin movie moguls Harry and Roy Aitken, was the first American 12-reel feature film. The film was based on the novel The Clansman. Harry Aitken was determined to bring this book to film, and he handpicked director D. W. Griffith. Its story, which mixed fiction and history, followed two families during the Civil War and Reconstruction over several years. The film used new techniques for its time. It was the first to include an orchestral musical score, close-up shots, and fadeouts. It also included staged battle scenes, using hundreds of extras to make the battles appear to involve thousands of people.
The NAACP called for the film to be banned because of its racist portrayal of African Americans and the Ku Klux Klan. One reader wrote to a newspaper that the film was so “hideously insidious” that if any other group had been targeted in the same way, the theater showing it might have been attacked.
The Birth of a Nation was shown around the world, including at the White House. However, it was reportedly never shown in Milwaukee. During this period, the City of Milwaukee created a film production committee to review films before they were shown in the city. The committee prevented The Birth of a Nation from being shown within Milwaukee city limits.
The Birth of a Nation, a famously racist silent film, might never have been made without the financial support of Harry and Roy Aitken.
Click for more An American Inheritance exhibits:
Welcome to gallery - An American Inheritance | The Story of Racist Memorabilia in WI & the US
Introducing / Unpacking Stereotypes
Click for more An American Inheritance exhibits:
Welcome to gallery - An American Inheritance | The Story of Racist Memorabilia in WI & the US
Introducing / Unpacking Stereotypes
Comments Are Welcome
Note: We moderate submissions in order to create a space for meaningful dialogue, a space where museum visitors – adults and youth –– can exchange informed, thoughtful, and relevant comments that add value to our exhibits.
Racial slurs, personal attacks, obscenity, profanity, and SHOUTING do not meet the above standard. Such comments are posted in the exhibit Hateful Speech. Commercial promotions, impersonations, and incoherent comments likewise fail to meet our goals, so will not be posted. Submissions longer than 120 words will be shortened.
See our full Comments Policy here.