Respond to the film clips: pretend you are a white person viewing this film in 1915. How would this clip shape your perception of black Americans? Would you want them to serve in government, based off of this scene’s portrayal? What effect would the claims that these scenes were factually correct have on your perception?

Birth of a Nation Analysis Activity

Read this article: https://rrchnm.org/episodes/the-birth-of-a-nation-and-black-protest/

1) Respond to the film clips: pretend you are a white person viewing this film in 1915. How would this clip shape your perception of black Americans? Would you want them to serve in government, based off of this scene’s portrayal? What effect would the claims that these scenes were factually correct have on your perception?

Now change tactics. Pretend you are a black American watching these clips. How do you feel about the portrayal of black Americans in this film? What argument would you make to a white person viewing this movie to explain how it is inaccurate?

2) Using on readings on Reconstruction and The Birth of a Nation, evaluate the clip’s historical accuracy. What about the scene is accurate or inaccurate? Use examples from the unit to support your answer.

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