This is the 100th anniversary of D.W. Griffith's groundbreaking movie "BIRTH OF A NATION," which The Daily Beast calls, "The Racist Movie That Made Hollywood." Griffith was actually shocked by the public outcry, which included the new NAACP's attempt to get the movie banned. His eye-opening experience led to his follow-up movie "INTOLERANCE," which might be considered a mea-culpa from the man who, himself, eventually said BIRTH OF A NATION should not be shown because of the plight of 'colored' Americans. (Remember, movies were a brand new concept and nobody knew how to anticipate the social impact they would have on audiences.) My novel Nate and Kelly - a novel by Michael R. Barnard is an historical tale set in 1915 when BIRTH OF A NATION was released. That was also the year of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition 1915 - 2015. Here is a portion of my novel, when Nate and Margaret returned from watching the movie by Fatty Arbuckle and Mabel Normand, "Mabel and Fatty viewing the World's Fair at San Francisco, Cal." ========= NATE AND KELLY ======= “I must tell you,” says Margaret, “the movie tonight? It almost brought tears to my eyes. I hadn’t realized how much I loved the Exposition.” “I feel precisely the same way. I always love Fatty and Mabel, but tonight had that extra-special feeling, seeing the Exposition on the moving picture screen. The Expo is great, but I think movies are also spectacular.” “I concur,” says Margaret. “Have you seen the new movie, ‘The Clansman,’ it’s the play by the author Dixon?” “I have not seen it, nor shall I. That man is crazy.” “Dixon?” “Well, yes, but I meant Griffith. A three-hour movie! Everybody knows it will destroy your eyes to stare at a movie for so long. Taking technology to extremes for no good reason, and being dangerous about it, too.” “Have you read Reverend Dixon’s work,” asks Margaret. “Frankly, no. I am aware that he is hateful and afflicted with white blindness, as seems to be the wont of half the people who claim Christ. How sad for the Lord that they claim to represent Him. Dixon himself, without apology or awareness, freely declares that he wrote the play to create a feeling of abhorrence in white Christian people, especially white Christian women, against colored men. That’s another reason it is clear Griffith is crazy. He has shown great harm toward the colored.” “Yes, I have heard so much. He apparently painted a picture of a contrite and justified Ku Klux Klan.” “What a tragedy, to sway common folks into believing that such racist bile and violence against Negroes is justified. I heard they changed the name of the movie last month. It’s ‘A Nation Born’ or some such thing.” “They did? Would that be ‘Birth of a Nation’,” asks Margaret. “I have heard about ‘Birth of a Nation’ but did not know what it was.” “Yes, that’s it. He is a crazy man. Dangerous, too, swaying people toward hatred.” “We certainly do not need marauding bigots attacking America. We have too much to worry about already with the Central Powers,” adds Margaret. Nate smiles weakly and sympathetically, then hoists a glass for another toast. “To Germans by the sea, and Klansmen by the mountains! God damn them all to hell!” Clink.

• published: 09 Feb 2015
• views: 1032