Multimedia Editor

The original Birth of a Nation was released on March 3, 1915. Its depictions of African Americans and glorification of the Ku Klux Klan aroused much controversy throughout the African American community and the U.S. in general.

With the release of another Birth of a Nation on Oct. 7, some 101 years after the original it would be unethical to let an opportunity like this one go by without comparing the two films impact on society. Before I begin, with the new Birth of a Nation only being about a week old, its impact cannot begin to compare to the previous films, but what’s the point of an opinion piece anyway.

The first Birth of a Nation highlighted the impact of the Civil War and Reconstruction era in the years leading to the war and after the nation’s reconstruction. Its main focus was to rally support for the white population and (whether purposely or inadvertently) re-sparked an interest in the KKK.

It also popularized genocide of African Americans and African American sympathizers, making lynching a social event that elevated status amongst the white populous.

This Birth of a Nation’s depiction of the “black buck,” terrorized the white population while infuriating the African American community, sparking protests and riots wherever the film was shown.

The original Birth of a Nation’s impact on society should be clear by now but if not let’s just say it sparked hatred in the hearts of many, both African American and White.

For you history buffs, did you know Birth of a Nation was the first film to be screened in the White House under the presidency of one Woodrow Wilson?

Now as far as the new Birth of a Nation, this film is focused more on the prospect of slavery from the perspective of the slaves.

A few key and recurring concepts in this Birth of a Nation is its emphasis on suppression, mistreatment, pimping, and spoiler alert the eventual uprising of preacher, Nat Turner, and his army of free men.

This film’s impact is yet to be seen, but in me and many of the people that I have talked to that have seen it feel a sense of pride and activism has been implanted along with the thoughts of reformation and ideas on what should be done about the current injustices African Americans face in the U.S.

Both of these films were meant to insight a sense of pride and bring about some change in America.

The question is though, in the next hundred year or so, which film will have had more of an impact on the nation, the old or the current?