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The Birth of A Nation is a silent film from 1915 and the highest grossing silent film in film history. The film tells a romance story during the American civil war. D.W. Griffith invested heavily in its high production values, pioneering many new camera effects. The Birth of a Nation was strongly protested for its negative portrayal of newly freed slaves (mostly white actors in blackface), which went on to create and propagate negative images of blacks of the early 20th century in the United States. The film was used as a recruiting propaganda by the KKK until the 1940s.

The fiery cross of the Ku Klux Klan.

Genres: Drama, History, War

Starring: Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh, Henry B. Walthall

Released: February 8, 1915

Runtime: 193.0

Popularity Rating: 5.113

Epoch Film Co.

United States of America

Elsie Stoneman Lillian Gish
Flora Cameron Mae Marsh
Col. Ben Cameron Henry B. Walthall
Margaret Cameron Miriam Cooper
Lydia Brown Mary Alden
Austin Stoneman Ralph Lewis
Abraham Lincoln Joseph Henabery
Mrs. Cameron Josephine Crowell
Dr. Cameron Spottiswoode Aitken
Mammy Jennie Lee
Silas Lynch George Siegmann
Phil Stoneman Elmer Clifton
Wade Cameron George Beranger
Duke Cameron Maxfield Stanley
Gen. Ulysses S. Grant Donald Crisp
Gen. Robert E. Lee Howard Gaye
John Wilkes Booth Raoul Walsh
Gus Walter Long
Tod Robert Harron
Jeff Wallace Reid
Tod Stoneman Robert Harron
Minor Role Monte Blue
Cameron's Male Servant Harry Braham
Klan Leader Bob Burns
Klansman Edmund Burns
Klansman Edward Burns
Klansman Fred Burns
Northern Soldier / Confederate Soldier David Butler
Young Girl in Cabin Peggy Cartwright
General Dark Cloud
Elsie's Maid Leonore Cooper
Sen. Charles Sumner Sam De Grasse
Nelse William De Vaull
Man Who Falls from Roof Charles Eagle Eye
Klansman on Horse Holding Up Hood with Hand John Ford
Jake / Sentry at Hospital Willam Freeman
Laura Keene Olga Grey
Mrs. Lincoln Alberta Lee
Blacksmith Elmo Lincoln
Child with Dr. Cameron Betty Marsh
Belle of 1861 Donna Montran
Union Soldier Eugene Pallette
Belle of 1861 Alma Rubens
Klansman Allan Sears
Volunteer Charles Stevens
Black Woman - Dr. Cameron's Taunter Madame Sul-Te-Wan
Confederate Soldier Jules White
Flora Cameron as a Child Violet Wilkey
Stoneman's Servant Tom Wilson

Art — Assistant Property Master: Hal Sullivan
Art — Painter: Cash Shockey
Art — Property Master: Ralph M. DeLacy
Art — Set Designer: Frank Wortman
Camera — Camera Operator: Karl Brown
Camera — Director of Photography: Billy Bitzer
Camera — Director of Photography: Joseph Carl Breil
Costume & Make-Up — Costume Design: Clare West
Costume & Make-Up — Costume Design: Robert Goldstein
Crew — Carpenter: Jim Newman
Crew — Carpenter: Shorty English
Crew — Presenter: D.W. Griffith
Crew — Security: Jim Kidd
Crew — Special Effects: Fireworks Wilson
Crew — Special Effects: Walter Hoffman
Crew — Stunts: Charles Eagle Eye
Crew — Stunts: Leo Nomis
Crew — Stunts: Monte Blue
Directing — Assistant Director: Allan Dwan
Directing — Assistant Director: Baron von Winther
Directing — Assistant Director: Christy Cabanne
Directing — Assistant Director: Donald Crisp
Directing — Assistant Director: Elmer Clifton
Directing — Assistant Director: Erich von Stroheim
Directing — Assistant Director: Fred Hamer
Directing — Assistant Director: Henry B. Walthall
Directing — Assistant Director: Herbert Sutch
Directing — Assistant Director: Howard Gaye
Directing — Assistant Director: Jack Conway
Directing — Assistant Director: Joseph Henabery
Directing — Assistant Director: Monte Blue
Directing — Assistant Director: Raoul Walsh
Directing — Assistant Director: Robert Harron
Directing — Assistant Director: Thomas E. O'Brien
Directing — Assistant Director: Tom Wilson
Directing — Assistant Director: W.S. Van Dyke
Directing — Director: D.W. Griffith
Editing — Editor: D.W. Griffith
Editing — Editor: James Smith
Editing — Editor: Joseph Henabery
Editing — Editor: Raoul Walsh
Editing — Editor: Rose Smith
Editing — Negative Cutter: Karl Malkames
Production — Executive Producer: H.E. Aitken
Production — Producer: D.W. Griffith
Sound — Conductor: Carli Elinor
Sound — Music: Joseph Carl Breil
Sound — Music: Joseph Nurnberger
Sound — Original Music Composer: D.W. Griffith
Sound — Original Music Composer: Jon Mirsalis
Visual Effects — Special Effects Supervisor: Walter Hoffman
Writing — Adaptation: Thomas F. Dixon Jr.
Writing — Novel: Thomas F. Dixon Jr.
Writing — Screenplay: Frank E. Woods
Writing — Writer: D.W. Griffith