Documentary backdrop image for Birth of a Movement (2017)

201757 minPGdocumentary

6.4/ 10(5 ratings)• TMDB

Civil Rights

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Birth of a Movement

201757 minPGdocumentary

6.4/ 10(5 ratings)• TMDB

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In 1915, Boston newspaper editor William Monroe Trotter led a campaign against D.W. Griffith's film, which glorified the Ku Klux Klan and sparked a national debate on race.

“The Battle Against America's First Blockbuster”

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Synopsis

In 1915, Boston newspaper editor William Monroe Trotter led a campaign against D.W. Griffith's film, which glorified the Ku Klux Klan and sparked a national debate on race.

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Synopsis

William Monroe Trotter, a Boston newspaper editor, led a campaign against D.W. Griffith's 1915 film The Birth of a Nation. The film, based on Thomas Dixon Jr.'s book The Clansman, is notorious for its racist depictions and support of the Ku Klux Klan. Trotter's activism sparked a national debate on race relations and media representation. Birth of a Movement, based on Dick Lehr's book, features insights from figures like Spike Lee and Reginald Hudlin, and aired on PBS' Independent Lens on February 6, 2017.

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Why Watch

See how Trotter challenged Griffith's racist film.
Meet Spike Lee and his artistic response to racism.
Find out about the impact of The Birth of a Nation.

Did You Know

William Monroe Trotter fought against The Birth of a Nation in 1915.
The film aired on PBS' Independent Lens on February 6, 2017.
Birth of a Movement was a finalist for best documentary at the 2018 NAACP Image Awards.
Spike Lee's first film, The Answer, was a response to Griffith's film.

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Civil rights historyFilm studiesMedia representation

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who produced the documentary Birth of a Movement?

Birth of a Movement was produced by Northern Light Productions.

When did Birth of a Movement first air on PBS?

Birth of a Movement first aired on PBS' Independent Lens on February 6, 2017.

What was the main subject of the documentary Birth of a Movement?

The documentary focuses on William Monroe Trotter's battle against D.W. Griffith's film The Birth of a Nation and its impact on race relations and media representation.

Awards & Festivals

NAACP Image Awards

2018 • Official selection

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