Film Studies Daily Log

Wednesday, October 6

Mr. P shared information about the impact of Birth of a Nation on its contemporary audience and about its central role in the revival of the KKK in the 1920's.

Students worked in groups of four to identify questions they have about the film's message, and we began to answer some of those questions, starting with the use of white actors to play the lead black roles. To put that matter in context, we looked at several images of blackface performers from the 19th and early 20th century.