The Birth of a Nation

The Birth of a Nation originally called The Clansman is a 1915 American silent epic drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Lillian Gish. The screenplay is adapted from the novel and play The Clansman, both by Thomas Dixon, Jr. Griffith cowrote the screenplay with Frank E. Woods, and coproduced the film with Harry Aitken. It was released on February 8, 1915. Over two hours long, the film was originally presented in two parts separated by an intermission it was the first 12reel film in America.

Griffiths innovative techniques and storytelling power have made The Birth of a Nation one of the landmarks of film history. In 1992, the United States Library of Congress deemed the film culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry.The film follows two juxtaposed families the Northern Stonemansabolitionist Congressman Austin Stoneman, based on the Reconstructionera Congressman Thaddeus Stevens, his two sons and his daughter Elsieand the Southern Camerons, a family including two daughters, Margaret and Flora, and three sons, most notably Ben. ........

Source: Wikipedia