5. The Birth of a Nation (1915)
D.W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation stands as a landmark in film history for its innovative cinematic techniques, but its legacy is deeply tarnished by racist portrayals and the glorification of the Ku Klux Klan. The film sparked immediate protests and was met with censorship efforts across the United States, as civil rights groups condemned its dangerous stereotypes.
Its impact on both the art of filmmaking and the politics of representation remains a subject of fierce debate. Learn more at History.com.
