The Birth of a Nation (1915)

In the year 1860, the Stoneman and Cameron clans occupy the upper echelons of society, with Austin Stoneman wielding power as a U.S. Congressman and the Cameron patriarch revered as a distinguished physician. The Stonemans reside in the serene Pennsylvania countryside, away from the political frenzy of Washington, while the Camerons make their home in the quaint Southern town of Piedmont, South Carolina. The eldest sons, Phil Stoneman and Ben Cameron, share a bond of friendship, reminiscent of their school days. The world of these two families intertwines further when Phil and his younger brother, Tod, pay a visit to the Camerons in Piedmont. A blossoming romance ensues as Phil is captivated by Ben's elder sister, Margaret, and Ben, smitten by a mere photograph, falls for the Stoneman's only sister, Elsie. However, their tranquil lives are disrupted by the onset of the Civil War, forcing the Stoneman brothers to return home. Despite the war putting them on opposite sides of the battlefield, the camaraderie between the Stonemans and Camerons endures, even in the face of direct conflicts that lead to heartrending losses in both families. Post-war, the assassination of President Lincoln thrusts Austin into a more influential role, and he appoints the biracial Silas Lynch to rally the black vote in the South, fuelling his passion for advancing black rights. As Austin's health declines, the Stoneman family relocates to Piedmont, further solidifying the budding romances between Phil and Margaret, and Elsie and Ben. However, Lynch's presence in Piedmont and his rising ambitions cast a shadow over their peaceful lives. A rift is created when a conflict involving a rogue black man named Gus and Flora, the Cameron's youngest daughter, sparks an uprising of the Ku Klux Klan, aiming to safeguard the waning supremacy of whites. As the Camerons align themselves with the Klan, the burgeoning love between Elsie and Ben hangs in the balance, fraught with tension and uncertainty as events unfold.

The Birth of a Nation is a drama movie featuring Lillian Gish.

The Birth of a Nation is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Kanopy, Popflick and Public Domain Movies and it's also available on FlixFling.

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