A screen capture from the silent film Birth of a Nation, D. W. Griffith‘s photoplay about the Civil War and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan after the war. In the scene shown above, hooded Klansmen capture “Gus,” played in black-face by white actor Walter Long.
Today’s blog post looks at a major protest in 1915 in Philadelphia to the showing of this film. The protest turned violent when a group of more than 1000 Blacks marched to the Forrest Theatre, where The Birth of a Nation was being shown. A brick was thrown which broke one of the theatre windows, resulting in a force of police responding by clubbing the protestors until they dispersed.
There were similar protests in most U. S. larger cities, particularly in the north. African American organizations along with many supportive whites were particularly incensed at the portrayal of Blacks during Reconstruction as ignorant, barbaric and uncivilized. Black characters in the film were played by white men in black-face, some of whom in the past had appeared in black-face for comedic effect in minstrel shows and plays, much to the delight and approval of their white audiences.
For those protesting the showing of the film, the campaign to ban it was unsuccessful. Screenings went on for the next several years, in many cases to sold-out theatres, and the film, despite its inaccurate racial portrayal, was established as a landmark in technical creativity.
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From the Philadelphia Evening Public Ledger, August 16, 1915:
Philadelphia Negroes to Protest
The usual ceremonies held by the Negroes of this city on the anniversary of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, September 22, will be turned into a protest against the showing here of the photoplay The Birth of a Nation. A committee from the Emancipation and Civil Rights League, following a meeting held at the Spring Garden Street Settlement House, has gone to Atlantic City to see the film and report on it. All Negro churches and organizations will be asked to join the protest.
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From the Philadelphia Evening Public Ledger, August 30 1915:
ATTACK “BIRTH OF NATION”
“Dr.” Moses Stern Presides at Meeting of Protest
A bitter protest against “The Birth of a Nation,” the moving-picture drama which is to open at the Forrest Theatre next Saturday, was forwarded to Mayor Blankenburg today in the form of three typewritten pages of resolutions adopted at a meeting held last night on the City Hall Plaza.
“Doctor” Moses Stern presided at the meeting, and although the audience was composed largely of white men, E. A. Caesar, a negro, and A. A. P. Taylor, a Cherokee Indian, were the principal speakers of the evening. The ground upon which the picture was attacked was that it might cause racial difficulties to this city.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, September 4, 1915:
Porter to Put Ban on “Birth of a Nation”
Special to The Telegraph
Philadelphia, September 4 [1915] — Director Porter is going to do his best to stop the production of “The Birth of a Nation.” By his orders police tonight will be drawn up in front of the Forrest Theatre.
Unless the director is enjoined by the courts, the police will not allow the film to be shown. The director last night said that he feared serious disturbances at the initial production of the much discussed picture.
It is understood that the management of the Forrest Theatre and the producers of the picture play today will ask the courts to enjoin the director from preventing the showing of the film.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, September 21, 1915:
Charges Theatre; Police Battle With 1,000
Special to The Telegraph
Philadelphia, September 21 [1915] – A mob of 1,000 negroes rioted in front of the Forrest Theater shortly before 10 o’clock last night. Bricks were thrown and a glass transom of a door on the Broad Street front was broken.
For the first time since the police have been guarding the theatre where the photoplay, The Birth of a Nation, has been exhibited, they were forced to use their clubs.
For the first time sine the police have been guarding the theatre where the photoplay, The Birth of a Nation, has been exhibited, they were forced to use their clubs.
The mob was for the time beyond the control of the police. The negroes, who object to the photoplay as a slur on their race, made a rush for the Broad Street entrance of the theatre. Bricks were thrown there. Four arrests were made.
Three negroes applied for treatment at the Jefferson Hospital after the riot. They had lacerated heads, but said they were hurt in a runaway. Another negro was taken to the Hahnemann Hospital for treatment. He was said to be a negro preacher.
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From the Philadelphia Evening Public Ledger, September 21, 1915:
FILM PROTEST TO BE HELD AT CITY HALL
Mayor Permits Negroes to Hold Meeting in His Reception Room
Mayor Blankenburg today granted the request of a committee of negro ministers and physicians to hold a public meeting next Friday at 11 o’clock in the reception room of the City Hall, at which the play, The Birth of a Nation, will be discussed. Mayor Blankenburg stipulated that the management of the Forrest Theatre be represented at the meeting.
The committee was headed by G. Edward Dickerson, a negro lawyer. In the party was Dr. W. A. Sinclair, of 1221 Pine Street. Director Sinclair informed the mayor that he was treated last night at the Douglas Hospital after being struck on the head with a club. This occurred during the rioting on Broad Street.
It was reported today that City Solicitor Ryan would be appealed to by negroes of this city for the purpose of having a suit instituted against the theatre in the name of the city to prevent further productions of the performance.
A tall negro clergyman led a throng of 1500 of his race up Broad Street last night. They chanted “Onward Christian Soldiers” as they marched. Then, as they reached the front of the Forrest Theatre where The Birth of a Nation is being shown, he twirled his cane aloft. The singing stopped. A brick was thrown.
“Get that man,” shouted Lieutenant Duffy of the Reserves. “Get them, get them,” repeated Lieutenant Myers, of the 15ht and Locust Streets Station, again and again. The police, with drawn clubs, charged the throng. It broke and ran. Some took shelter in the lobbies of nearby hotels; some ran into the clubs that line Broad Street, carrying with them white women, caught in the swirl; others ran down little streets.
The police whacked every head within whacking distance. Some where [sic] trampled on. The dark cross streets seemed to offer the best haven of comparative safety. While the clubless reserves were in the van of the pursuers, the bluecoats from the 15th and Locust Streets Station were testing the scull-cracking proclivities of their locust sticks. The nimble-footed reserves caught four men, one of whom was accused of having thrown the brick. He was the only prisoner held after the testimony had been presented before Magistrate Beaton, at the night court hearings.
The Rev. W. C. Graham, pastor of the Holy Trinity Church, was taken to the Douglas Hospital with severe lacerations of the head; two more were treated at the Hahnemann Hospital while three negroes were treated at the Jefferson Hospital. The latter said they had been knocked down by a wagon earlier in the evening. A large number had their injuries dressed at home.
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From the Harrisburg Daily Independent, September 24, 1915:
COLORED MASONS MEET
100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Order in Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, September 24 [1915] — The celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of colored Masonry in Pennsylvania by the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons began here yesterday morning when several hundred delegates from ten States assembled in Musical Fund Hall. They were addressed by Director George D. Porter, representing Mayor Blankenburg….
Chairman Peter A. Robinson, of the Committee on Arrangements, said that one of the matters to be discussed was the Birth of a Nation.
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From the Philadelphia Inquirer, September 27, 1915:
PROTEST FILM PLAY
Colored Residents Contribute $400 to Finance Legal Proceedings
Meeting in protest against the further presentation of the film play, The Birth of a Nation, which is being shown at one of the local theatres, nearly 500 colored residents of this city yesterday contributed nearly $400 in order that their leaders may take legal and other peaceful action against the exhibitors it was announced that proceedings will be instituted this week.
Former State Senator John G. Sheatz presided at the mass meeting, which was held in the Olympia Theatre, at Broad and Fitzwater Streets, and addressed by several colored ministers and other professional men. Resolutions were adopted to use all legitimate means to stop the play before the expiration of its running time in Philadelphia.
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From the Philadelphia Evening Public Ledger, September 27, 1915:
NEGROES RAISE FILM FUND
$500 Collected at Mass-Meeting to Fight Photoplay
A war fund of $500, with which to wage a legal fight against the photoplay, The Birth of a Nation, now playing at the Forrest Theatre, has been raised by negroes in this city. Two near riots recently outside the theatre have been checked by the police. More than 1900 negroes attended a mass meeting of protest yesterday in the Olympia Theatre, Broad and Bainbridge Streets.
Former State Senator John A. Sheatz presented at the meeting. Several negro ministers were among the speakers. Checks were received for the fund from John Weaver, Clinton Rogers Woodruff, J. E. Spingairn, and John A. Milholland. A resolution was passed condemning Thomas Dixon, author of The Clansman, from which part of the photoplay was written.
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From the Philadelphia Evening Public Ledger, September 30, 1915:
MAYOR HEARS FILM PROTEST
Tells Negro Petitioners His Hands Are Tied by Court
Major Blankenburg heard protests against the exhibition of “The Birth of a Nation” at a meeting attended by 50 negroes in his reception room today. The negroes represented church organizations, religious papers and fraternal orders and societies.
George H. White, former Congressman from North Carolina, delivered the principal plea for the suppression of the film. Thomas Dixon, author of The Clansman on which the play is based, knew he had not set forth the true facts in the book White said.
Mayor Brandenburg heard all the protests and then announced that his hands were tied by the action of the courts in granting an injunction to restrain the police from interfering with the film production. Those who spoke against the play were Elwood Heancock, secretary of the Society for the Elevation of the Negro Race; R. R. White, editor of the Recorder; Dr. Algernon B. Jackson, Dr. John P. Turner and George H. White.
Former Director Porter, who was present, said he had seen the play and that he believed several scenes should have been suppressed.
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News articles from Newspapers.com. Photo at top of post from Wikipedia.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.
[African American]