The Birth of a Nation
“The Fiery Cross of the Ku Klux Klan!”
Two families, abolitionist Northerners the Stonemans and Southern landowners the Camerons, intertwine. When Confederate colonel Ben Cameron is captured in battle, nurse Elsie Stoneman petitions for his pardon. In Reconstruction-era South Carolina, Cameron founds the Ku Klux Klan, battling Elsie's congressman father and his African-American protégé, Silas Lynch.
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Part of The Life of a Nation Collection
2 films
Cast
52 people
Lillian Gish
Stoneman's Daughter Elsie
Known for
The Night of the Hunter
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
Walter Huston
Himself (1931 reissue version)
D.W. Griffith
Himself (1931 reissue version)
Joseph Carl Breil
Composer
Mae Marsh
Flora Cameron
Known for
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
3 Godfathers
Henry B. Walthall
Col. Ben Cameron
Known for
Wings
The Devil-Doll
Miriam Cooper
Margaret Cameron
Also in
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
The Mother and the Law
Mary Alden
Stoneman's Housekeeper Lydia
Known for
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
Ralph Lewis
Leader of the House Hon. Austin Stoneman
Also in
The Hoodlum
Going Straight
George Siegmann
Lieut. Governor Silas Lynch
Known for
The Cat and the Canary
Walter Long
Gus
Known for
Pardon Us
The Maltese Falcon
Robert Harron
Tod
Known for
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
True Heart Susie
D.W. Griffith Director · Frank E. Woods Screenplay Thomas F. Dixon Jr. Author
Worldwide gross $100M · Budget $100K · United States release March 21, 1915
Box office
Budget
$100,000
Worldwide gross
$100,000,000
Gross vs. budget
1,000.0×
Production
Epoch Film Co.
Production
D.W. Griffith Productions
Production
Epoch Productions
Production
United States
Produced in
Languages
Original language
English
Spoken on screen
No dialogue
Release dates
United States · February 8, 1915
Premiere · Los Angeles, California
United States · March 21, 1915
Theatrical
United States
December 18, 1930 · Limited theatrical · Re-release, New York City, New York
March 11, 1970 · Limited theatrical · Re-release, Rosslyn, Virginia
Argentina
April 27, 1917 · Theatrical
Australia
August 9, 1915 · Theatrical
Brazil
May 21, 1917 · Theatrical
June 1, 2012 · Physical · DVD, rated Livre
Canada
June 8, 1915 · Theatrical
Czechia
February 9, 2023 · Theatrical
Denmark
March 22, 1918 · Theatrical
Finland
April 15, 1922 · Theatrical
September 25, 1964 · Theatrical · Re-release
France
October 21, 1920 · Theatrical
Germany
May 20, 1915 · Theatrical
Greece
December 14, 1915 · Theatrical
March 26, 1917 · Theatrical
October 11, 2010 · Limited theatrical · Silent Film Festival
Hungary
April 12, 1918 · Theatrical
India
February 27, 1920 · Theatrical
Ireland
August 28, 1916 · Limited theatrical · Cork
Italy
June 7, 1915 · Theatrical
January 5, 2017 · Physical · DVD
Japan
April 24, 1924 · Theatrical
Madagascar
November 18, 1918 · Theatrical
Mexico
December 15, 1915 · Theatrical
Netherlands
March 20, 1916 · Theatrical
New Zealand
January 1, 1920 · Theatrical
Norway
April 26, 1916 · Theatrical
Philippines
September 29, 1916 · Theatrical
Poland
February 5, 2016 · TV
April 17, 2026 · Premiere · Timeless Film Festival Warsaw
Portugal
July 12, 1929 · Limited theatrical
April 20, 1965 · Premiere · Cinemateca Portuguesa
April 20, 1965 · Limited theatrical · Cinematica Portuguesa
June 10, 1976 · Premiere · Cineclube do Porto
July 12, 1984 · Physical
Russia
September 19, 1916 · Theatrical
Spain
October 12, 1921 · Theatrical
Sweden
September 22, 1918 · Theatrical
Togo
July 13, 1919 · Theatrical
United Arab Emirates
July 23, 2013 · Physical · Blu-Ray
United Kingdom
March 8, 1915 · Theatrical
March 10, 1931 · Limited theatrical · Re-release, re-edited, sound version, London
July 24, 1952 · Theatrical · Re-release, re-edited
August 5, 1994 · Physical · VHS
July 5, 2000 · Physical · DVD
January 25, 2005 · Physical · DVD, re-edited
Uruguay
December 15, 2015 · Theatrical
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Some details come from TheTVDB.