The Birth of A Nation is a silent film from 1915 and the highest grossing silent film in film history. The film tells a romance story during the American civil war. Director Griffith created many new camera effects and innovations in filming the movie. Way ahead of it's time in many regards. That said this movie will offend most people today. The very negative portrayal of newly freed slaves (mostly white actors in black face) went on to create and propagate negative images of blacks of the early 20th century in the Unites States. This film was used as a recruiting propaganda by the KKK until the 1940's.