Abstract
“Resisting the Birth” focuses on the response of Black and white communities and institutions in Virginia where unsuccessful attempts to fix the film or ban the film unfolded. Focusing on the segregated communities and institutions in Norfolk, Richmond and Hampton, the chapter examines the private and public discourse within and across these communities during the initial southern premiere of Birth in 1915 and the responses thereafter. The chapter reveals the Black community actively debated and fought the negative stereotypes of the film and how its white supporters’ attempts to help clashed and thwarted their own efforts.
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Williams, V.D. (2023). Resisting The Birth of a Nation in Virginia. In: Stokes, M., McEwan, P. (eds) In the Shadow of The Birth of a Nation. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04737-4_9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04737-4_9
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Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-04736-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-04737-4
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