The Birth of a Nation was a groundbreaking 1915 silent film. Directed by D. W. Griffith (1875–1948), the film is set during the American Civil War (1861–65) and Reconstruction period (1865–1877). The Birth of a Nation depicts the era through the fictional stories of two white families caught up in the conflict, the Stonemans from the North and the slaveowning Camerons from the South. The film popularized the acting careers of Lillian Gish (1893–1993; see entry in 1910s—Film and Theater in volume 1) and her younger sister, Dorothy (1898–1968). The sisters became two of the most familiar stars of the silent movie (see entry under 1900s—Film and Theater in volume 1) era. The Birth of a Nation introduced many technical and artistic advances in the new medium of film. The film remains controversial to this day because of its interpretation of the historical events it portrayed...