Plot Explained Spoilers guaranteed!
Plot Explained

Browse by genre

The Birth of a Nation (1915) movie poster

Plot Summary

The Birth of a Nation (1915) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
1915 · 195 mins
Loading streaming availability…
Directed by
D.W. Griffith
Starring
John Ford, Dark Cloud, Mae Marsh, Edward Burns, David Butler, Lillian Gish

The Fiery Cross of the Ku Klux Klan! Two families—Northern abolitionists the Stonemans and Southern landowners the Camerons—become entangled. After Confederate Colonel Ben Cameron is taken prisoner, nurse Elsie Stoneman pleads for his release. In Reconstruction‑era South Carolina, Ben helps found the Ku Klux Klan, confronting Elsie’s congressman father and his African‑American protégé, Silas Lynch.

On this page (4)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Movies like The Birth of a Nation
  4. 4 Every angle
Loading streaming availability…

Full plot summary

The Birth of a Nation (1915) Plot Summary Coming Soon

We are working on the full plot summary and ending explained of The Birth of a Nation (1915). Check back soon, or request it now to move it up the list.

Request this summary

If you liked this

Movies Like The Birth of a Nation

Similar movies to The Birth of a Nation: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

Browse all movie summaries

Every angle

The Birth of a Nation (1915) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Birth of a Nation in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

Plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Catch up on any movie in minutes, save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private, always.

Learn more about the app