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The Birth of a Nation is one of the most influential and controversial films in the history of cinema. It is set during the American Civil War and is directed by D.W. Griffith and was released on February 8, 1915. It is important in film history for its innovative technical achievements and also for its controversial promotion of white supremacism and glorification of the Ku Klux Klan, who continue to actively use it as a recruiting tool.