Module 10

 Module 10

 

It’s election week. It’s certainly been a tumultuous election season, often bringing out the worst undertones of American society rather than our highest aspirations. Racial justice, in particular, has been in the foreground of our national dialogue. In response to demands for justice, Black Americans in many communities have experienced intimidation, epithets, attempts at voter suppression. Shamefully, government and law enforcement sometimes seem to encourage, or at best turn a blind eye to, such forms of harassment. How is it possible that the United States, in 2020, could devolve into a place where some citizens don’t feel safe going to the voting booth, and where the perceived threat is so open and so extensive it extends all the way to the White House? Soon after the abolition of slavery, white supremacists began to organize into groups such as the KKK in an effort to protect their hold on power as well as their racial purity. DW Griffiths classic film,  Birth of a Nation,  depicts the motivations and actions of this era. It seems fitting to watch it this week as a reminder that white supremacy runs deep in the American past and is not easily eradicated. As you watch, please take notes… are there events or sentiments depicted in the film that seem connected to contemporary threads of racism in America? 

 

Post notes about the film to your blog, then connect with a classmate over Zoom or Facetime to discuss your thoughts on the film.

 

The NDNU library has arranged for streaming access of this film for students in this class. Please see the instructions below if you would like to get the film that way:

 

We have purchased "The Birth of a Nation" on Kanopy so that your students can stream it for free from their own devices.

 

If you or your students haven't used Kanopy before it's quite simple. Go to https://ndnu.kanopy.com and click "Log In to NDNU". On the next page click "Log In to NDNU" again and it will launch a popup window asking for your NDNU email credentials. Once the login is complete, you'll be redirected to the Kanopy home page.

 

"The Birth of a Nation" can be found easily by searching the title in the search box at the top of the screen, or via the direct link: https://ndnu.kanopy.com/video/birth-nation-0

 

You or your students can create an account on Kanopy to avoid going through the NDNU login process in future, but this is not required. As long as they are connected through NDNU they can watch the film.

 

If you have any questions or are having any difficulty accessing the film, please let us know.

 

Nora Mercer

Reference Librarian