Knights, Villians, and Fools: Portrayals of the Ku Klux Klan in American Film

Abstract

My research focuses on portrayals of the Ku Klux Klan in film, from The Birth of a Nation to recent portrayals which paint them in a far different light. Birth of a Nation was a landmark film for its cinematography and film technique but was also hugely influential within the Klan itself. The film was a precipitating factor for the rebirth of the Klan, was used as a recruiting tool, and was hailed as historical fact for its positive portrayal of the Klan. Similar positive portrayals of the Klan can be found in other films of the day. Yet, over time, the original Klan became seen as villains rather than heroes. I examined the growth in these portrayals in accordance with the Civil Rights Movement and changing mainstream memories of the Civil War and of the Klan. Past the Civil Rights Movement the portrayal shifts once again, where, instead of the heroes of the white South or the masked racist villains, film portrayals moved towards an almost comical light for the Klan. They are portrayed as moronic, bumbling, fools, in films such as Django Unchained. Through these portrayals, I evaluate how changing memories of the Reconstruction Era and changing definitions of its heroes and villains are reflected in film, while also examining the flaws in these portrayals and how filmmakers contend with these issues.