Director D. W. Griffith helped to ignite the start of the Ku Klux Klan with his 1915 film, The Birth of a Nation. Inspired by Thomas Dixon's novel, the Clansmen, it portrayed the KKK as the savior of the South after the years of the Civil War. Running two hours and 45 minutes, this film was first shown to President Woodrow Wilson who stated, "It is like writing history with lightning." With the President's support The Birth of a Nation opened to audiences around the country in March of 1915 and ran for 47 straight weeks including 280 sold out shows in New York.

D.W. Griffith's film spawned a new generation of the KKK. William Simmons was the first to seize upon the white supremacist feeling that swept the nation. On Thanksgiving night in

There'll be a hot time in the old town tonight.

These same types of initiation ceremonies as well as the fears as discontentment plagued the state of Michigan. In the 1920's, African Americans flocked to Detroit for work in the auto industry. The entire population of Detroit tripled in 1920 to make it the fourth largest city in the U.S., but 25% of the people were foreigners. The city became so crowded that the foreigners began moving into white neighborhoods and caused an uproar among the white population. Playing on this agitation, the Klan became the center of Klan strength in Michigan.

I believe in the protection of our pure womanhood.

All dressed up in their snowy white gowns,

I believe that a church that is not grounded on the principles

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2373
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)