Why was The Birth of a Nation censored or banned in some American cities and states?

The Birth of a Nation (1915), directed by D.W. Griffith, faced widespread censorship and bans due to its overt racism and inflammatory portrayal of the Reconstruction era. The film depicted Black people as the source of societal chaos and portrayed the Ku Klux Klan as a heroic force, while also featuring shocking imagery of racial violence and miscegenation.213

These depictions outraged civil rights advocates, leading the NAACP and leaders like William Monroe Trotter to organize intense protests and mass rallies in cities such as Boston, Los Angeles, and New York. Because First Amendment protections did not extend to motion pictures at the time, authorities had the legal latitude to suppress the film. Following public riots in several cities, the film was ultimately banned in eight Northern and Midwestern states. Despite these efforts, the film remained a massive commercial success, seen by millions during its initial release.213