American Racist: The Life and Films of Thomas Dixon

Copyright

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iv Publication of this volume was made possible in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Copyright © 2004 by The University Press of Kentucky Scholarly publisher for the Commonwealth, serving Bellarmine University, Berea College, Centre College of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University, The Filson Historical Society, Georgetown College, Kentucky Historical Society, Kentucky State University, Morehead State University, Murray State University, Northern Kentucky University, Transylvania University, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, and Western Kentucky University. All rights reserved. Editorial and Sales Offices: The University Press of Kentucky 663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40508-4008 www.kentuckypress.com 08 07 06 05 04 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Slide, Anthony. American racist : the life and films of Thomas Dixon / Anthony Slide. p. cm. Filmography: p. Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index. ISBN 0-8131-2328-3 (acid-free paper) 1. Dixon, Thomas, 1864-1946. 2. Motion pictures—United States—History—20th century. 3. Dixon, Thomas, 1864-1946—Film and video adaptations. 4. Dixon, Thomas, 1864-1946—Political and social views. 5. Authors, American—20th century—Biography. 6. African Americans in motion pictures. 7. African Americans in literature. 8. Racism in motion pictures. 9. Racism—United States. 10. Racism in literature. I. Title. PS3507.I93Z86 2004 818'.5209—dc22 2004006074 This book is printed on acid-free recycled paper meeting the requirements of the American National Standard for Permanence in Paper for Printed Library Materials. Manufactured in the United States of America. Member of the Association of American University Presses ACKNOWLEDGMENTS v It’s what we call fiction, but I think fiction’s the very best history we can read. It may not have happened just that way But it’s true all the same. Marse Rooney, the Negro schoolteacher in Thomas Dixon’s The Man in Gray (1921) quod sempter, quod ubique, quod ab omnibus What always, What everywhere, What by all has been held to be true motto of the Ku Klux Klan Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please. Mark Twain to Rudyard Kipling (1899) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS vi ...