The Confederate Myth

American is a nation with few years of existence but with as much conflict within its borders as compared to other countries in the world. America’s founding and growth to power was done with the intent of white dominance, never intending for those who did much of the labor that kept the economy afloat-the enslaved black people. America’s hierarchy of blacks having nothing and no chance to become anything more was shaken with the Emancipation Proclamation and ensuing 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, which intended for blacks and other minorities to have the same rights as their white counterparts who had held all the power. Resentment grew from the former slave states as the people they formerly owned began to get involved in politics and better
With mixed people being seen as terrible due to their existence being wrong, both Lydia and Silas Lynch are characterized by this belief due to their villainous behavior. Lydia was Austin Stoneman’s mulatto mistress who aspired to have power and be seen and treated the same as a white woman. She is treated as an exotic seductress for her sway over Stoneman and nuisance to other whites due to her constant trying to elevate her status. Silas Lynch is a mulatto politician from the North, taught by Stoneman who wanted him to gain office in South Carolina. Lynch is made to be seen as a shifty character in behavior and film lighting on him consistently being sinister. He is the epitome of evil when the audience realize he wants to marry Stoneman’s oldest daughter Elsie and he attempts to assault her. Both mixed characters have no redeeming qualities seen and this fits into Griffith and Dixon’s belief that even a drop of Black blood contaminates white purity. Another way white purity is exalted is when Gus, the Black soldier under Lynch’s command pursues Flora Cameron who ultimately kills herself by throwing her body over a cliff rather than be taken by