Final answer:
The NAACP labeled 'Birth of a Nation' as a film that propagated racial stereotypes and showcased the KKK as heroes. Their efforts to ban the film were not entirely successful, but the campaign helped to solidify and grow the organization, illustrating its long-lasting impact on the NAACP and the civil rights movement.
Step-by-step explanation:
The NAACP referred to Birth of a Nation as a historically themed drama that perpetuated negative stereotypes about Black people and romanticized the Ku Klux Klan (KKK). They recognized that this film suggested that Black power during Reconstruction was a threat and depicted Blacks as incompetent in governance and as sexual aggressors toward White women.
With an intentional effort to reenergize and perpetuate the very worst impressions of Black people, the NAACP worked to ban the film. Despite not achieving a nationwide ban, their efforts against the film galvanized the organization, transformed it in unexpected ways, and united chapters across the nation which ultimately contributed to the NAACP's growth and sustainability.
The campaign against Birth of a Nation also led to an increase in activities by civil rights groups and others opposed to the revival of the Ku Klux Klan. In response to the film's racial portrayals and revisionist history, the NAACP fought on multiple fronts, including securing injunctions against the film's screening and protesting its implications. While not all their goals were met, the campaign did have lasting effects on the organization and on the wider movement for civil rights.