donation to $50,000. This amount will save the school, and Sylvia returns to the South. Rev. Jacobs asks for Sylvia's hand in marriage, but Sylvia, now in love with Dr. Vivian, refuses. Larry, on the run from the police, runs into Sylvia and attempts blackmail with secrets of Sylvia's past. Instead of stealing from the school on Larry's behalf, Sylvia runs away in the night and heads north. Later, Dr. Vivian searches for Sylvia. Larry, who has run out of money and returned to Alma, is fatally shot during an attempted bank robbery. Dr. Vivian by chance ends up treating Larry and meets Alma. Alma tells Dr. Vivian about Sylvia's past: these flashback scenes are portrayed in the film. Sylvia was adopted and raised by a poor black family, the Landrys, who managed to provide her with an education. During her youth, the senior Landry was wrongfully accused of the murder of an unpopular but wealthy white landlord, Gridlestone. A white mob attacked the Landry family, lynching the parents and hunting down their son, who escaped after nearly being shot. The mob also lynched Efrem, a servant of Gridlestone, despite Efrem collaborating with them. Sylvia escaped after being chased and attacked by Gridlestone's brother, who overpowered her and was close to raping her. Noticing a scar on her breast, Gridlestone's brother realized that Sylvia was in fact his mixed-race daughter, born of his marriage to a local black woman. He had paid for her education. After hearing about her life, Dr. Vivian meets with Sylvia; he encourages her to love her country and take pride in the contributions of African Americans. He professes his love for her, and the film ends with their marriage. Cast Evelyn Preer as Sylvia Landry Floy Clements as Alma Prichard James D. Ruffin as Conrad Drebert, Sylvia's Fiancé Jack Chenault as Larry Prichard, Alma's Stepbrother William Smith as Philip Gentry, a detective Charles D. Lucas as Dr. V. Vivian Bernice Ladd as Mrs. Geraldine Stratton Mrs. Evelyn as Mrs. Elena Warwick William Starks as Jasper Landry Ralph Johnson as Philip Gridlestone E.G. Tatum as Efrem Grant Edwards as Emil Grant Gorman as Armand Gridlestone Mattie Edwards S.T. Jacks Jimmie Cook Production background Often regarded in the context of D.W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation, which had appeared five years earlier, Micheaux's project has been considered by critics as a response film to Griffith's. The