The film was made with only a single retake of a single scene, due to a continuity error involving Mae Marsh and the piece of cotton pinned to her shirt during the homecoming sequence.
The Ford's Theatre scene was filmed on an outdoor set.
The NAACP attempted to have this film banned. After that effort failed, it then attempted to have some of the film's more extreme scenes censored.
The name of the character played by William De Vaull is listed as "Nelse", while the character played by William Freeman is officially listed as "Jake." Many cast lists omit the character of "Nelse" and credit De Vaull instead as "Jake", while changing Freeman's character to that of "Sentry".
The original budget for the film was $40,000, but D.W. Griffith spent $110,000, the largest amount ever spent on a film up to that time.
The original title "The Clansman" was jettisoned for being too tame given the breadth and scope of the subject matter.
The Western Costume Co. received one of its first tasks on this film, to provide Civil War costumes. The costumes were also supplied by Goldstein and Co. The designs were made by Robert Goldstein and celebrated early costume designer Clare West.
This film is widely credited for reviving the long-dead Ku Klux Klan. The organization staged its "rebirth" in Stone Mountain Georgia the same year that this movie was released.
When it opened in New York City, ticket prices were $2.00 each, which was considered astronomical at the time. In today's currency, accounting for inflation, that would be about $17 - $20. One million people saw the film within a year after its release.