What are the facts? And why you should be angry: 

• Writer/producer/actor Nate Parker and co-writer Jean Celestin were students and members of the wrestling team at Penn State when the victim was allegedly sexually assaulted by them on October 13, 1999. 
• The victim had been a straight A student at Penn State. Subsequent to the rape, her academic performance declined and she dropped out.
• Three witnesses at trial confirmed that the victim was significantly intoxicated and she had had a number of drinks. 
• Afterwards, the victim and Nate Parker went to his apartment. Another student named Tamerlane Kangas also testified that he saw Parker having sex with the victim who was not moving, then Parker noticed Kangas and Celestin, then “motioned for us to come inside the room. Kangas further elaborated that “There was a smirk on his face, I guess, because, you know, he caught us watching him and so that’s when he motioned for us to come in,” Kangas recounted to the prosecutor.  -- This testimony indicates that the victim was unconscious or at the very least her mental status was altered due to intoxication. Additionally, we only know Parker was the one inviting others to have sex with Jennifer. Parker does not indicate that Jennifer agreed to or asked two other men to also have sex. 
• The victim reported that Parker and Celestin harassed her after they were charged and there was minimal effort by the school to ensure her safety and well being. Penn State settled and gave the victim $17,500.  --- This does not prove that Penn State and Parker/Celestin were at fault, however given the settlement there is a high suspicion for admission of guilt. 
• Parker stated initially that he had been the only one having sex with the victim that night. He then later admitted Celestin had sex with her after he did. He stated on a recording, “Well, it was only, you know what I mean, the only person, people, who was there was me and the person that I was with that night when we met, my roommate,” Parker said, trying to calm her down. He added, “I understand, I’m sorry, uh… now looking back on it we can both say that it was just unnecessary, none of it should have happened anyway, you know what I mean?”  --- This is an example that Parker lied. Why would he lie if the sec was consensual as he previously argued?
• Celestin was recorded apologizing to Jennifer for "hurting" her, “Umm, well, I’m sorry, like, you know, I really don’t know what I’m apologizing for,” he told her. “But um, like, as far as like, if anything offended you, and you got hurt, you know, like, I’m sorry.”  --- Unless he didn't do anything wrong, then there is no reason for him to apologize for anything, for hurting her, or for offending her. This is not a consensual post-sex conversation. 
• Parker also stated on a recording, “But if I don’t know you, and you’re giving me the vibe that you’re cool with it… I’m going to assume you’re fine. You know? I’m going to assume that nothing’s wrong. And that’s what I did.”  --- A "vibe" is NOT consent for sex. DUH.
• Prior to trial she attempted suicide twice. 13 years later, after an extended struggle with depression and addiction she committed suicide by taking 200 pills, leaving a young son behind. 
• Jean Celestin was convicted and imprisoned. 
• Nate Parker and Jean Celestin wrote in a gang rape scene of Nat Turner's wif in the movie --- I can't believe the audacity of these two! 
• Nate Parker claims to be a "devout Christian"  --- HAH!! Yeah right! Not only does he deny any fault in the rape, he demonstrates a complete lack of empathy for the victim. 

There are a lot of articles, but this one provides a comprehensive summary: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/16/inside-the-nate-parker-rape-case.html 

Should the Birth of a Nation audiences care about the Nate Parker allegations?

YES. YES. YES. 

One can never separate the artist from the man. Art is an extension of its creator. 

Here's what the victim's brother says in an interview with Variety:

"I don’t think a rapist should be celebrated. It’s really a cultural decision we’re making as a society to go to the theater and speak with our dollars and reward a sexual predator.”

Here's an article come from Yale School of Management  supporting the connection between man and the artist: http://home.uchicago.edu/~bartels/papers/Newman-Bartels-Smith-2014-TopiCS.pdf 

Why is this important?

Because we as society should NOT condone such offenses and the perpetuation by the flawed justice system. Only 0.6% of sexual assault cases reach trial, and even less cases are able to reach a just conclusion.

Please sign and share this petition to continue to raise support!