The second page of the Storm Lake Pilot-Tribune from August 4, 1916 has a half-page ad announcing the arrival of “Birth of a Nation” to the theater: “It’s Coming to Storm Lake. Chautauqua Auditorium, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 15, 16. The Great American Play at last after all these years of waiting. Coming here to Storm Lake and exactly same as in all large cities. Every member of big symphony orchestra a soloist. Nothing left out in Storm Lake. D. W. Griffith’s “The Birth of a Nation” presented by Elliott & Sherman. Thrills! Thrills! Thrills! Three hours of entertainment that bristles with excitement. Pen falters! Typewriter balks! In trying to tell of its wonders. Nothing has ever equaled it. Secure that seat as soon as possible. etc.
The second page of the newspaper also has two small blurbs concerning Black Iowans. One states: “One negro and one white man at Cherokee have been bound over the grand jury for violating the liquor laws.”
The second states: “A negro porter in the Popma & Farran barbershop at Marcus, got out of town with $43 in money which did not belong to him the other day but he was captured in Sioux City.”