Conversation so far:
What happened during the special screenings of the movie The birth of a nation?
The showing of the movie The Birth of a Nation had caused several near-riots.
What was the birth of a nation?
The Birth of a Nation is an American silent epic drama film directed and co-produced by D. W. Griffith and starring Lillian Gish.

Question: How did Dixon persuade them
Self-contained rewrite: How did  Dixon persuade them