Oppression of the African American People (Final) Oppression of the African American people within the United States originated in 1619 when Dutch traders brought the first African slaves to Jamestown. Since then, this race of people has confronted many hardships regarding discrimination and injustice from those that saw themselves as superior. The struggle and efforts to fight against such oppression has been evident through speeches, other literary means, and physical actions. One must first identify how such people were enslaved to understand their hardships both during and/or coming out of enslavement. A multilateral system of trade took place between Great Britain, West Africa, and the West Indies. Even though some African rulers fought …show more content…
Although the concept of abolition was introduced, action wouldn’t be taken until almost a century later in 1865 with the ratification of the 13th Amendment. During that century slaves had various forms of revolt/ rebellion within the system they were in; this ranged from the simplest action of learning how to read to the most radical of violent uproars. Various free African American activists were vital in bringing awareness to their cause to white America. For example, Frederick Douglass’ work “ levied a powerful indictment against slavery and racism, provided an indomitable voice of hope for his people, embraced antislavery politics and preached his own brand of American ideals” (“Frederick Douglass”). This can be seen in his “What, to the Slave, is the Fourth of July?” speech where he states, “What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant …show more content…
Many leaders from within the African American community and beyond rose to prominence during the Civil Rights era, including Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, Andrew Goodman and others. They risked—and sometimes lost—their lives in the name of freedom and equality (“Civil Rights Movement”). On April 3, 1964, Malcolm X delivered his speech “The Ballot or the Bullet” in regards to black nationalism during the current election year. “At the time, blacks did not have much say in who they wanted to elect. The white politicians would come into black neighborhoods and push press, and force it upon blacks to put them in office,” (“A Rhetorical Analysis of "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech by Malcolm X”). X’s speech signifies the civil rights movement in its entirety due to covering every issue blacks were dealing such as racism, violence, votings rights and segregation. One prominent example of racial segregation in the United States was the Jim Crow laws, a series of policies in effect from 1876 to 1965. Jim Crow laws segregated people of color from whites in housing, jobs, schools, public transportation, public spaces, military service, prisons and
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Show MoreA specific part in the speech when he says those words is when he was asking a question to the listeners. The question was, “What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July?” (Douglass). The use of those two words is to signal to the all the white people in the crowd the amount of distance that is between Douglass and them. It also signals to his listeners that since he is black that he doesn’t and probably will never share the same attitude toward the Fourth of July that all the whites
Frederick Douglass gave the speech “What to the Slave is the 4th of July?” In 1852 at the Ladies anti-slavery society. He portrays the duality of the meaning of the 4th of July and calls out the hypocrisy of America. In his speech “What to the Slave is the 4th of July?”
The African – American 's Assimilation into White America America is often considered the land of opportunities, a place where people can have a fresh start, a clean slate. America is a land that is made up of immigrants. Over the centuries America has been a place where people dream to live in, however the American dream wasn 't as perfect as believed; there were issues of race inferiority, slavery and social inequality amongst other problems. When a person arrives into a new society he has a difficult task ahead of him- to assimilate into that new society- which includes the economical, cultural, political and social aspects. In the following paper I will discuss how the African American, who came as slaves to America, has fought over the centuries to achieve equality in a white society that discriminated them.
By using this reference, it illustrated the severity of the alienation of blacks in the Southern United States. In 1619, a Dutch ship “introduced the first captured Africans to America, planting the seeds of a slavery system that evolved into a nightmare of abuse and cruelty that would ultimately divide the nation”. The Africans were not treated humanely, but were treated as workers with no rights. Originally, they were to work for poor white families for seven years and receive land and freedom in return. As the colonies prospered, the colonists did not want to give up their workers and in 1641, slavery was legalized.
African Americans face a struggle with racism which has been present in our country before the Civil War began in 1861. America still faces racism today however, around the 1920’s the daily life of an African American slowly began to improve. Thus, this time period was known by many, as the “Negro Fad” (O’Neill). The quality of life and freedom of African Americans that lived in the United States was constantly evolving and never completely considered ‘equal’. From being enslaved, to fighting for their freedom, African Americans were greatly changing the status quo and beginning to make their mark in the United States.
Malcolm X delivered a powerful speech on April 3, 1964 at the Congress of Racial Equality in Cleveland, Ohio. Black people in America came together to receive motivation to fight for equality. In this speech Malcolm X inspires black people to take a stance and fight for their civil rights. Malcolm X uses rhetorical techniques to persuade his audience to push for equality between races.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy delivered his “Civil Rights Address” on June 11, 1963 to talk about how everyone is born equal and just because you are born with darker skin you shouldn’t be considered less of a person and have less rights. It was filmed in the oval office and broadcast on national radio and television. This speech is about equal rights for african americans. It was made because two black children had to be escorted to school by state troopers after numerous threats. John F. Kennedy used diction as well as logos and ethos to make listeners believe that his argument is right and they should take his side.
On June 28, 1964, the Black Nationalist leader Malcolm X delivered a very powerful speech. A speech called “By Any Means Necessary”. During the time of speech, the major issue of the United States was gaining the true rights of an African American. Although Slavery had been abolished, blacks were still treated as less than human. Over the years, they worked hard to get their rights and are continuing to do so.
In America at the time The Ballot or the Bullet was given, segregation was still occurring. Malcolm X was a fighter for civil rights. In 1964 there was going to be a presidential election. Malcolm X was a civil rights leader and part of The Nation of Islam. He gave this speech on April third in order to talk about both the election and how African-American people should proceed in order to benefit from the election.
Introduction: Malcom X urges the Negro community to fight to gain the equal rights they deserve by taking action against their white oppressors. He emphasizes that blacks will gain their rights either thorough voting, with the ballot, or else through the inevitable violence with the bullet. Thesis [part a] Like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., also fighting for the civil rights of black Americans in the 1960s, but in a more peaceful manner, Malcom X takes a different approach.
Civil Rights Leader, Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., in his speech, “Give Us the Ballot”, emphasizes the importance of African American suffrage and urges many groups of people to do what they can to help this cause. King’s purpose is to inspire the black community to fight for their right to vote through nonviolent protest. He adopts a tone of urgency in order to encourage action from the African American audience, as well as from politicians, white northern liberals, and moderate southerners. Martin Luther King Jr. begins his speech by vilifying the institutions which disobey the Supreme Court’s decision to allow black people to vote and by expounding how the newly enfranchised African American community will vote to make changes in the
The ballot or the bullet is the most influential speech given by the most influential speaker of the 20th century. Delivered in Cleveland on April 3rd, 1964 by Malcolm X, it marked a changing point in his life. 26 days earlier, on March 8th, he had publicly confirmed his disbanding from the Nation of Islam. Recognizing the power that the movement held, and the audience he was speaking to, X decided that rather than turn a blind eye to Elijah Muhammad’s followers, he directs the speech towards them. His introduction to the speech reads, “Mr. Moderator, Brother Lomax, brothers and sisters, friends and enemies…”.
Imagine living in a world of segregation - constantly judged by color of one’s skin and not being permitted to associate with the “superior” race. From slavery to discrimination, African-Americans experienced this horror in daily life since the beginning of their existence. Due to the fear of severe punishment, blacks were scared to fight for equality; however, on April 3, 1964 in Cleveland, Ohio, one brave soul finally did. His name was Malcolm Little (known as Malcolm X), a widely acknowledged human rights activist. Although he supported black equality, he attacked the problem unlike others such as Martin Luther King Jr. did.
Malcolm X and his ideals are arguably a representation of the transition from the early 1950 's non-violent movement for integration to a more aggressive black power movement. Evidence of this is shown through powerful strands of his novel “The Ballot or the Bullet” including when he writes, “I don 't mean go out and get violent, but at the same time you should never be non-violent unless you run into some non-violence.” (Malcolm 439). In writing that members of the civil rights movement should never be non-violent he does so facetiously. This excerpt indicates a call for violence as a more powerful method for achieving the equality he feels they deserve.
The speech opened the eyes of many blacks, inspiring a change to begin to occur. Through analogies, metaphors, and a vitriolic and urgent tone, Malcolm X concisely and clearly informs the audience of their mistreatment and encourages them to get their just deserts. X’s intelligence, passion, and oratorical skills helped make “The Ballot or the Bullet” one of the greatest rhetorical acts in black history. This phrase, “The Ballot or the Bullet”, truly defines Malcolm X’s stance on the current treatment of blacks and how he believes a violent response is necessary when all other means of communication are ignored or