On April 12, 1964, a Muslim minister and human rights activist, Malcolm X, delivered his speech "The Ballot or the Bullet." His speech highlights the importance of African Americans fighting for their electoral rights. Malcolm X emphasizes that "whenever we are ready to cast our ballot, that ballot will be cast for a man of the community, who has the good of the community at heart" (TheNewPress, par 10, 2012) or by "the bullet." He explains the need to improve electoral rights in any way possible, even if that is through violence. Despite Malcolm X using the literal element of juxtaposition to draw the audience's attention, his overuse of repetition of evidence became overwhelming and repetitive. Malcolm X is a credible and well-known activist
Patrick Henry and Malcolm Little (more commonly known as Malcolm X) were powerful spokesmen of their times. Years after Henry persuaded the United States president in time of the American Revolution to fight for the rights of Americans in his “Give me Liberty or Give Me Death” speech, Little encouraged the black community of his time to stand for their own deprived civil rights as a race in his own speech, “The Ballot or the Bullet.” While these two men stood at the head of separate movements in different points of history, both believed in a similar goal to be accomplished through the same means: to win their battle for the rights of Americans and African Americans through fighting hard, not necessarily through violence, but through whatever
More specifically this helps the focus of the project by offering insight into Malcolm?s militant approach which can then be contrasted to Martin Luther King?s approach. It also provides insight into how the Nation of Islam had an influence on Malcolm?s ideology. #3 (Gonzalez) Malcolm X addresses a rally in Harlem in New York City on June 29, 1963. www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2015/02/21/387979086/malcolm-xs-public-speaking-power
Known for his passionate, fiery speeches, Malcolm X delivered what some think to be his best speech, “The Ballot or the Bullet”, on April 12, 1964. Malcom wanted to invoke change in the hearts of his listeners, and push them to make change by any means necessary. X felt the way to make change is through unity of black citizens, using their voting right to demand change, and if that did not work, violence was an option to push back. Using many rhetorical strategies, “The Ballot or the Bullet”, became one of the most powerful speeches in the world, to this day. Historical Context
What were Malcolm X’s beliefs? What did he hope to see change, and how for that matter did he believe he could make those changes happen? While analyzing Malcolm X and Black Rage, written by Cornel West, questions such as those are brought to light. Malcolm X’s motives are further explored as author Cornel West goes into depth and critiques Malcolm X’s tactics, such as black rage and psychic conversion, why they were such an important part of his philosophy, and if he believed said tactics were effective.
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
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.
Hello class, After watch the 1964 speech tittle the ballot and the bullet from Malcolm X, I find myself in a neutral position in. While I found the speech to be very moving and motivational I view his methodology to be very abrupt. He stated that “which calls for Black people to control their own economic wealth.
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.
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.
“The Ballot or the Bullet” Speech by Malcolm X King Solomon Baptist Church, Detroit, Michigan April 12, 1964 Malcolm X speech was not a success because he made the Nation of Islam a regular group, which devoted limitless acts of violence and hate, giving the federal more validation to dissociate and categorize African Americans. His black protectionist outlook called separation instead of unity and equality. “We are nonviolent with people who are nonviolent with us. ‘’ This quote informed that it is considered as a criminal teaches a man not to defend himself when he is the constant victim of brutal attacks. “A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything.”
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.
According to X, “The ballot or the bullet”... “Now in speaking like this, it doesn't mean that we're anti-white, but it does mean we're anti-exploitation,we're anti-degradation, we're anti-oppression. And if the white man doesn't want us to be anti-him, let him stop oppressing and exploiting and degrading us”(Malcolm #2). The essence of Malcolm’s argument is that he is not anti white, he is anti whites oppressing and disenfranchising African Americans and if the white person wants to not be hated, then he should stop hating himself. In a letter written in Mecca, Malcolm X says,“on this pilgrimage, what I have seen,and experienced, has forced me to re-arrange much of my thought-patterns previously held, and to toss aside some of my previous conclusions” (Malcolm X).
Malcolm was not a man who believed that the problem of the African Americans would be solved through a peaceful, quiet means and nuances, he believed the problem has graduated through the centuries and has come to a stage when the assertion of African Americans’ existence as humans has to be forcefully done or never. Malcolm’s methods were mainly campaigns and speeches aimed at restoring the dignity of the black man, his confidence in himself and a complete freedom as Americans
Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. were both two African American civil rights activists who were very prominent throughout history. They fought for what they believed in but in vastly different ways. Martin Luther King Jr. was born to a middle class family and was well educated. Malcolm X, on the other hand, grew up in a rather hostile environment with barely enough schooling. Both their speeches, “I Have a Dream” and “The Ballot or the Bullet” may have shared some common traits, but at the same time, differed greatly in various aspects.
African american rights were the main concern of many people, along with government corruption and the unwillingness to help. Malcolm X was no banal man he was a extravagant civil rights speaker, he showed the truth on how coming together can put the end to African American indifference. Due to the lack of government the dichotomy between african americans and the white men was still a major problem ; as African americans needed to put and end to the separation and earn civil rights. Malcolm speaks out to all who are willing to obtain their civil rights. ”In Ballot or Bullet” Malcolm X uses Anaphora, Antithesis, Ethical Appeal, Word choice, and Rhetorical question to show the lack of support from government and how coming together can help fight back.