The Ballot or the Bullet is a speech delivered by Malcolm X in 1964. The main aim of the speech is to urge African Americans to vote, and if they do not attain equality through voting, they can use violence to fight for their rights. The speech is among the top persuasive speeches of the 20th century. It was very influential speech that empowered the black people to fight against the domination of the white man. Malcolm X used the speech to advocate for racial, social and economic justice for all individuals.
Malcolm X gainsays the phrase “the ballot or the bullet” by saying “1964 looks like it might be the year of the ballot or the bullet” (X n. pag.). His juxtaposition of two stances on racial equality illuminates the urgent need for change, whether it be through the path of the ballot or the bullet. The culmination of this maxim resulted in the exact outcome he wished for. Change ensued because of its direct correlation to both votes cast and riots that erupted. X proceeded to quote Patrick Henry when saying “Liberty or death was what brought about the freedom of whites in this country from the English.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and Malcolm X’s “The Ballot or the Bullet” were written to address civil rights. These men use bold, confident tones to prove their points, yet express them differently. In “Letter from Birmingham Jail” Martin Luther King advocates for peace and nonviolent action. He states, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”.
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.
On April 3, 1964, Malcom X came to free the blacks from not slavery, but segregation with his speech: The ballot or the bullet. During his speech, he used Realism to expose the lie, ethos to fix the lie and his own perspective to support his speech altogether. In the first part of Malcom’s speech, he had a very weak hook making the audience very bored. He started off stating religion and how the audience needs to be together.
At the height of the Civil Rights Movement, African Americans were facing police brutality in the North and lynching in the South due to systemic racism. Consequently, in 1964, Malcolm X delivered his “Ballot or Bullet” speech at King Solomon Baptist Church to suggest black separatism as a means to protect African Americans, and further reported that “They’ll lynch in Texas as quick as they’ll lynch you in Mississippi”(Malcolm X 30). Malcolm X’s use of repetition with “They’ll lynch”, emphasizes the lynching that happened repeatedly throughout America from the Civil War through the Civil Rights Movement, which was a horrific form of racial violence and terrorism primarily directed at African Americans. Additionally, Malcolm X mentioned multiple regions of the United States, which portrays that lynching was not a one-time event, but instead, it happened throughout the
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
