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Social Activist Speeches

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Social Activists Influential Techniques

Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream," and Malcom X's "The Black Revolution," were both influential speeches during the civil rights movement. There are aspects and characteristics of the two speeches that distinguish them from others, make them especially moving. The writers use powerful diction, tone, literary devices, and appeal to emotional, ethical, and logical beliefs.

The diction, phrases, and words used in King's "I Have a Dream" speech, appeal to the emotional aspect of the audience. He focuses on drawing the attention of the audience, and distinguishing the realities of segregation, discrimination, and racism. King states, "a great American in whose symbolic shadow we stand today signed …show more content…

The speech persuades people to live under the values of Muslim; furthermore, that the black population should strike back against the whites. He begins by setting the situation, asking how the "poor black sheep," can integrate "into a society of bloodthirsty white wolves" (Malcom X, 1) By using words like "bloodthirsty" and a condescending tone, Malcom X displays how pitiful the segregation is. He uses a metaphor, envisioning the "blood-thirsty wolf," to the "American White Man' (Malcom X, 3) Something as simple and harsh as wolves eating sheep should not be a model for our racial standards in a united country. Malcom X alludes to "God," "the bible," and "the honorable Elijah Muhammad" repeatedly, which validates his opinion with the people's beliefs. He uses ethos techniques and increases the trust of his audience. Malcom X states that the civil rights "black revolution," is developing because "the honorable Elijah Muhammad, a godsend shepherd," has "opened the eyes of our people (Malcom X, 4) By praising Muhammad, people are more likely to follow along with his religious opinions, similar to how King praises the Bible. He states that Muhammad teaches them "the only intelligent and lasting solution," to the problem they face (Malcom X, 4) This line shows that Malcom X intends to appeal to the logical aspect of his audience and the civil …show more content…

Martin Luther King Jr talks in short, strong sentences, individually having deep meanings. This confidence in the speech shows how King persuades his audience using ethos techniques. This language makes him sound like an authority figure, increasing his credibility. He also uses pathos techniques, and describes saddening and passionate stories about discrimination. Malcom X talks in long, complex sentences, and goes into depth about ethical and religious viewpoints. Malcom X also uses ethos techniques, confidently speaking. Malcom X also uses the realities of the work and natural comparisons, using logos techniques and logical

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Martin Luther King Jr. inexplicably opened the eyes of Americans across the nation with his role in the movement and his use of resonating imagery, excellent emotional appeal, powerful voice, and evocation of logic in his “I Have a Dream” speech. With such an enthralling rhetoric he gained a vast amount of support and exponentially increased the pride in standing up for what’s righteous and just. Exemplifying the throes of being a colored person, King evoked sympathy whilst simultaneously applying the valid logic that no human should be subjected to lesser standards. His rhetoric wholly changed American history that day and thus conveyed his ability to maintain equanimity throughout all of the

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Martin Luther King used persuasive speech to get his points across. Throughout his letter, he presented an issue, restating opposers’ points of view and the value it holds, ending with a suggestion which appeals to all sides of the issue. He also countered these criticisms with honesty and equity,

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By calling the people in power, the whites, “devils” and encouraging African-Americans to defend themselves against them “by any means necessary,” it is clear that Malcolm X opposed the establishment. One ancient prophet, Amos, also challenged power and strength when he said, “They hate those who reprove at the gate and abhor those who speak with integrity; therefore because you tax the destitute and exact from the levies of grain, though you have built houses of hewn stone, you shall not live in them; though you have planted choice vineyards, you shall not drink their wine. Yes, I know how many are your crimes, how grievous your sins: oppressing the just, accepting bribes, turning away the needy at the gate,” (New American Bible, Revised Edition, Amos 5: 10-12). In this quote, Amos speaks out against the rich who live in live in comfortable stone houses while they tax the poor. Another reason showing Malcolm X as a modern prophet is because he told the immediate troubles.

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Malcolm X was an effective leader because he had exceptional communication skills. These skills are viewed in his speech “By Any Means Necessary” and have been analyzed. The main goal of this speech was for blacks to figure out or to begin to figure out, what they can do to change the injustice, in order for blacks to gain things that

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By using the rhetorical features, MLK’s speech reached a different level of effectiveness for his audience. Using credibility, authority, trustworthiness and similarity to build a relationship by using evidence, MLK achieved ethos. Then by stating his values and creating imagery achieved but hos vocabulary he effective used pathos. Finally, by his clarity, goals, evidence and consistency, MLK appropriately reached his audience logical and effectively using logos. Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered for his great speeches, accomplishments and his leadership skills, but also for the sincerity of his heart for the freedom and unity of all people.

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(West 140) West argues “[Malcolm X’s] claim is both subtle and problematic. It is subtle in that every black freedom movement is predicated on an affirmation of African humanity and a quest for black control over

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On August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr gave us one of one of the most rhetorically moving speeches ever given. Titled as the “I Have a Dream Speech,” he read this speech to the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom”. As a civil right mover he gave this great speech to all Americans (black and white) so that he could give off the idea of equality on the same level. Because of his crowd of mix races King made sure to make his speech imploring to all no matter what the race that they may be. He uses metaphorical imagery, powerful diction,and symbolism to create an impact on the audience.

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During the era of the civil rights movements in the 60s, among the segregation, racism, and injustice against the blacks, Martin Luther King Jr. stood at the Lincoln Memorial to deliver one of the greatest public speeches for freedom in that decade. In Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech he effectively uses ethos, diction and powerful metaphors to express the brutality endured by African American people. Yet his most important method of reaching his audience, and conveying his enduring message of equality and freedom for the whole nation was his appeal to pathos. With these devices, King was able to move thousands of hearts and inspire the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Opening his speech Martin Luther King Jr. sets up his credibility with his use of ethos, referring to the Declaration of Independence saying, “This note was a promise that all men… would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life.”

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Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech had a great deal of logos and pathos appeals to persuade his audience to speak out against segregation and to give all men the rights they deserve. He gave many reasons in his speech to make the audience excited and want to take action, like when he says: “This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the “unalienable Rights” of “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”... America has defaulted on this promissory note, ... given the Negro people a bad check… which has come back marked “insufficient funds.” (King para. 4)

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Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential figures of the American civil rights movement. Famous for his prowess with words, King was known for writing powerful texts throughout his life. Two of his most famous compositions were his “I Have A Dream” speech and his “Letter From Birmingham Jail”. Although King uses many styles of writing effectively, his writings with pathos are the most prominent. Since “I Have A Dream” uses more pathos than “Letter From Birmingham Jail”, “I Have A Dream” was more effective at inspiring change.

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719 Words | 3 Pages

Martin Luther King’s speech, “I Have a Dream” is vastly recognized as one of the best speeches ever given. His passionate demand for racial justice and an integrated society became popular throughout the Black community. His words proved to give the nation a new vocabulary to express what was happening to them. Martin was famously a pacifist, so in his speech, he advocated peaceful protesting and passively fighting against racial segregation.

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914 Words | 4 Pages

Martin Luther King, Jr. was an extremely impactful activist during the Civil Rights Movement that gave over 2,500 speeches in his lifetime. Of these speeches, his most popular is his famous I Have a Dream speech that he gave on August 28, 1963 in Washington, D.C. during the March on Washington. Even famous speakers like Martin Luther King, Jr. use persuasive techniques to appeal to the different sides of their audiences. In order to appeal to his predominately African American audience, Martin Luther King, Jr. makes reference to Abraham Lincoln and his granting freedom to slaves by signing the Emancipation Proclamation.

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Martin Luther King Jr. was an important figure in gaining civil rights throughout the 1960’s and he’s very deserving of that title as seen in both his “I Have a Dream” speech and his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” letter. In both of these writings Dr. King uses logos - logical persuasion - and pathos - emotional appeal - to change the opinions of people who were for segregation and against civil rights. Although King was arrested for a nonviolent protest, he still found a way to justify his actions with the use of logos and pathos. MLK uses both ways to gain the attention and agreement of the audience but, he uses pathos not just more, but in a more relatable way in order to appeal to his audience.

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395 Words | 2 Pages

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).

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770 Words | 4 Pages

He relates with his audience through his words, showing them how he understands what they are going through, as well as showing them that it is hard to accomplish their goals. All because of the way they are looked upon by “Americans”. Throughout the speech, Malcolm X’s goals is to convince people that the black nation should be considered Americans, and that color should not define them as something other than that through the use of ethos, logos, and pathos. He attempts to show them that they are all the same, aside from their skin color.

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