Rhetorical Devices Used In The Civil Rights Movement

The Civil Rights Movement began around 1942-1968. The main goal and focus of The Civil Rights movement was the elimination of segregation and for all African Americans to have equal rights and the same opportunities (Gates Jr.). Important leaders that were involved in this movement included individuals such as Dr.King, Malcolm X, and Rosa Parks who all made a huge impact in the movement (Janken). During The Civil Rights Movement many African Americans were mistreated in various ways. For example many civic leaders and general citizens were beaten by police officers for simply trying to vote. A major achievement in The Civil Rights Movement was the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (Gates Jr.) . There were multiple

He has a determined and confident tone. Johnson said “But even if we pass the bill, the battle will not be over. What happened in Selma is part of a far larger movement which reaches into every section and state of America. It is the effort of American Negroes to secure for themselves the full blessing of American life. Their cause must be our cause too because it is not just Negroes, but really it’s all of us who must overcome the crippling legacy of bigotry and injustice. We shall overcome” (Johnson). Here the president seemed very confident and determined to find a solution to this problem and to continue to keep working even after the bill is passed. The purpose was to tell us that we shouldn’t just pass the bill and move on we should still continue to fight for equality for African Americans still. This helped affect the readers and audiences by letting them know that the president really does care and want to help. Another example of tone that Johnson uses is when Johnson says “This bill will strike down restrictions to voting in all elections – federal, state, and local - which have been used to deny Negroes the right to vote. This bill will establish a simple, uniform standard which cannot be used, however ingenious the effort, to flout our constitution” (Johnson). He was so sure that this bill would pass and demanded what the language of the bill will contain. He seemed very determined that the bill would allow Negroes the right to vote. In hindsight’s confidence and determination did allow the bill to be passed and it helped affect the audience by believing he was serious. The purpose of demanding what the bill will do is to inform readers the assurance that something will be done. If he had just said something along the lines “I am trying or the bill might…” then we wouldn’t take him as serious and probably think the bill would never