African American Rhetoric Analysis

The challenging component this semester was the transition from high school English reading and writing level to college level. It is mainly because High school writing did not have many expectations from students, its main focus was on the ideal five-paragraph essays. As compared to college, writing is mainly geared and focused on one’s ability to thoroughly answer the assigned prompt. Initially, I was not sure if I was capable of handling a fast-paced course, however, I quickly adjusted to the change and I am glad that I chose to stay. In English 10, I have learned many valuable elements that I can incorporate into my everyday writing. I have included my writing from project 2 a rhetorical analysis on, “Black Lives Matter”, which effectively demonstrates my growth as a reader, thinker, and writer.

The Civil Rights Address was one of the most influential speeches President John F. Kennedy has ever presented to the American people, and was one of many of his many accomplishments during his presidency. America was experiencing racial discrimination and racial inequality, and Americans needed a leader who would unite them. John F. Kennedy was a sincere, honest, inspirational individual whose duty was to influence equality to Americans. President John F. Kennedy’s address inspires and pulls on the passion of Americans; he wants all Americans to promote and protect and protect the rights that all men are free, he addresses this a sectional issue and that and our task; our obligation, is to make that revolution, and that everyone in

Over the years, African American Music has developed as not only as cultural but also artistic phenomenon affecting the world. The music takes its own stand of being dominant as well of having a prevailing means of expression through the use of the lyrics. The lyrics of many songs tend to use a specific type of language in order to create that connection between the listeners. This certain style of language helps the listeners to think on a deeper level about the real meaning behind the lyrics.

To what extent does Michelle alexander depict the corruption of the current justice system through rhetorical techniques? The new American justice system was believed to be a refined version of the previous Jim crow that promised equality and liberty to all races; the term “Jim crow” referring to the practice of segregating people in the Us. The New Jim Crow was published during the year 2010, it is a book written by Michelle alexander, a credible well known American rights litigator and legal scholar. Michelle Alexander is best known for the book (The New Jim Crow). She is a professor of law at Ohio state university Mortez college of law and a civil rights advocate. Through her book, she confesses and examines race-related issues that specifically

Many people have heard the famous “I have a Dream” speech by Martin Luther King Jr., but do you know about Malcolm X? “Freedom comes to us either by ballot, or by bullet.”(X 12), a line from “What does Mississippi have to do with Harlem” by Malcolm X. In his speech he talks about the many problems going on during the early 1950’s to the late 1960’s. Malcolm X’s speech used language the best to inspire and motivate people to take a stand against segregation, throughout his speech he uses many different types of figurative languages to get his message across to people.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech is one of the most successful and most legendary speeches in United States history. Martin Luther King Jr. was a masterful speaker, who established a strong command of rhetorical strategies. By his eloquent use of ethos, logos, and pathos, as well as his command of presentation skills and rhetorical devices, King was able to persuade his generation that "the Negro is not free" (King 1). His speech became the rallying cry for civil rights and lives on as an everlasting masterpiece.

Whenever injustice exists in society, it becomes the responsibility of others to step forward in defense of the oppressed. If this action does not occur, then the injustice will remain and innocent people will suffer. In order to preserve equality, sometimes people must take a risk in order to reveal the truth and uphold justice. Individuals throughout history, such as the founding fathers, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, Jr., have faced this peril in the pursuit of freedom. In 1845, Frederick Douglass published Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, in order to do just that- to establish the truth behind slavery and advocate for freedom. In his narrative, Douglass uses diction, structure, imagery, and other

Many believe that civil rights movements have completely eradicated racial injustices and inequality in the United States. Michelle alexander disprove this myth in her book “The New Jim Crow.” Alexander claims racial caste did not die with slavery. She implies that the racial caste system in America has been reformed multiple times to meet “the needs and demands of current political climates” (alexander 52). She believes that mass incarceration which she refers to as “The New Jim Crow” is the current caste system in the United States. By elaborating on the history of racial caste in America and by including quotes from politicians such as Nixon and Lyndon Johnson, Alexander effectively persuades her reader that the United States has not achieved

Even in modern society, the simplest of things can shift the delicate atmosphere. A black man entering a room, or any space, full of white people, can automatically transform the ambiance. This ‘ability’ may not be a desired effect, but in certain situations, it becomes inevitable. Through the use of different rhetorical devices, Brent Staples is able to demonstrate his realization of his “ability to alter public space in ugly ways” simply because of his race and stature in his essay, “Black Men and Public Space.” Staples uses the rhetorical techniques ethos, logos, and pathos in order to get on the “same side” as the reader while still presenting the essence of his argument. The author is able to sympathize with his “victims” and justify their feelings, appealing to ethos. He also analogies and details about his background, such as his doctorate in psychology, and the fact that he was a reporter to appeal to logos. Additionally, by using vivid imagery and creative diction, he engages the reader by use of pathos, evoking the emotions of the reader. With the use of rhetorical devices, Staples is able to effectively describe his experiences of being perceived as a criminal, solely based on his “unwieldy inheritance” (205), while, additionally, extending this concept to be true throughout society.

Former President George W. Bush gave a speech entitled "Ending Racial Inequality" in 2000. This speech is civil and effective because of his smooth transitions from one concept to another. This helps his speech to flow logically, and it's easy for his audience to follow. George Bush also has ethos because he is the Presient of the United States. His ethos gives the audience reason to listen to his solutions to racial inequality. Saying things such as "I believe in these standards" and listing statistics; "90 percent of the cost of basic health care...," brings logic to his speech, making it more effective. He alluded to Abraham Lincoln, who is, of course, a strong figure in racial equality and stirs up the desired emotions as well as his references

Fredrick Douglas wrote and presented his What the Black Man Wants speech during the post civil war time period to demonstrate his straightforward views on the fact that even though the black race had just acquired freedom, they remained without equality and civil rights which gave their current freedom no meaning. Throughout his entire speech, Douglas rules over his audience with his parallel and emotional diction choice along with his assertive tone shifting towards anger and the answering of his own questions multiple times to emphasize his seriousness.

Men and women alike are often afraid to venture out into the streets at the dark hours of the day. It could be argued that this is a byproduct of the ever-increasing US crime rate, yet it may also be due to the natural fear that accompanies walking alone in public spaces, familiar or not. Although any shifty figures lurking on the sidewalk can be the source of this fear, it is no doubt that the gross misrepresentation of black people as perpetrators of violent crimes has given them “the ability to alter public space in ugly ways,” as so proficiently stated in “Black Men and Public Space” by Brent Staples (205). Through this short essay, Staples uses a variety of rhetorical devices, namely anecdotes, in order to present the fact that these preconceived racial notions can make certain individuals increasingly susceptible to societal scrutiny. This forces many individuals to make concentrated efforts to present themselves as less threatening because “where fear and weapons meet -- [as] they often do in urban America -- there is always the possibility of death” (206).

After a solid first read through Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow you are presented with an incredibly troubling issue that is plaguing America. Mass incarceration of minorities has become, as Alexander puts it “…metaphorically, the new Jim Crow”(11). The way in which Alexander presents her argument immediately in the first few pages of the book, may almost appear to be a sensationalist headline from a radical civil rights movement. However this is an intelligent move that acts as a hook for the reader, who is now interested and allows Alexander to develop her argument. By using the rhetorical strategies of a strong attention getter, followed by a concrete explanation on the development of mass incarceration, she creates the perfect lure

Locke's primary goal in the essay "The New Negro" is to migrate from monolithic notions of an "Old Negro", as well as from the exhausted frameworks of bourgeois intellectual black leadership toward an idea that gives creative agency and credibility to the "rank and file" of Negro life (Locke, New Negro: 6).

PHD from the University of Chicago, Brent Staples in his article, “Black Men in Public Spaces”(1986), argues that people can be very quick to judge stereotype others based off of what they see. Staples supports his claim by first using anecdotes which frequently narrates his personal experiences, reinforcing the message and making the audience sympathetic to his point of view. Then he gives us some background to the character. These personal insights support the argument made by his previous anecdotes, appealing his peaceful nature with the violent society imagines him to be, and finally he ends with an analogy. He is equivalent of the cowbell that hikers wear in bear country. He means by this that hikers wear cowbells to scare off bears and let them know they are there. So he would act more calm and cautious to let people know he’s there. Staples purpose is to retell his experiences of racism and in order to educate white people on what it's like to be a black man. He creates a sympathetic tone for white people, both genders, and black people.