Rhetorical Analysis Of Malcom X's The Ballot Or The Bullet

In 1960, John F. Kennedy was elected president of the United States. During his campaign he had promised to lead the country down the right path with the civil rights movement. This campaign promise had brought hope to many African-Americans throughout the nation. Ever since Lincoln, African-Americans have tended to side with the democrats and this election was no different. The Kennedy administration had noticed that the key to the presidency was partially the civil rights issue. While many citizens were on Kennedy’s side, he had his share of opposition. Malcolm X differed on the view of the President and observed that the civil rights movement wasn’t happening at the speed Kennedy had pledged. Malcolm X possessed other reasons for his

In 1964, Malcolm X gave a speech entitled “The Ballot or the Bullet” which described how African Americans should fight for civil-rights in America. Malcolm X emphasizes the importance of voting as a solution to ending discrimination against African Americans. He addresses both the poor voting decisions and also the denial of legitimate voting rights to African Americans. Because elections had been so narrowly decided in recent elections, the Black vote is the deciding factor in elections. Whites also have prevented African Americans in the electoral process. Malcolm X says that either "the ballot or the bullet" will come next in the civil rights struggle. This meant that government must allow African Americans to legitimately vote or

Is history repeating itself or has nothing really changed to begin with? In Malcolm X’s speech “The Ballot or the Bullet,” he makes a number of arguments discussing the racial inequalities in America. X’s speech is primarily centered around pushing African Americans to take advantage of their right to vote. He stresses the importance of black nationalism and building unity within African American communities. He also stated in his speech that in order to see change, African Americas must take a more aggressive approach to end oppression. Civil rights leaders like Malcom X have fought long and hard to end racial injustice in America, “The Ballot or the Bullet” was an essential part of the civil rights movement and opened many people’s eyes to

The two most influential civil rights activists in American history were Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. They supported equal rights for every race, but when comparing MLK’s “I Have a Dream’ and Malcolm X’s “The Ballot or the Bullet,” one sees the similarities in their rhetorical styles and differences in their tone and message. As seen in “I Have a Dream,” MLK has a more civilized and peaceful solution to the nation’s problems; whereas in X’s he has a will to do whatever it may take to solve the problems.

In the speech, ‘The ballot or the bullet’, by Malcolm x, he claims that blacks need to exercise their rights, especially to vote, but if the government tries to prevent them from voting: violence might be necessary. Malcolm x uses emotional appeals, logical appeals, and ethical appeals to make his claim.

April 3, 1964, Malcolm X gives his well renowned speech; The Ballot or the Bullet in Cleveland Ohio. His purpose behind the speech is to encourage African-Americans of the United States to stand up to the unfair treatment that he believes they receive. Throughout the speech, Malcolm X creates an ambition in the audience, encouraging change through the numerous uses of ethos, logos, and pathos. Malcolm X uses his personal experiences to show the audience that he has experienced the same negativity that they do everyday. X suggests everyone should be treated equally; religion, gender and race aside. His audience was made up of a majority of African-Americans, he uses the common ground of wanting to achieve equal treatment to show his audience he is on the same side as them. Through the organization of the speech, it is rhetorically effective. He practices the phrase “The Ballot or the Bullet” which uses repetition, forcing listeners to remember the phrase which later becomes more effective. X begins using ethos by introducing himself, immediately gaining the attention of the audience as well as respect of the audience. X then makes the current problem in the African-American community extremely clear to the audience, this is his use of pathos, where he engages them in his thought process and bringing them in using emotion. The speech uses rhetoric to emotionally and logically

Malcom X gives his speech during a time in American history when equality and civil rights between blacks and whites had not yet been established. Like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcom X also fought for the civil rights of Black Americans in the 1960s, but using different tactics. Malcom X was angry that Congress had opposed bills that were intended to support the equality and civil liberties of African Americans. In the North, where Blacks were allowed to vote, White politicians came to Black communities with promises they did not intend to keep in exchange for black votes. Malcom X urged the African American community to fight in order to gain the equal rights they deserved, by either through immediate grant of the vote (the ballot) and if denied the vote, blacks should engage in violent opposition to the white rule (the bullet). Malcom X’s stature as a civil rights leader and prominent figure in the Nation of Islam helped strengthen these appeals. Throughout his speech, Malcom X shifts between various tones to make his speech more impactful towards his audience. He mainly spoke in an assertive tone, which proved the seriousness of his arguments. During his rhetoric appeals, it is evident that X moved into subtle changes of mood and tone to captivate the emotions of his audience.

the speech “With Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer,” Malcolm affirms that because the black man is denied the right to vote in the south of the forty-six committees that had control the foreign and domestic direction of the country in 1964 twenty-three were in the hands of Southern racists. Another account concerning voting in the south, Malcolm

“The Ballot or The Bullet” and “Letters from Birmingham Jail” are both refutes of social, economic, and civil injustice in America. The two letters are written by revolutionary activists of civil rights, Martin Luther King, and Malcom X, both written with in a year of one another. Malcom X, author of “The Ballot or The Bullet’ is known for being a support of the black nationalist, and dances on the line of encouraging violence in search for equality. Whereas, Martin Luther, author of Letters from Birmingham Jail” seeks justice through non-violent direct action. Although the tone and style of both letters are contrary to one another, the message is non-the less the same, a pathway to equality through social motivation sparked by a leader.

The context in which a statement is made can change the entire meaning of what was said.  This is why many times people will use context as a defense for statements they make that offend or cause some sort of public backlash.   The manner in which a person delivers a message and what messages the rhetor chooses to deliver can be a great indication of foundation of that persons value and belief system. There are a number of value systems present in Malcolm X’s “The Ballot or the Bullet” speech that he delivered in the storied election year of 1964. There are many statements made in the ballot or the bullet

In New York City on March 22 1964, Malcolm X delivered his speech, “The Ballot or the Bullet.” Malcolm X, a minister of the Nation of Islam and revolutionary advocator of nationalism in the black community, imparted this speech with the intent to reach the black population in a time of change. The adept use of ethos, pathos, and logos to build and maintain a compelling argument, brings about a call to action and firmly conveys his ideas within the black population. Within ethos, pathos, and logos, the implication of elevated language, loaded words, and logical statements, attains a sense of credibility, assurance, and cogency.

Rhetorical Analysis of Artifact: The Ballot or the Bullet Speech Given by Malcolm X I. Introduction: Though almost half a century has passed, the Civil Rights Movement remains one freshly imprinted in not only the history books of US schools but also in the minds of countless Americans. Albeit, American society has come quite a ways in the acceptance of the individual - regardless of sex, age, creed or ethnicity - prejudices of different sorts are still to be found throughout every one of the united states of America. The Civil Rights Movement fought to overcome the racial inequalities inherent and ingrained in the minds of America's citizens and the government which they oversaw; it was

In his speech The Ballot or the Bullet, Malcolm X addresses the current issues in the black community in 1964 and introduces a plan that would enable Black Americans to receive long overdue freedoms and rights. He begins his speech with the theory that all Black Americans are facing the same enemy. Regardless of age, religion, education, or anything else, the white man is the enemy to them all. To be successful in this battle against the white man, all Negroes must come together as a united front. Any differences or discrepancies must be put aside and dealt with behind closed doors. Black Americans all faced the same issues in 1964 that many other races did not have to deal with. Malcolm expresses the wrong in the freedoms not afforded to Black Americans but given to foreigners who come to this country as long as they are white. He explains that this is the reason he does not claim to be a Democrat, a Republican, or even an American. He says, “Sitting at a table doesn’t make you a diner, unless you eat some of what’s on that plate. Being here in America doesn't make you an American…if birth made you American, wouldn’t need any legislation; you wouldn’t need any amendments to the Constitution.”

Although The Years have passed and History is what our Nation was built on. The Unit States of America has always and consistently has had a problem with civil rights. From The Creation of this nation when mostly all white landowners owned slaves, to today where slavery is outlawed, civil rights still reside as an issue today. Some might disagree that racism still exist in today’s society but the evidence is prominent. There is still a great group of extraordinary activist and leaders today, who still fight a great fight for civil rights. But who started the era of activism, and the movement for civil rights were two Historians one was Martin Luther King Jr, and the other was Malcom Both Men advocated for the same thing but their deliveries were different while Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, advocated for more of a peaceful revolution, Malcom X advocated in the use of violence and demanding style when delivering “The Ballot or the Bullet” speech. Malcom X would give the “Ballot or the Bullet” speech in 1964 in Cleveland Ohio, in front of more than two thousand people. This speech was also significant because it was delivered after Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” Speech. The “Ballot or The Bullet” Speech was about nationalism during that year, X was encouraging African Americans to vote for who was going to benefit blacks. White

In 1964, inalienable rights are not automatically given to African American citizens, though it is stated in our constitution. Malcolm X is a black nationalist, Muslim, and a proponent of violence when it is necessary. Malcolm caused several bedlams in the black nationalist community. In 1964, Malcolm gives an adroit speech in Cleveland, Ohio, calling it “The Ballot or the Bullet”, concerning this major quagmire and what needs to be done to censure and rectify this problem. At this point in history, African Americans have tried numerous times in non-violent protest-- nothing is resolving the issues. Through the use of emotional appeals, ethical appeals, and allusion, Malcolm persuades the audience that African Americans that it is time to