Rhetorical Analysis of “Hurricane”

In the 1960’s, black and white individuals were not recognized as being equal. The two races were treated differently, and the African Americans did not enjoy the same freedoms as the whites. The African Americans never had a chance to speak their mind, voice their opinions, or enjoy the same luxuries that the white people attained. Through various actions/efforts like the lunch counter sit-ins, freedom rides, and bus boycotts, the black people confronted segregation face on and worked to achieve equality and freedom.

Bob Dylan's song, "The Hurricane" is a story communicated through song. It is a tribute

The civil rights movement was one of the main elements that were responsible for agitation and protest that greatly expanded in the 1960s. This social movement “originated among black Americans in the South who faced racial discrimination and segregation, or the separation of whites and blacks, in almost every aspect of their lives” (“Protests in the 1960s,” 3). There was constant racial

“The Voices of Hurricane Katrina” is an article published by Abe Louise Young (MFA in poetry), in the summer of 2010. Young is a New Orleans native and considers herself to be a social justice activist and poet. She became familiar with many of Hurricane Katrina’s victims during one of her early projects only a week after the storm. Years later, Young found herself outraged after stumbling upon the published work of author Raymond McDaniel. McDaniel stole testimonials from the same victims she had met and altered their true statements. Young informed a woman named Antoinette (one of the famous voices of Katrina) that her words had been published by McDaniel. Antoinette expressed how hurt she was, confirming the words published were her

America stands for equality, freedom, and choice, but upon looking into the history behind America the everlasting struggle of racism, bigotry, and inequality are revealed. Through the 1950s to the 1970s, the fight for civil rights by African Americans was prominent throughout America. Schools, restaurants, and all public facilities were segregated, African Americans were blocked from voting through literacy tests and poll taxes, and The KKK, a white supremacist group, would lynch African American men. The need for the immediate cease of these practices and the desire for equality gave way to the Civil Rights Movement. Leaders and groups arose from this movement, such as Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, and the Black Panther Party. The overall goal was to achieve rights but there were two significantly different methods of achieving this goal, non-violent civil disobedience and “black power”. The shift from non-violent civil disobedience to “black power” was caused by the emotional toll of being complacent during personal attack and the truth that immediate change calls upon the use of force, and the result of the shift was the further spread of violence.

The emergence of the Black Power movements in the early 1960s coincided with the peak of success for the Civil Rights campaign - the legislation of 1964-65. Thereafter, the focus of campaigns had to move the practical issues related to social and economic deprivation, and the ability to exercise the rights that had been gained. By 1968 little had changed, and it is therefore easy to claim that Black Power movements achieved nothing, and in fact had a negative impact on black Americans.

The civil rights movement of the sixties is one of the most controversial times of the last century. Many, if not all, who lived through that time, and the generations following were enormously impacted. At the time passions ran so high that violence at peaceful

Dylan represents how change can be violent by expressing it as a flood. Floods are known to be violent, dangerous and natural. The symbolism of the water is also important. In Literature water is used to represent life, therefore inducing the notion that change is a part of life and inevitable. Metaphorically change is a flood, “waters...have grown...better start swimmin’ Or you’ll sink like a stone” and Dylan conveys that you need to accept change (embrace) and learn to cope with, not resist it, or it will hurt you and pass you by. “He who has stalled...gets hurt”, a stark warning about the consequences of resisting change.

By the 1950’s and 1960’s, a breaking point was reached and blacks were tired of being mistreated. Many Civil Rights groups began to form, like the SNCC, and leaders, like Martin Luther King Jr., began to rise. As document 5 shows, these groups goals were to use peaceful protest and civil disobedience to demonstrate the societal unrest that is occurring and the need for political action. Upset at the racial injustice instigated by “Jim Crow Laws” and racism, these groups, through demonstrations such as the Greensboro Sit-ins, the Montgomery Bus Boycotts and the March on Washington, brought to public attention to the African Americans’ dreams of to finally getting the rights they were promised with emancipation. This could be further demonstrated by the “I Have a Dream” Speech. In this speech, given in March of 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. discusses a future for America that lives by the standard that all men are created equal. This outside resource, along with various other movements, lead to further public outcry. As document 6 shows this grew to a point to where political action needed to be done. To Kennedy and his successor (Lyndon B. Johnson), this was a huge moral issue that couldn’t be ignored or else the nation would tear itself apart. This ultimately lead to the passing of the acts like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act. These acts were a major victory and largely paved the way to future equality for African

During the late 1960s black power began to arise and take a sudden increase. The Black Panthers and the Students for a Democratic Society began to organize ghetto dwellers into a revolutionary army to overthrow capitalism and to put an end to "Jim Crow" and the harsh situations that came with it. (source 5)

Throughout the 1960’s, the widespread movement for African American civil rights had transformed in terms of its goals and strategies. The campaign had intensified in this decade, characterized by greater demands and more aggressive efforts. Although the support of the Civil Rights movement was relatively constant, the goals of the movement became more high-reaching and specific, and its strategies became less compromising. African Americans’ struggle for equality during the 1960’s was a relentless movement that used change for progress. In essence, the transformation of the Civil Rights Movement throughout the 1960’s forwarded the evolution of America into a nation of civil equality and freedom.

The movement, using the slogan “Black Power,” followed the teachings of Malcolm X, an African American leader who died the same year and who promoted that African Americans separate from white society in favor of forming their own community. The Black Panther Party, a militant organization that viewed themselves as soldiers warring against the white hierarchy, arose from such ideals. Despite the challenge that “Black Power” proposed to the nonviolent movement, civil rights activists continued persevered in finding the end of black discrimination legally. They found success in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which both contributed to legally naming minorities as equal citizens, as well as protecting the same from discrimination. Although the strength of the civil rights movement dissipated after the 1960s, activists continue to make efforts to end entirely the racial discrimination within America’s economic and social policies.

In conclusion, The Black Power Movement was an attempt to address plain issues that the leaders did not address and it gave people the ability to vote, Integration, affirmative action and equal rights in the work place. It instilled a sense of racial pride and self- esteem in ‘blacks’ and how to fight for what we wanted and what was right and also not to back down until we get it. In the Black Power Movement t the people of nation united and showed that they cannot be intimidated by just anything. This also helps future leaders of the country to see what was done in the past and what

A hurricane is a tropical storm that has winds of 74 miles per hour or

The movement of the 1960s and 1970s that helped with black racial issues and autonomy was the black power movement. This was especially important to blacks because they finally felt like the public would notice their treatment. The main reason for these uprisings was because of the police mistreatment and abuse, but white people blamed the black power militants. White people were usually on each others side, and black people were usually on each others side, there was no agreement. Even though black power organizations were posted on the front page of newspapers, they still cold not catch the eyes of the white folk. They also could not end the poverty or racism that stretched throughout the country, but this time helped with future protest