Malcolm X The Ballot Or The Bullet

The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told by Alex Haley is the story about a man who greatly impacted American history. Malcolm Little, or Malcolm X as he is more widely known, taught what he believed in regards to segregation, racism, and discrimination. Growing up in a large family with a father Earl Little, a Baptist minister, and his mother Louis Little who was a homemaker, Malcolm’s life at the time seemed very promising. His father’s involvement in support of the Black National gained him many death threats at the hands of white supremacists. In 1929, they lost their house to a fire, and two years later the body of Malcolm’s father was found mutilated. This lead to the emotional breakdown of Malcolm’s mother and in turn she was institutionalized. Malcolm and his siblings were separated and placed in foster homes, and from then, his life began a path of drugs, sex, and crime. It was not until he was imprisoned in 1946, that he decided to make some changes for the better. This essay will assess and discuss those changes whether negative or positive, on a micro, mezzo, and macro level. It will also cover some of the effects of racial prejudice on human behavior, and how society today keeps the ideology of Malcolm X alive.

He developed a hate that tore him apart due to the racism and prejudice him and his family suffered at the hands of white Americans. After all the mess he got himself into, he hit a low point and ended up in jail. That is when he discovered the Nation of Islam. This religion made him pick up all the pieces and start a new life. However, over the years, Muslims began to get a bad name. Just as Islam’s image is misconstrued by the media as well as ignorance in the present time, for Malcolm X and the Muslims in his time, it was no different. In today’s media, Islam is always being accused of being a violent religion and for encouraging hate. Anything and everything related to terrorism is automatically linked to Islam. Many Americans, who do not have knowledge about Islam, see Muslims as violent, unpatriotic, and terrorists. Little do people realize that history is repeating itself. The media exploited Muslims intentions back then as well by calling them “hate-messengers” and “violent-seekers” (Malcolm X, 152). They also painted the same picture of Muslims being “fascist” and “anti-Christ” (Malcolm X, 152). They would display “Mr. Muhammad, me, and others speaking . . . strong-looking, set-faced black men, our Fruit of Islam ... white-scarved, white-gowned Muslim sisters of all ages... Muslims in our restaurants, and other businesses... Muslims and other black people entering and leaving our mosques...” in a television show titled

Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska to Earl and Louise Little. His father, a minister and devout Christian, was known for being an outspoken follower of the black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey. Garvey’s message promoted the “back-to-Africa” movement that encouraged African Americans of the time to sever ties with

Instead of going to school to get a traditional education, he dropped out of school at fifteen and learned the ways of the streets. Malcolm associated himself with thugs, thieves, dope dealers, and pimps. He was convicted of burglary at age twenty and remained in prison until he was twenty-seven. During his prison sentence, he became a changed man. He educated himself and he learned about and joined the Nation of Islam, studying the teachings of Elijah Muhammed. Elijah taught Malcolm how history had been “whitened by the white man” (p.184) and he echoed “the black convict’s lifelong experience” where “the white man is the devil,” (p. 186). This thought process encouraged many black inmates to discover the Nation of Islam.

Malcolm X, also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz’s legacy is about one’s personal transformation of a self-made man. A man who once associated himself with hustling and crime as a ghetto pup; then to a staunch radical activist, to a political figure, and to becoming one of the most influential African Americans in history. To some he was admired as a courageous human rights activist for blacks, and in some others eyes, he was a man who preached racism and violence towards the whites. Before his last two years of adapting to a peaceful outlook as an activist; before, on one hand, he was undeniably repulsed by the racial discrimination and violence against black Americans, and on the other he originally believed that America offered

The Nation of Islam strongly disagreed and forbade its members and especially Malcolm X from taking part in the political scene (Litwack pg 7). Malcolm knew that if the black population continued to act as a separate community while also avoiding political action, they would never achieve equality. The Nation of Islam strongly disagreed and forbade its members and especially Malcolm X from taking part in the political scene (Litwack, pg 7).  These differing viewpoints and the growing jealousy of Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm’s mentor and leader of the Nation of Islam, were the fundamental reasons not only for him leaving the Nation of Islam but for the entire tone of  “the Ballot or the Bullet” speech (Haley, pg 1).

MALCOLM X Born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska on May 19, 1925, Malcolm X was the son of a Baptist minister, who was an avid supporter of Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association. While living in Omaha, the family was often harassed - at one point the family's house was set afire. In 1929 the

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.

“So early in my life, I had learned that if you want something, you had better make some noise,” spoken from the influential lips of Malcolm X who was an African-American human rights activist and orally powerful minister. Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little and impacted the world with his speeches on equality and rights; he also believed in utilizing violence to escape the “white oppression” African Americans endured. Malcolm X was linked to two prominently known extremist groups: the Nation of Islam and the Black Panther Party, also known as the “Black Panthers.” He had particularly affected people while he was a member of the Nation of Islam and was immersed in the religion of Islam. In the Nation of Islam, he vocalized his views to throngs of people. Amidst these congregations were two men who were enthralled by Malcolm’s words. These men, Bobby Seale and Huey Newton, then went on to form the Black Panther Party after the assassination of Malcolm X.

Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X are notable activists during the civil rights movement in America. They were leaders highly credited by the public. They carried similar, and different views on how to take on oppression in America. “Nonviolence: The Only Road to Freedom” (1966) by Martin Luther King and “The Ballot or the Bullet” (1964) by Malcolm X had points were they agreed with one another, points of controversy were the did not see eye to eye, and points of disagreement about violence in the civil rights movement.

Malcolm X was born on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska as Malcolm Little to parents Earl and Louise Little. The Littles moved to Lansing, Michigan when Malcolm was an infant due to threats the family received from the Klu Klux Klan. This was because Reverend Earl Little was an early follower of Marcus Garvey, who preached black independance and self-respect (Altman, 197). Reverend Little died when Malcolm was only six years old after being hit by a streetcar. Malcolm always believed that this was a hate crime committed by whites. Many speculate that this is what originally caused Malcolm to distrust whites. Malcolm’s mother, Louise Little, was committed to the State Mental Hospital in Kalamazoo in 1939. Her exact illness is unknown (Mamiya).

Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little, was a human rights activist, and a revolutionary black nationalist leader who doubled as a spokesman for The Nation of Islam. Malcolm X was a persuasive and skilled speaker. He strongly encouraged African-Americans to rise up against the oppression of from racism by any means possible, even if they had to use violence. In Malcolm X’s speech, Message to the Grassroots, he explores the idea of all those oppressed by privileged whites joining together as a solution to the power of racism. Message to the Grassroots was one of the last speeches Malcolm X gave before he left the Nation of Islam. Throughout his speech, Malcolm X uses parallelism, repetition and inclusive and exclusive language to persuade the attendees

Malcolm X’s speech, “The Ballot or the Bullet” is the seventh most significant speech in history, according to Texas A&M University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison categories. The address is given out on April 13th , 1964, a year before the eloquent orator championing for the civil rights of the blacks was murdered, centers on the racial seclusion and injustice that existed between the Negros and the American whites. Though Malcolm gets credit for his direct form of presentation, this speech is one that many have found the lack of ethical consideration in the moral value. Malcolm went against other renowned personalities championing for the civil of the black Americans like Martin Luther King Jnr. and created a different approach. Unlike

Malcolm’s speech “Ballot or the Bullet” is considered one of greatest speeches the civil rights movement. It is ranked number seven greatest speech of the twentieth century. Throughout his speech, Malcolm X's use of rhetorical devices work very well at rallying the crowd. The speeches starts off with Malcolm telling the audience that he is a Muslim who follows the religion of Islam. He then states his religion has no negative effect on his passion for the civil rights movement and he is not trying to change anyone’s religion.

On April 3, 1964, human rights activist and Muslim minister, Malcolm X, delivered his most famous speech “The Ballot or the Bullet” to a predominantly black audience during a meeting at the Cory Methodist Church sponsored by the Cleveland Chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). In the speech, Malcolm X implores African Americans of all faiths to stand up for themselves and fight against the political oppression, economic exploitation, and social degradation of African Americans at the hands of the white man. The speech was given shortly after Malcolm X left the Nation of Islam, an African American political and religious movement, for which he had been the spokesman, and declared his willingness to cooperate with the Civil Rights Movement. Accordingly, he wanted to distance himself from the Nation of Islam, who critics have described as black supremacist and anti-Semitic, and expand his audience to include non-Muslim African Americans and moderates who viewed the Nation of Islam as too radical. Malcolm X begins his speech by successfully employing emotional appeals; he establishes common ground with his audience by discussing the collective experience of African Americans of all faiths in an oppressive, white America which invokes their anger and frustrations. Next, he builds his credibility, using numbers and federal law to expose the “political con-game” being played by the Democratic Party, with African Americans as its victims, and encourage blacks to uses