He constantly used repetition of the words "the ballot or the bullet" in order to keep the thought present in the head of the audience, and after completing every thought, he found a way to connect it back to the issue of the ballot or the bullet. X was a black civil rights activist who played a huge role in the black community during the mid 20th century. We've got to change our own minds about each other. In these opening paragraphs, Malcolm X calls for increased political participation and awareness in the black community. False. (Malcolm X) Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska on May 19, 1925. . The Ballot or the Bullet study guide contains a biography of Malcolm X, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Term Our faith is sure, our resolve is firm, and our union is strong. "that's what we are -- Africans who are in America. Second-class citizenship, such as is held by the African-American community, is tantamount to 20th-century slavery, says Malcolm. Let him know that it must be the ballot or the bullet.. Malcolm X uses "if-then" statements and examples designed to evoke emotion to appeal to his audience. of the users don't pass the Ballot or the Bullet quiz! The Black Panther Party was organized in 1966 in California to combat police brutality, and it eventually spread to many other parts of the country. Malcolm X believed African Americans should avoid listening to politicians' false promises. The title "The Ballot or the Bullet" has an underlining meaning. "The Ballot or the Bullet" is the title of a public speech by human rights activist Malcolm X. [6], Malcolm also chose not to discuss the religious differences that divide Muslims and Christians, a common theme of his speeches when he was the spokesman for the Nation of Islam. [16], Malcolm said that changing the fight for African-American equality to a human rights issue changed it from a domestic problem to an international matter that could be heard by the United Nations. Malcolm wants the audiences to understand they have the power to change America or still continue to allow the government to control. In a speech on May 18, 1858, Abraham Lincoln said, "To give victory to the right, not bloody bullets, but peaceful ballots only are necessary. Malcolm X was a civil rights leader before he was assassinated at the age of 40. First he says, It. California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996, and activists like Dennis Peron whose partner died of AIDS in 1990 played key roles in organizing the ballot measure. First, Malcolm X was inspirational in many aspects and his upbringing added to this aspect. Littles speech has a significant lack of logic; although, it is a clever move to predominantly use emotional appeal due to his motive - to incite anger in America and to showcase the government's faults. Malcolm X was a fighter for civil rights. balanced sentence), comparision of two unlike things using "like" or as", deliberate omission of conjunctions in a series of related clauses, "My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Summary of Malcolm X's "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech. When a racial powder keg goes off, it doesn't care who it knocks out of the way. The Ballot or the Bullet study guide contains a biography of Malcolm X, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. On the other hand, "The Ballot or the Bullet" alienated white Americans. [and] anti-oppression" and that, if white Americans take issue with being considered a problem, all they have to do is stop treating African Americans in those ways. April 8, 2021; energy difference between n=1 and n=2 in joules. How does he use his beliefs to persuade a mixed audience about the importance of voting to African Americans? The speech is among the top persuasive speeches of the 20th century. Malcolm X closes by defining his goal as a Black Nationalist who wants African Americans to gain political, economic, and social control over their communities. Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Carol Denise McNair were killed when a bomb detonated in Birmingham, Alabama, in the 16th Street Baptist Church on September 15, 1963. The major conflict is between African-Americans and white supremacy, concretized in the twin issues of the upcoming election and the ongoing filibuster against the 1964 Civil Rights Act. And anyone who puts forth any effort to deprive you of that which is yours, is breaking the law, is a criminal. His speech The Ballot or the Bullet, was about black nationalism during the current election year. The speech was strong and inspiring, and because it was combined with his confident and sturdy speaking, he came off as a respectable and intelligent leader who knows what he wants, Malcolm X evokes emotion with the use of objectification, by specifying particular instances of exploitation, degradation, and oppression that the black community has faced. was the black mans vote that put the present administration in Washington, D.C. If the ballot doesn't work, Malcolm X says, then African-Americans will have to resort to the bullet. In The Ballot or the Bullet, Malcolm X advocates for racial, economic, and social justice through the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, more black voting control, and more black local control through any means possible, including violence and the threat of it. The Ballot or the Bullet is a speech delivered by Malcolm X in 1964. This resource includes the annotated text of Malcolm X's famous "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech. the democrats were in control of the house of representatives and the senate. Douglass received an invitation to speak at a Fourth of July celebration in his hometown, and the speech he gave called out the hypocrisy of celebrating freedom as a country while millions of its residents are enslaved. African american rights were the main concern of many people, along with government corruption and the unwillingness to help. In April 1964, in the midst of a 54 day Senate filibuster of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, Malcolm X gave his famous speech, The Ballot or the Bullet. He used ethos, pathos, and logos to gain the audience's trust and appeal to them both emotionally and logically, in order to inspire them to fight back. Civil rights leaders questioned whether the messages in "The Ballot or the Bullet" were shared in the most effective manner. He gave this speech on April third in order to talk about both the election and how African-American people should proceed in order to benefit from the election. Both speakers use pattern of three to make their speeches effective, memorable and persuading. He explains that he does not subscribe to either the Democratic or the Republican party, because he considers himself a victim of Americas so-called democracy. For African-Americans, there is no American dream, only an American nightmare. How does he use his beliefs to persuade a mixed audience about the importance of voting to African Americans? anti-degradation . Malcolm X warns African-Americans against the white politicians that will come into their communities (for the first and last time, he suggests) and make false promises of equality. What does this mean? Due to the lack of government the dichotomy between african americans and the white men was still a major problem ; as African americans needed to put and end to the separation and earn civil rights. Work Cited "Malcolm X: The Ballot or the Bullet." American Public Media . Gradesaver has a complete summary of "The Ballot of the Bullet" speech readily available in its study guide for this unit. Some of them were, some were atheists. African Americans should be "re-educated into the science of politics" in order to understand the importance and effect of the vote they cast:[12]. This downplaying of his religion reverberates in the context of a speech advocating for political engagement. You don't throw your ballots until you see a target, and if that target is not within your reach, keep your ballot in your pocket. Create the most beautiful study materials using our templates. And this was pointed out by the Supreme Court decision. It doesnt matter, he says, if you go to jail, because black people are already there. Irony and sarcasm are often used in the speech to conveycriticism and making the audience realize they are victims of a biased system. Although he supported black equality, he attacked the problem unlike others such as Martin Luther King Jr. did. Compared to whom we are now. If he waits too long he will be responsible for letting a condition develop in this country which will create a climate that will bring seeds up out of the ground with vegetation on the end of them looking like something these people never dreamed of. Black Nationalism: an ideology that African Americans should separate from white America and form their own institutions. The Ballot or the bullet Malcolm X Cory Methodist Church Cleveland, Ohio April 3, 1964 Garret Feucht COM 250 - Prof. Heins 10/29/15 Garret Feucht COM 250 - Prof. Heins 10/29/15 (Daniels, 2014) The Ballot or the Bullet is the title of one of the many speeches given by human rights activist Malcolm X. Malcolm uses emotions because he wants the audience to feel the events in America especially when it comes the time to vote. parallelism in the ballot or the bullet. Test your knowledge with gamified quizzes. . StudySmarter is commited to creating, free, high quality explainations, opening education to all. In what follows, we will look at some of the most important rhetorical devices used by the speaker and how they work with the speech. [3][4], On March 8, 1964, Malcolm X announced his separation from the Nation of Islam, a black nationalist religious organization for which he had been the spokesman for nearly a decade. Malcolms purpose was to emphasize the idea that the black community needs to be informed about the political community. Let the world know how bloody his hands are. The main aim of the speech is to urge African Americans to vote, and if they do not attain equality through voting, they can use violence to fight for their rights. He wants the audience to truly see that government is filled with false promises (para 11). In the speech, The Ballot or the Bullet, Malcolm X urges African-Americans to fight the discrimination put towards them by using their votes to vanquish the evilness in America. Malcolm X addressed the issue of "rifles and shotguns", a controversy that had dogged him since his March 8 announcement that he had left the Nation of Islam. On April 3, 1964 Malcolm X delivered one of the most empowering speeches in American history. Anything can sit. The Ballot or the Bullet by Malcolm X: Rhetorical Analysis If you don't take this stand now your kids will grow up and think "shame" Rhetorical Strategies Malcolm X uses a lot of strong dialect . At the start of "The Ballot or the Bullet," Malcolm X dispenses with the divisive issue of religion in favor of the common cause of civil rights. After you go (threw, through) that intersection, take the next left tum. More books than SparkNotes. The economic philosophy of black nationalism promotes African-American control of the economy of the African-American community. $4.00. You're nothing but Africans. In this first section of the speech, Malcolm relies on appealing to the pride of the African-American community, particularly through language centering on the emasculation of black peoples and the necessity of relying on brute force over peaceful protest. It means that when white people are evenly divided, and Black people have a bloc of votes of their own, it is left up to them to determine who's going to sit in the White House and who's going to be in the dog house. With the help of properly chosen stylistic means, Malcolm X was able to create a powerful speech and become a famous figure in American history. The first 45 seconds of "The Ballot or the Bullet" as given April 12, 1964 in Detroit. Understand this, it's dangerous. intentional repetition of 3 or more vowel sounds among nearby words. Instead, he was going to emphasize the common experience of African Americans of all faiths:[8]. ", "They've become dissatisfied, and all of this has built up frustrations in the black community that makes the black community throughout America today more explosive than all of the atomic bombs the Russians can ever invent", "Whenever you got a racial powder keg sitting in your lap, you're in more trouble than if you had an atomic powder keg sitting in your lap. "(I Have a Dream Speech). Rhetorical Analysis Of 'The Ballot Or The Bullet', Civil Rights Activist, Malcolm X, in his speech The Ballot or The Bullet addressed the issue that the black community needs to take action about how the government treats them unfairly. These 22 million victims are waking up. Why did Malcolm X say was 1964 an important year for African Americans? driving, working feverishly, pushing, building. Malcolm predicted that if the civil rights bill wasn't passed, there would be a march on Washington in 1964. Create beautiful notes faster than ever before. Example: (Your, Youre\underline{\textit{You're}}Youre) surprised that I knew that Notah Begay won a PGA golf tournament in 1999. Narrator and Point of View Malcolm X narrates the speech from a first-person point of view. "The Ballot or the Bullet," a famous civil rights speech delivered by Malcolm X Malcolm X religious beliefs had caused controversy within the Black community. "The Ballot or the Bullet" is listed as one of the most important speeches Malcolm X ever gave because: One of them makes believe he's for you, and he's got it fixed where the other one is so tight against you, he never has to keep his promise. [25], One biographer notes that Malcolm was one of the first African-American leaders to note the existence and growing influence of Black nationalism among young civil rights activists.[26]. Although he supported black equality, he attacked the problem unlike others such is... 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